Oh boy, have we been busy! First off, the exhibit guide is being printed as you read this. However, if you can't wait, just click on the menu item above labeled Exhibit Guide. We will be taking stacks of the guide out to the different parts of the county over the next few weeks. First we will get them into the schools, then the libraries, banks, post offices, and high traffic businesses. Of course, you can stop by the Fair office too.

We have several projects going on to improve the fairgrounds. Wait until you see the floor of the Tulsa Scott Pavillion. The wood has been refinished. It's gorgeous. We had a 4H Work Day this past Saturday and worked on painting the panels in the Horse Arena. Over 30 people showed up and the panels look brand new! We still have more to do there, so keep an eye out for any announcements of work days, if you're interested in helping. That's just the tip of the iceberg! The fairgrounds are going to sparkle.

There is new footing in the SPI Pavillion, several horse people have been taking advantage of the covered facility throughout the winter. We are just waiting on the weather to put in new footing in the main horse arena. It's been awhile since my last post, and I've thought about dozens of things I wanted to share with you, but now my pea brain is blank, so more on this when I remember.
 
Final Act Booked 03/19/2010
 
One of the great features of the Fair is the Wold Amusement Stage. Chock full of local musicians, or at least local favorites. The music starts when the gates open, and doesn't stop until we kick everybody out. We've been adding each group to our entertainment page, with a link to a YouTube if they have one. Plan on stretching out on the grass, sipping some suds from the Elks Beer Booth, enjoying a margarita from the Rotary gang, and letting the kids play on the bounce house and obstacle course where you can keep an eye on them. All while listening to live music. That, my friends, sounds like a good time at the Fair!

Anyway, we booked the last band for the Wold Amusement Stage. It's a group of young people, known as Young Country. They come from Lassen County and run in age from 12 to 17 years. They play new and older country music, along with some original songs. Check out their photo on the entertainment page. In 2010, I think we could all use some fresh starts, maybe Young Country will inspire us!
 
Final Editing 03/03/2010
 
We are putting the final touches on this year's exhibit guide. We should start printing next week and then get them out onto the street by the end of the month. Thanks for your patience. We are constantly thinking of things we should add to it, but somewhere along the line, you just have to stop and wrap it up. Please, please, please, please enter something in the Fair. I'm sure there is some catagory that is of interest to you. We really want to stuff the exhibit halls with the things we do here in the mountains.

Have you been to our Facebook page yet? Check it out...
 
 
Every snow storm is great for the water situation. It's another week we don't have to pay to pump water for the lawns. It's undeniably beautiful to look out at a blanket of snow. It's a great excuse for putting things off. But... we're ready for SPRING! We've got projects to do, buildings to paint, repairs and improvements. You will not believe the stuff we have planned for the fairgrounds this Spring. Visitors to the fairgrounds will be amazed and delighted by what they will see. If you want to help out, call us up. We'll put you to work on something. It's a great way to spend an afternoon or evening with the family. Plus, you'll always look at what you did and know you were a part of this gem in Plumas County.
 
 
I've been married a few times. I have been diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. But never, never, have I been so disappointed as today when I got an e-mail saying the pig races couldn't make it to our fair. In fact, several pig racing concerns have shunned us. And the inter-species racing. (Remember? Goat vs. pig vs.sheep vs. duck vs. chicken) The last time we had animals racing each other was 150 years ago at the horse racing track, Rockwell Park. You know what? Fine. We don't want no stinking pig racing this year! We've got pedal tractor pulls, we've got diving dogs. We'll come up with something better to entertain ourselves! I'm working on fish racing at the moment, using only local fish so we're not at the mercy of some flatlander's fish whim.

Maybe something besides a race. A Bay Area fair has the Ugliest Dog contest. I found out that the top three stories last year for the Associated Press were 1.) President Obama's election, 2.) Michael Jackson's death, and 3.) The Ugliest Dog contest.  Wow. As I read that I knew we couldn't copy them, so my warped mind immediately came up with the Ugliest Kid contest. Don't suggest that to a mother, it doesn't go over well. Anyway, rest assured the brightest minds of Plumas County are working on an event better than anyone else's.
 
