I've lived in Lancaster County my entire life. I was born in Lancaster city on College Avenue, but grew up in Lititz. My family has always told me to dream big, aim high, and reach for the stars, so that's what I did. I stood in front of the Eiffel Tower, threw a coin into the Trevi Fountain, saw the remains of the Berlin Wall, and swam in the clear waters of the Mediterranean. Before I started my current position as a feature writer for the Advertiser, I tried to get out of Pennsylvania. This job, however, has made me realize that I don't need to go very far to explore areas that are completely different than Lititz.

The Southern End is one of my favorite places to visit while on the job. Although it doesn't always smell the best, southern Lancaster County offers some of the most stunning views of lush and verdant farmland that I have ever seen, which is one reason that I enjoyed the drive down to Quarryville to cover the Solanco Fair.

If I had to describe the Solanco Fair with one word, it would be community. In a world that seems divided right now, I could feel a strong sense of togetherness at the fair. People shared picnic tables with strangers, saw old friends and made new ones, and celebrated their roots. The last part really stood out to me while I was at the fair. Everyone seemed rooted in tradition because they want to keep the fair the way it has been since the very beginning. The officers and directors of the fair felt from the start, and included in the bylaws, that gambling, concessionaires, and carnival-type activities should not be permitted. As a result, the Solanco Fair has maintained its agricultural and family roots.

"I've been coming since I was a kid," said Dana Hendrickson, a resident of Little Britain. "My favorite thing is seeing all the crafts. I love walking through the fair and seeing everyone's talent." Dana went to the fair with her daughter, Cassidy. The sixth-grader said she likes the fair because she's able to see her friends.

There was so much to do at the fair. I feasted on french fries courtesy of the Quarryville Lions Club, hand-dipped ice cream from the dairy bar, a funnel cake made by the Farm Women Group No. 15, and a pulled-pork sandwich from Hess's Barbecue. I sat down in the grass, watched the parade, and met a mother whose toddler kept signaling the trucks to honk their horns. I walked through a livestock building and realized I had never been as close to a cow as I was that day. I witnessed the crowning of this year's Solanco Fair queen, Haleigh Bauer. I also went to my first livestock auction. How someone can talk that fast blows my mind.

Residents of the Southern End look forward to the Solanco Fair every year, and now I do too.

To learn more about the Solanco Fair, search for "Solanco Fair" on Facebook or visit http://www.solancofair.org. Check out photos from the fair at townlively.com/in-the-community.