Sausage dogs, funnel cakes, French fries are best sellers this year

For many adults who visit the Kiwanis Covington County Fair each year, the food is the main attraction.

Both the Andalusia Kiwanis Club, which sponsors the fair, and James Gang, with whom the club contracts to provide rides, sell food.

“We try not to compete with what they’re selling, with the exception of funnel cakes,” Kiwanis Fair Board President Larry Avery said. The club’s contract actually states that they won’t undercut the price of funnel cakes – which have a going rate of $3.50 these days, unless one adds strawberry, apple or cherry toppings, when the rate goes up to $5.

Avery said the club’s best sellers this year have been sausage dogs, funnel cakes and French fries. Yes, French fries.

“The most we’ve ever sold,” Kiwanian Glen Powell said.

“So many, we’re thinking of investing in a potato farm in Idaho,” club member Gary Buck added.

Avery said his personal favorite is a sausage dog with mustard. Powell bravely orders his “all the way,” but Buck said he’d rather have a funnel cake.

“It’s something you can’t get anywhere else, except right here,” he said.

James Jones had a similar idea. Enjoying a funnel cake for dessert while waiting for others in his party to ride rides, he said, “I only do this once a year, but it’s good when I do.”

Caryl Lee Ray was in line for a sausage dog.

“I’ve been smelling them from the soccer field all week,” she said. “Tonight I had to have one.

It was the funnel cakes that prompted Vicki Evers Popwell and her mom, Mary Evers, to grab some supper after watching family members perform with the LBWCC Ensemble last night.

“They’re really good,” Popwell said, “and this one is hot.”

Blair Hancock said she and her husband agreed that the food was the main attraction for them. They were sitting own to sausage dogs “all the way,” – with peppers, onions and mustard, while their girls enjoyed pizza and a corndog.

Other offerings include hamburgers, footlong corn dogs, soft pretzels ($4), nachos ($3), chili fries, egg rolls ($2), chicken strips ($3) caramel apples ($4), candied apples ($4), cotton candy ($3), sno cones ($3), soft drinks, sweet tea, lemonade and coffee.

In addition, the Southeast Alabama Gas District is cooking chocolate chip cookies in their booth, and when manned, the Department of Agriculture booth offers roasted peanuts.

The fair opens today, Sat., Oct. 15, at 2:30 p.m. On Sunday, the midway opens at 1 p.m., and closes at 6 p.m.