Lakefair in Olympia is back for another long weekend of fun, games, rides, and of course delicious fair food. With summer here, there are many fun events and activities coming up, and it is important to be prepared before attending. While these events are a great way to connect with family and friends and support local vendors, they do come with a few risks to be aware of. By taking these safety precautions, you can ensure that you have a wonderful time out without any issues.
Only bring what you need.
As tempting as it may be to tote along all your favorite gadgets and gizmos for your day out, it is best to leave valuable items at home. Consider the essentials needed for the day and think about bringing what can comfortably fit in your pockets. Try to avoid bringing expensive technology such as high-end video cameras and pricey cameras unless you plan to keep them on your person at all times.
Families with small children may be unable to avoid bringing a bag of items out, and that’s okay. Just make sure you still leave those expensive electronics at home along with any of your child’s favorite toys. The fair is full of excitement and wonder, so you don’t want to risk your little one getting caught up in the moment and later losing their childhood blankie or stuffie.
Set up a separation plan.
This is a must for families but can also be beneficial for couples or friends enjoying the fair together. With events like these, large crowds often form and it can be easy to get separated from your group. Cell service can sometimes be spotty depending on where you are, or the noise around you can make it difficult to hear. By setting up a separation plan, you can pick a spot where you can all meet again if you happen to get separated. Try to pick a landmark that is visible from almost any part of the event, such as a tall ride or sign. At larger events spread across a lot of space, find an event map and decide on a convenient location to meet again if you get separated. You can even circle the spot on the map to make it easy to remember later.
For families with small children, always encourage them to go to an adult working the fair immediately. Though a landmark may be easy enough for a small child to find, it is too risky to encourage them to try to find you or to be at the fair alone for any length of time. Have them go to the nearest food stand, shop, or ride and wait with the employee. Staff at events often have communication equipment like walkie talkies and are trained in handling these situations, so it is always best for your child to seek one of them out to get help.
Stay hydrated and nourished throughout the day.
Events have so many enticing and fun things to do and see, it is easy to forget to drink water. It is important to make sure you bring your own water bottle so you can keep yourself hydrated throughout the day. Water is available at these events, but you may have to wait in a long line and pay a pretty penny to get it. It is a good rule of thumb to bring at least one water bottle with you until you can get another one while at the event. If you plan on drinking at the event, make sure to balance this with enough water as well. Beer and other alcoholic beverages are quite popular at events like fairs, but they can quickly dehydrate you. By balancing each drink with a bottle of water, you can prevent dehydration.
We all know how dangerously delicious that fair food is, but try to keep in mind what your body is used to and what it needs. Most of the fair food is deep-fried, high in salt, or loaded with sugar, which can be a lot for your body to take at one time. While it is perfectly fine to indulge once in a while and enjoy yourself, make sure to think about how much you are eating and drinking so you don’t accidentally make yourself sick.
Follow all of the posted and verbalized safety rules.
Most fairgrounds feature a slew of rides, games, and other activities. It is important to always listen to the verbal instructions or safety warnings when partaking in a carnival ride or game. If you have small children that are riding a ride, make sure to ask them to listen to the staff person when they are talking so they can understand the rules too.
Outside of the rides and games, the fair itself may have safety rules in place to prevent injury and harm to attendees. This may include things such as no outside food and drink, no firearms, no smoking, no drugs, etc. Despite your personal beliefs and hobbies, it is important to abide by these safety guidelines to keep yourself and others safe. You are attending a public event and should do your best to be mindful of those around you so everyone can have a good time.
Practice safety while walking or driving to and from the event.
Fairs are often packed with people, which means lots of drivers and pedestrians. While you are driving to and from the event, make sure you stay alert and watch for any people crossing the road. Most people forget to practice basic pedestrian safety at events, so they may suddenly decide to cross or step into the street when you are not ready. Drive slow and cautiously to make sure you are not putting anyone at risk, even if they are the one being negligent.
As a pedestrian, you always want to consider proper safety and avoid making reckless decisions. It is always exciting to get to an event and you may find yourself in a hurry to get to your car when it is time to leave, but it is still critical to follow safety rules. Always use designated crosswalks and wait your turn to cross the street. Know that some drivers may not be able to see you very well if it is dark out, so take your time and never assume you have the right of way. Remember, some drivers may be getting impatient and eager to get to or from the event, so they may make reckless decisions. You don’t want to ever put yourself at risk and should take the necessary precautions to stay safe on the streets.
By following these safety guidelines, you can avoid injury and enjoy the day out. If you do happen to become injured as a pedestrian or driver, know you are not alone. Hohaia Law is here to support you and your personal injury claim if you ever need it.
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