Ventura County Fair: Many thousands met at the 133rd annual event
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
Published: August 13, 2008
“Meet Me at the Fair” met the expectations of the thousands of people visiting the 133rd Ventura County Fair at Seaside Park, a venue that offered something for everyone.
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula Times
“Meet Me at the Fair” met the expectations of the thousands of people visiting the 133rd Ventura County Fair at Seaside Park, a venue that offered something for everyone.
“Bunnies!” was the cry of children on Saturday who visited the winners, runner-ups and also hopped, giving kids a new appreciation of nature’s gentler creatures entered for competition. Leo’s Barn was busy, and entries in the name the piglets contest - there were about eight newborns featured with their mother - brought discussion of imaginative monikers, ranging from Miss Piggy to Christopher Hogwood, the latter an idea with a classical music connection probably suggested by a parent.
Overall, said Fair Director Ginger Gherardi of Santa Paula of the fair, “I think it was fabulous... we haven’t gotten the attendance yet, but we were a little bit ahead of last year all the way around. That’s really tremendous because all of the fairs statewide were down... ours was the exception.”
Although the numbers of those who attended the fair have not yet been finalized, many agreed that even with the downturn in the economy the fair - overlooking the Pacific Ocean - was the place to be, even if consumer wallets were being held a little tighter.
It appeared to some that fewer vendors were in the Commercial Building, hawking everything from salsa makers to fudge to costume jewelry to pre-shrunk cotton clothing to miracle mops to water-saving garden hose nozzles. “Where’s the spices booth?” one woman asked in frustration after she circled the venue twice.
The Agricultural Building was also busy. A prominent attraction - the row of entries in the Star newspaper rack-decorating contest - featured the hometown entry highlighting the Discover Santa Paula webpage, one of a dozen finalists culled from approximately 60 entries.
A traveling show - a puppeteer encased by a stage featuring a talkative woman with bright blonde hair and impossibly big and blue eyes - delighted all she encountered. After staring solemnly at a little girl - also a blonde with big light eyes, who stared back - the puppet made an astute observation: “It’s like looking in a mirror,” she cracked, and then asked the object of her attention to “Give me five!”
“We’ve come to the fair every year for at least 30 years,” said Patricia Knowles of Moorpark. “We’ve gone to the Los Angeles and Orange County fairs, but Ventura’s is the best... and has the best weather!”
Each year the Ventura County Fair highlights the county’s history, culture and agriculture, providing hands-on learning experience for young and old, helping to develop a strong sense of community, while promoting agriculture at the same time.
The 12-day fair featured attractions including farm animals, fireworks, interesting exhibits, a variety of competitions and displays to entertain all fair enthusiasts, as well as performances by some of the biggest names in entertainment. Midway rides, games of skill and mountains of mouth-watering food also remained popular fair stops.
Many Santa Paula youth involved with the area’s 4-H Clubs and Future Farmers of America were stars in the animal competitions, which cumulated with the Fair Auction.
Throughout the 12-day run of the 133rd Annual Ventura County Fair, “We didn’t have any problems,” said Gherardi. “People seemed very, very happy.”
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