Harry Dalton (Pierce Brosnan), un prestigioso vulcanólogo (todavía afectado por la muerte de su esposa en la erupción del monte Pinatubo), detecta una peligrosa actividad sísmica y avisa de una posible erupción en las cercanías de Dante’s Peak, un tranquilo pueblecito del Noroeste coronado por un inmenso volcán apagado. Pero nadie da crédito a sus avisos hasta que ya es demasiado tarde. El volcán entra en erupción y la población, dominada por el pánico intenta huir. Harry intentará escapar con la alcaldesa (Linda Hamilton) y sus hijos.

Jess Birdwell es el patriarca de una familia de cuáqueros, una secta cristiana que se niega a participar en las guerras. Su hijo Josh desea adherirse al pacifismo familiar pero, temiendo ser tomado por un cobarde, se alista en el ejército, lo que provoca el disgusto de su madre.

Often referred to as "The Olympics of Table Setting," eccentric personalities and old rivalries come to a head as contestants compete for the "Best of Show" ribbon at the Orange County Fair table setting competition.

"Ma" Ryan, who runs a burger stand at the county fair, asks daughter Loretta to put a bet on a horse that Loretta's boyfriend Tommy is riding. Unfortunately, Loretta mistakenly places the bet on the wrong horse. When she discovers her error she tries to get the cashier to exchange the ticket for the horse she wanted, but the cashier refuses. Peter Brennan, standing in back of her in line, buys the ticket for the horse Loretta wants and then exchanges it with her. It turns out that Peter is from a wealthy family that owns racehorses, and Peter is a horse trainer himself. He soon begins to fall for Loretta, and Tommy doesn't like it one bit. Complications ensue.

This Emmy award-winning documentary chronicles a vanishing piece of Americana: the last remaining agricultural encampment fair in the country, and the families who spend months preparing for this unique rural phenomenon.