Arriving at the 2024 Boonville Fair last Friday, the program book outlined most of the things that would happen or be available for viewing. Curious people with wide ranging interests can easily keep themselves occupied and entertained with very few gaps for all three days. Any pauses can be neatly filled with high-octane people watching.
The long row of benches along the outside wall of the wool building are the best seats in the house for people watching. The wide aisle that starts at the Hall of Flowers and runs all the way through to the High School sports field is where the Rodeos (2), Dances (3), Sheep Dog Trial (1), and Soccer game (1) all happen. Down this aisle roll babies in strollers with proud parents and grandparents, bands of teen-aged friends looking handsome/beautiful/hopeful, couples of all ages holding hands, distracted singles punching away on their phones, fair workers coming through on their way to unplug toilets or deliver ice and lastly, connoisseurs of the human parade who can appreciate the variety of humanity streaming by.
This year romance appeared to be making a comeback as a number of enchanted and enchanting couples were spotted kissing like they meant business. We’ve come a long way since the heavy Covid years. Just watching massive numbers of (mostly) maskless people enjoying each other was heartening.
The Fair includes very active events like the rodeos, sports, dances, bungee jumping and carnival thrill riding. The AV High School Soccer team beat Mendocino 3-1 in the featured sports event this year. Then there are the calmer attractions such as the Home and Fine Arts displays, the Agricultural building and the Wool and Fiber Hall. Also engaging are the vendors who will paint your face, tattoo you, serve you beer, wine or cider, try and get your presidential vote, or try to sell you clothes, jewelry, toys, dog accessories, ethnic arts or baked potatoes and the ever-popular corndogs.
Outstanding this year was the Grange blue ribbon winning display of fruits and vegetables in all their glory. A new design conceived by Mea Bloyd and constructed by the skilled and willing hands of Grange members portrayed the sun with earth’s bounty filling each curvaceous ray. Otilio Espinoza’s 231-pound blue ribbon pumpkin got Biggest in Show. Local women noticing that the number of entries was falling came together at the Hall of Flowers on the Wednesday before the Fair. They assembled 50 bright arrangements to add to all the other plants and flowers entered.
A special thank you to Vickie Brock who provided five full buckets of Mike Brock Memorial Zinnias! Also a special appreciation to Kathy Borst for going the extra mile and assembling a realistic blue ribbon birthday cake festooned with flowers to celebrate the 100th Birthday of the Fair.
The Lions, Veterans and Fire/Ambulance Departments sold a ton of beer and burgers, the proceeds of which will go directly back into the community. The Elder Home and the Winegrowers Association provided wine while Gowan’s provided the cider. The Yorkville Community Benefits Association was on hand to sell quilt raffle tickets and t-shirts that also fund the community.
Sheep and rabbit shearing in the wool hall give fairgoers a cool and shady retreat from the heat. Being around the animals reminds us of our not so distant past when we relied on animals every day to help us live our lives. Watching youth manage and show their animals is fresh and sweet. They encourage their charges with petting, words of encouragements, and even the occasional kiss. (There go those kisses again!) Listening to the animal judges’ descriptions is interesting. “Great density and intensity…a bit hollowed out at the rear…good depth over hip and excellent texture.”
Different kinds of people have different kinds of animals. There are pig people, cattle people, goat people, sheep people, chicken people, rabbit people and horse people, not to mention people people. I loved the t-shirts, “0% Vegetarian” and “Swine Staff.” Whole families do animals projects together. It seems like a very good way to bring family members close. The kids represent the future unsullied with great potential, while the adults with their pasts are characterized by their experience.
And so another year of the Fair passes and we move towards winter with the pleasures and challenges that will bring. See you next year at the 101st Mendocino County Fair and Apple Show 2025.
(Note: This is part 2 of our Fair Report. For part 1 including a fascinating collection of Fair pics go to: theava.com/archives/252623.)
Be First to Comment