There is much that makes Forsyth County and Cumming unique and special. Superior schools, Lake Lanier, proximity to Atlanta, a strong economy and high standard of living, exceptional parks and recreational opportunities, strong charities with willing volunteers, and friendly people just to name a few.

And then there is the Cumming Country Fair and Festival.

Make no mistake, the annual fair is an event that many communities across the country would love to be able to call their own. The fair is renowned for its family-friendly atmosphere and hospitable reputation, but it also makes a positive contribution to the local economy each fall, bringing visitors from afar to visit the county and spend their money.

At the core of the fair’s success is the Cumming fairgrounds facility, which is testimony to the visionary thinking of city leaders who years ago decided a permanent fairground in the city limits would provide long-term benefits. Has it ever.

In addition to playing host to the fair each year, the fairground has become a multiuse event facility, serving as home for everything from high school graduations to bronco-busting rodeo shows. Fairgrounds director Dave Horton and his staff have for years developed and maintained a facility in which the entire county can take pride.

Mayor H. Ford Gravitt and city leaders also can take credit for the friendly, upbeat atmosphere that permeates the fairgrounds during fair days each week. The fairgrounds are neat and clean, security is evident everywhere, traffic and crowds move smoothly, and the event is the sort that people come to year after year because they can enjoy doing so.

An integral part of the fair’s appeal is its connections to the past. The heritage village and various demonstrations of “the way things used to be done” are popular draws for repeat visitors and pleasant surprises for those attending the fair for the first time.

Fair time is special in Cumming. Lights fill the night sky, the air seems a little crisper with the coming of fall, and a certain sense of small-town hospitality seems to permeate each day. It is a time to which we look forward each year, and an event we are proud to help sponsor.

The fun starts Thursday. See you at the fair.