Street Fair

Street Fair
by Michael Mark & Tom Chapin
© 1988 HCD Music & The Last Music Co. (ASCAP)

It’s a hot July weekend, a thrill in the air,
They’ve closed up the town
And they’ve opened the fair.
Tables of treasures
From near and from far,
Set up like a Turkish bazaar.
Afghans and jewelry
And T-shirts and beads,
Booths full of more stuff
Than anyone needs.
Mom says, You ready?
Let’s check out the street.
The whole world is here at my feet.
Street fair, street fair.
You don’t want to miss this stupendous affair.
’Cause everyone in the whole town will be there.
We’ll meet in the street at the fair.

I take my Mom’s hand
And we plunge in the crowd.
It’s noisy and happy and busy and loud.
Mom is in love with the old picture frames
And I want to try all the games.
We look at the linens, we buy a blue dish.
I toss wooden rings. I win a goldfish.
A buck for three bean bags to dunk Mr. Clown;
One throw and splash! He goes down.
Street fair, street fair.
Unique and antique, this stupendous affair.
There’s jugglers, magicians
And bands playing there.
We’ll dance in the street at the fair.

But it’s a hundred degrees in the shade
And I feel myself starting to fade.
Sit under a tree, just my Mom and me
With a cool cup of fresh lemonade.

You hungry? I’m hungry!
Then let’s go and eat. What do you want?
What do they got? Everything. Neat!
Burgers and onions and Greek shish kabob,
Fried chicken and corn on the cob.
There’s hot dogs and bratwurst
And all kinds of krauts
But Mom wants tabouli and alfalfa sprouts.
I get cotton candy, she has an éclair.
We eat and we eat as we walk down the street and
We eat in the street at the fair.

Now it’s a hundred and ten in the sun
And old Mister Sun has won.
Even Mom’s had enough so we gather our stuff.
Our street fair safari is done.
Street fair, street fair.
We wouldn’t miss this stupendous affair.
We’re heading on home, what a time we had there.
We’ll see you next year at the fair, street fair.
You don’t want to miss this stupendous affair.
’Cause everyone in the whole town will be there,
We’ll meet in the street at the fair.

This song appears on Tom Chapin's In My Hometown CD.

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