The first week of August means only one thing in my small town.

It’s carnival week!

Yes, that cavalcade of carnies, questionably-maintenanced rides, deep fried food, inflatable trinkets, and colorful, live entertainment descends once again on my little town, offering a week of summertime entertainment to young and old alike.

The carnival marks the wind-down of the summer season, when kids know school is just around the corner and older folks know another summer is almost gone, soon making way for the cool breezes and vibrant colors of autumn.

In the meantime, there are steamy, hot nights ahead to enjoy  twenty-five cent BINGO, fried country ham sandwiches, fresh cut fries, and fresh-squeezed lemonade, all enjoyed under the twinkling lights and pulsing music of the carnival rides that ring the outer rim of the oval shaped grounds.

Lawn chairs will line the area in front of the north end open-air stage, where musical acts will play two shows a night to families and friends who stop and chat or slip off to gamble on tip jars or other games of chance between songs.

Teens will prance and preen as they take laps of the grounds, showing off summer tans, holding hands with summer loves, or just hanging out with friends they haven’t seen since school let out in the spring.

Kids will try to win goldfish or hermit crabs at the game booths, much to the chagrin of parents who didn’t want pets in the first place.  They’ll breathlessly shout with glee as the Ferris wheel comes over the top of its circular route, giving young faces a birds-eye view of the grounds and dropping their stomachs as the car quickly descends from its highest point.  They’ll ride the carousel horses or slide down the huge slide on an itchy sack, all while taking in handfuls of sticky cotton candy or salty popcorn.

It’s a real slice of Americana, all served under a summer night sky.

Even though I rarely go anymore (as I did in my youth), I’m sure I’ll stop in and take at least one lap, get some carnival food favorites, and maybe listen to the show for a few minutes before heading back to the house.

Old habits die hard, and no matter what age we reach, there’s always a little spark of the kid inside each of us when the carnival comes to town.