Sure, social media makes it entirely possible to carry on relationships with people without ever even meeting them in person – but it’s at its most fun (and its most effective) when it really brings the “social” to life through real-world interaction. That’s one reason why we’ve had so much fun joining in with the social media for this year’s Old Shawnee Days, which started last night and runs through June 5. Coming to the event? Bring your smartphone, check in on Facebook or Foursquare and trade photos of your favorite rides, food or entertainment with other folks at the fair. Or, if you’re on Twitter, give @OldShawneeDays a shout and hashtag your tweets from the day with #OSDays – they’ll appear on the special coverage page on the Shawnee Dispatch, too.

Festival and fair season has always been one of the things that makes the Midwest and Kansas a great place to live, and most of us can probably remember our parents or grandparents taking us to a summertime fair for rides, snacks and shows. And while at first glance all this newfangled social media tech might not seem to be the most likely match for your average down-home summertime festival, it’s actually a perfect fit for this kind of family fun. Got friends or relatives who can’t join you for the event? Keep them from feeling left out (or make them jealous!) by posting an album of photos from your day. Want to know the best kids’ attractions before you head out for the day with your little ones? Use the hashtag and ask everyone who’s already there – and who knows, a conversation on Twitter could turn into a real-life play date once you get to the grounds.

We’ll be at Old Shawnee Days with @OldShawneeDays this weekend posting Facebook and Twitter updates, photos, news and anything fun that happens at the fair – so send us a note, especially if it’s something you’d like us to share! A smartphone in one hand and an ice cream cone in the other – call us a little geeky, maybe, but it sounds like a pretty great weekend. See you there – in real life and on the social Web!