 
The most anticipated book next to the Grand Jury Report will be out around the end of the month. We are doing the final editing now and looking for a couple of businesses that could run an ad in the guide, let me know if you are interested. Cheap!

We really want to increase the number of entries into the Fair this year because that is what a fair is all about. It is what we have made, grown or raised. Then we show it at the fair. We will post the guide on line as well as distribute it at schools, businesses and libraries. Take a look at all the different catagories and think about what you have made, grown or raised. (Kids don't count) It's cheap to enter and the amount of money you can win is mostly lousy, but there is not a better feeling of accomplishment in your life than to win a blue ribbon in the county fair. I won a blue ribbon for a photograph I entered back in the 1977 Plumas County Fair. It wasn't even that good of a picture! But you know I still have it. Do yourself a favor and keep an eye out for the exhibit guide later this month.
 
YeeHaw! 02/05/2010
 
That's what they say at a rodeo, and we're going to have a dandy rodeo at this year's fair! Rockin' M is putting on a CCPRA sanctioned event. Last year's bull riding was cool, but this is a full on rodeo. Team Roping, steer wrestling, bronc & bull riding, barrel racing, bull fighters, clowns and drill teams. There ain't nothin' like a rodeo. You should be able to buy your tickets on line next week.

By the way, we really hope you come to these events. If we want to keep getting better entertainment, we really need to sell tickets to these events. We think the entertainment is well worth the price. The rodeo tickets will be $15, and that includes entry to the fair. So come out and support the Fair. Maybe we can steal away the Nationals from Las Vegas.
 
 

It has come to my attention that some people think Chipper is writing this blog. No. He's cute, furry and looks good in a sombrero. But he cannot write. I'm not saying he's bad at writing, I'm saying he can't write. He's a rodent. He gathers nuts and makes suicide runs in front of cars and trucks on Highway 70. The truth is, we don't even see him very often on the fairgrounds. All the thug squirrels have run Chipper and his ilk out of the area. Rodent jealousy? Perhaps. The squirrels certainly don't have a human wearing an enormous costume in their likeness. Not only that, but squirrels can't write either. And there you have it, the squirrels control the turf, the chipmunk has the fame.

You may be thinking to yourself, doesn't the Fair Manager have something more important to do than analyze the rodent population? Yes I do. In fact, I just heard that we don't have to settle for just pig racing. There's a group out there that races pigs, goats and ducks, AT THE SAME TIME! Excuse me while I make some phone calls.

P.S. Buy your Trailer Choir tickets now!

 
 
That's right, there is such a thing as a fair convention. Besides information about how to run a better fair, there are dozens of entertainers trying to get booked. There is some amazing performers and I would have loved to hire half of them, but when you try to get a Motown cover band that has 9 members come from San Diego to Quincy, it gets a little expensive. We were able to firm thing up with several acts. The Pedal Tractor Pulls is in. The Nevada Gunfighters are back as well as Splash Dogs. Tony from SplashDogs was there with his dog Sierra, a black lab that makes your heart melt. We won't be getting the Elvis impersonator this year, or the Medieval Jousters.

There were some great speakers as well. At one session, we listened to a presentation from a stand-up comedian named Dick Hardwich who has been on shows like Jeff Foxworthy. He told the story of taking a date to a fair in the midwest. As the two of them were strolling down the midway of the carnival, a sudden tornado popped up. They did as they had been told through the years and layed down flat on the ground. The tornado went straight down the midway, destroying every booth in its way. When the two of them stood up and looked around, the only thing that didn't budge were those darned milk bottles.

I told that to our carnival operator Jason, and he got a good laugh out of it too.
 
 
It took longer to get to and from work this week, but it wasn't that bad of a storm for us. I hear it's a little bit tougher up in the Lake Alamanor end of the county. Winter time is usually a take it easy time at the fair, but Oran has a list of chores a mile long. His crew has started to refinish the floor of the Tulsa Building, they've painted some long neglected trim work and the ticket booths are getting a facelift.

We're firming up the details for Trailer Choir. I got the contract and it's different from many other entertainment contract in that they aren't making alot of demands. They seem like nice folk. We should probably feed them, so if any Quincy restaurant wants to treat the band and crew to a nice meal in a private room, let me know. Tickets have already started to sell. This one will sell out. Stay dry!