A 4-Her and a puppeteer agree: It’s great to have the Stanislaus County Fair back
Everything is lining up well for the first full-on Stanislaus County Fair in three years.
Carnival workers assembled rides and game booths during Thursday’s media preview on the Turlock grounds. Other crews prepared spaces for concerts and motor sports. And young people tended to their livestock in advance of judging and auctions.
COVID-19 sharply limited the 2020 and 2021 fairs. The pandemic has receded enough to allow crowds to mingle, carefully, during a 10-day run that starts Friday, July 8.
“I’m glad to see everything back to normal,” Mia Cardoza said as she groomed the cow she has raised through Wood Colony 4-H. She is preparing for the Replacement Heifer Sale on Sunday, July 10, which involves animals new to milk production.
The fair began in 1911 as the Turlock Melon Carnival. It continues to reflect Stanislaus’ high rank among farm counties in the United States.
Fairgoers can see what fellow county residents have entered in competitions such as baking, photography and sewing. They can visit goats and other creatures in the petting zoo and watch the duck races (new this year where racing pigs had been.)
Music fans can hear Karla Perez, a Selena impersonator, and actual versions of Smashmouth, War, Night Ranger, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and several other performers. The shows are free after fair admission.
The fair has extra charges for arena events, including its first bloodless bullfight, a Portuguese tradition, and the usual demolition derbies, monster trucks and motocross.
The food booths offer up the typical carnival fare, along with local favorites such as Assyrian cuisine and VFW burgers.
The 2020 fair was reduced to virtual livestock competitions and drive-thru sales of a few foods. Last year had live livestock and motor sports events, amid some dreadfully hot weather.
The forecast is for low 90s on the first two days, then around 100 from Sunday through Tuesday. The site has plenty of shade trees and air-conditioned buildings.
The fair typically draws more than 200,000 people when it’s going strong. CEO Matt Cranford said advance ticket sales are going well.
“The last full fair was in 2019, so we’re excited to have everybody back out,” he said.
The preview also featured puppeteer Laurie Branham from Mission Viejo, Orange County. She acted out scenes from “The Wizard of Oz” and will be performing daily.
Branham travels the fair and festival circuit but had little work during the pandemic.
“I am predominantly a gatherer of people,” she said, “and we could not gather.”
The Stanislaus County Fair will run from July 8 to 17 at 900 N. Broadway, Turlock. The hours are noon to midnight on Saturdays and Sundays and 5 p.m. to midnight on weekdays. Ticket and other information is at www.stancofair.com.
This story was originally published July 8, 2022 at 6:44 AM.
