Tom and I are Fair Junkies. They bring to one place at one time, so many interesting products and endeavors which, are, for the most part, invisible to us the rest of the year. Tom missed attending the San Diego County Fair in Del Mar only 2 or 3 times since about 1978, and I can remember missing only one, because of being out of town. We've bought and/or eaten nearly everything sold there, at one time or another. We've loved watching the hucksters in the vendor pavilions, and have even been recognized by a few of them year to year during some stretches. We enjoy many other attractions, s well--the wood crafts, gardens, hobby collections. Sometimes I would go without Tom, an extra trip, either to take the kids, when they were small, or to indulge my own interests, not
shared so much by him--art, gems and minerals, home crafts, animal barns (not that he's never walked through those exhibits--in fact, that's how he knows he'd rather pass on them). We're goofy about the fair.We moved north before the Del Mar Fair took place, this year, so we were very happy to find that the Nevada County edition was scheduled for early August. This week, in fact. It lasts for 5 days. Only 5 days?!! How is that possible? Del Mar runs 2 1/2 weeks! So, yesterday was the day. Appropriately, it's held at the Nevada County Fairgrounds. Let me say, that a more beautiful location for any similar event would be difficult to find. Pine trees everywhere. The parking lots are even full of trees. It's quite interesting to see how they are able to cram even all
the taller and wilder carnival rides in amongst the forest without breaking tree limbs or losing passengers in the canopy. It's interesting to see, not so easy to photograph.I arrived soon after the gates opened around 10am, full of anticipation. Tom would come later in the day. Immediately, I saw that I needed to make some adjustments. In an hour, I could have walked it all--animal barns to quilts to carnival to farm produce. Also, until late afternoon, it seemed I had the whole place almost to myself! No standing in line for anything. So little sound. So, I slowed way down and spent time talking to the bee ladies, the alpaca-raisers (alpacas are the cutest!), the loom-weavers, the silkworm woman, the recycling expert (dressed like a pirate-wench, of course--"Pirates of the Barnyard" is the theme, this year, whatever sense that makes. There were goats with puffy shirts and eye patches). I talked to the Tahoe National Forest rangers about our recent backpacking trip. Where were the fish?, I queried. No one knew. I chatted with the woman who manages the shelter for victims of domestic violence, and the guy who owned the huge Shire horses I was petting. I sat for demos on how to pack up mules for a backcountry trip and how to
get goats to clean up your property (turns out they love to eat everything you want to get rid of). I ate a veggie Cornish pasty (pasties are traditional, here, because of the Cornish miners who came in the 19th century--though no self-respecting miner would have condoned the veggie version, I'm pretty sure). Tom came over in the late afternoon. I had already spent time (lots of it) everywhere, but particularly in the animal areas, home arts and such, so he didn't have to even go near them. So we just walked around, looked at the commercial pavilion (8 minutes--it's limited--but VitaMix was still there!), got some food (he got a proper meat pasty and I got nachos with extra cheese) , looked at the vintage farm equipment engine exhibit (all chugging away), checked out the woodcrafts, plant exhibits (some very nice bonsai!), baby animals (camels and bison!), and watched the square dancing (required up here in the boonies). And, whoa, square dancing has come a long way, since I last checked!We ended the day by sitting and listening to a very good rockabilly group--Sticky Vikki and the
Pinecones--on the Pine Tree Stage. Fun! And it was so easy to exit the parking lots, that we were back home 15 minutes after walking out the gates.So. A smaller scale, for sure, than what we've grown used to. Probably not quite the high-caliber of entries to some exhibits such as the woodcrafts and arts. But way fun and accessible! And I've never talked my way though a fair in this way, before. It's certainly possible to do at the larger fairs, but I've never taken the time. It was beautiful and interesting and amusing and I'll look forward to next year's--maybe even enter something. Now, if only they would add "gems and minerals". And, hey, I just found out that the California State Fair is coming up in Sacramento, soon! --Sandy
