State Fair Question.
 

It is State Fair time here in MN. I was reading an article in the local paper where the writer was reflecting on the past fairs. He said he recalled as a boy 'sneaking into the girly tent' and they had one back then (1960s).

My question is...was this like a "strip bar" type tent? Naked ladies? Anyone know if back in the day they had this stuff at the fair? Just curious. Had not seen a reference to this before.

Jax,

Not here. That's a new one to me.

I remember taking the bus, actually two, to get from Brooklyn Center to the Fairgrounds when I was in my early teens. That would be around '68-72 or so. My buddies and I would wander through the midway and see the carny. We were too young to go in the burlesque show but I do remember the pictures. The women had on the usual feathers, lace and pasties. It was hard to imagine that the show was very good given the times and the fact that it was at the fair.

Since we all understood that the rest of the carny was 'fakey' we assured each other that the girlie show wasn't going to be very appealing either. Nothing like what we were seeing in 'Cavalier' and 'Playboy' at the time.

i've read about them, in novels mostly, but never saw one myself.

with the way peeps dress nowadays, who needs a burlesque show...just wander around for a while and you'll see some t'n'a eventually. :p:D

My great aunt was in burlesque. It's tradition to hand down her red dance shoes.

Burlesque was never naked. You'd see large feathers and fans and legs and back but NEVER a breast or pubic area. It was an art. A dying art around the 60's...but the beginning of "go-go girls". There was a definite difference between stripper shows and burlesque shows.

Rent the movie "Gypsy" with Rosalynn (sp?) Russell and Natalie Wood to see the best burlesque show and how it grew. Gypsy Rose Lee was one of the most famous feather/fan dancers of her time!

Oh man...What a legacy! Who else do we know that can say their sensuality is genetic???

So cool Lil!

Yeah. She was the tramp of the family and my mom remembers being madly ga ga over a picture of her that she saw once, right before it was whisked away out of sight. We get it naturally. But I am sure there is some nurture involved as well.

wyndhy,

Yes'm. Summer is God's gift to men. :loveshowe

lix, i meant it as more of a descriptive generality than actual bare tits and asses.

Well, it appears that Burlesque is the general consensus. Interesting.

On a related/unrelated note. In the Minneapolis paper several months ago was an article on a Burlesque revival (so to speak). Some local night club was doing some shows and they interviewed several of the dancers as well. I knew some people that went and they rather enjoyed it. Said it is a good fun thing.

The one time I was able to sneak a peek, I didn't like what I saw -- hairy, unattractive women wearing pasties and full-bottomed sequined panties.

That's what we expected when we were kids at the Midway. Even then the eye-candy on the streets of the fair was sweeter.

Tom

It's getting big again here, too. Gay men now also join the women onstage. I guess drag queens & burlesque go hand in hand.

And wowzers! Cool story about your aunt, Lil!