August 4, 2005

Pie eating, pigs and midget racecars highlight this weekend’s Santa Clara County Fair

The Santa Clara County Fair returns this weekend, running Friday, Aug. 5 through Sunday Aug. 7 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Admission is free.

Live music includes the soul and funk sounds of NuDay, a ‘50s and ‘60s revue from Daddy-O, and a Rhythm & Blues show from Nitecry. Additionally there will be continuous entertainment on three stages from local bands, a local talent contest, and a multicultural entertainment presentation from a cross section of the cultures found in today’s Valley population.

The 4H and FFA youth organizations will have their goats, pigs, cattle and sheep on display competing for the blue ribbon.

Traditional fair activities include a pie eating contest, a bubblegum blowing contest, sack races, a corsage making contest, a hot dog eating contest and a diaper derby.

More than 200 commercial vendors will be on hand, along with a selection of 27 different types of edibles from the food vendors. The fair’s midway will be in action, with separate carnival areas for young children and for adults.

There’s an antique show filling one of the buildings, and the traditional home arts competition in another. Here you will see quilt making demonstrations, quilts and other fine stitchery on display along with work by the County’s finest amateur artists.

The 4H and FFA youth organizations will have their goats, pigs, cattle and sheep on display competing for the blue ribbon. There will be an equestrian competition in the fairgrounds’ new horse arena.

Eyecatchers at the fair this year will be a quarter midget racecar display, an outdoor ice-skating rink in the middle of the Santa Clara Valley summer; a spider bungee ride and a rock-climbing wall.

Since the Santa Clara County Fair has become a three-day event, the competitive judging for animals entered by 4H and FFA members has been conducted in the days preceding the fair.

This year, those competitions are open to the public. They are held at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds, in the livestock area located in the middle of the grounds. There is no parking charge for those wishing to attend on non-fair dates.

The competition schedule for Thursday and Friday is as follows:

Thursday Aug. 4
- 10 p.m.: Pigeons and poultry show and judging
- 2 p.m.: Dairy cattle show and judging
- 4 p.m.: Beef cattle show and judging

Friday Aug. 5 (fair opens)
- 10 a.m.:Western horse show and competition.
- 12 p.m.: Pygmy goats show and judging.
- 5 p.m.: Market and dairy goats show and judging.

The Santa Clara County Fairgrounds is at 344 Tully Road in San Jose. For more information on exhibits and entertainment call (408) 494-3247 or visit the Web site at www.thefair.org.

FAIR FACTS

Did you know:
- Fairs have been held in the Santa Clara Valley since 1856.

- The fairgrounds location became permanent in 1939 when the 95-acre

- Macomber Ranch was purchased for $35,000.

- The first S.C. Co. Fair was held in 1941 with an attendance of 55,000.

- The fair was postponed in 1942 until 1945 due to World War II.

- The grandstand arena was built in 1949.

- The state capitol replica buildings were constructed in 1950.

- In 1953, Exposition Hall was built.

- In the main arch and gate buildings were constructed in 1956.

- The pavilion was built in 1960.

- In 1965, Gateway Hall was built.

- Between 1944 and 1950, San Jose Technical High School students constructed the Sheep & Swine Building, tables and display and cases, and did painting and carpentry work all over the grounds.