Nevada County Fair broke records for 2018

A record setting year for Fair auctions (with more than $670,000 raised for Nevada County youth), 7,500 exhibits, and many community partnerships made for a successful 2018 Nevada County Fair. Below is a wrap-up of the 2018 Nevada County Fair.

•Approximately 91,000 people attended this year’s Fair.

•More than $935,000 was raised on Treat Street by 30 local nonprofit organizations and food vendors. Proceeds raised by these organizations at the Fair allows vital services to be provided to our community.

•The Ag Mechanics Auction featured 48 custom items handmade by Bear River and Nevada Union FFA students, and raised approximately $50,000 for these students.

•Two hundred and fourteen animals were sold at the Junior Livestock Auction, grossing $620,000 for the youth of Nevada County.

•More than 11,000 attended the Fair’s five arena events – the Flying U Extreme Rodeo, Truck and Tractor Pulls, Monster Trucks and Tuff Trucks, and KNCO’s Destruction Derby.

•Margaret Heywood, who is 100 years old, visited the Nevada County Fair for her 43rd year in a row. She drives up every year from Burbank, and spends at least three of the five days visiting the Fair. Her family tradition is for her three kids, four grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren to meet on Sunday morning of the Fair, attend the worship service, have a cinnamon roll and coffee, and sit and enjoy the entertainment at the Pine Tree Stage. Margaret says that while some things have changed throughout her 43 years of attending, the kindness of people and the beauty of the Fairgrounds has not.

•This year’s Fair included more than 7,500 exhibits. From baked goods to fruits and vegetables to quilts, the Fair exhibit program gives the community the opportunity to showcase their talent and creativity. Popular exhibit categories this year included Kite Designing, Homebrew, California State Parks Youth Photo Contest, Ugliest Cake, and the Cell Phone Photo Contest.

•Eighty businesses sponsored and partnered with the Fair to fund services and projects like the shade structure, landscaping, charging stations, free shuttle rides, supplies for special contests, shavings for the sale ring, and the water bottle filling station.

•One week prior to opening day, the Fair partnered with BloodSource, The Food Bank of Nevada County, Foothill Lions Club, Nevada County 211, NEO, Story Club, Community Beyond Violence, Cinderella Project, The Karing Closet, Nevada County Diaper Project, Nevada County Pets in Need, Gold Country YMCA, and The White Barn Project to offer Community Involvement Day. As a result, 107 blood donors were registered and 92 pints of blood were donated (enough to help 276 people), 850 books were collected, 346 prescription eye glasses and 12 hearing aids were donated, 75 prom dresses were collected, enough clothes were donated for 70 kids to have a first day of school outfit, and 900 diapers, 20 cases of pet food and hundreds of pounds of food were collected.

•As part of Community Involvement Day, the Foothills Lions Club provided free glaucoma and vision screening services and free hearing tests to adult and children. As a result, 19 individuals received no-cost vision services and 10 tested with the audiologist.

•More than 165 vendors and concessionaires participated in this year’s Fair.

•The Fair teamed up with local libraries on their summer reading program and provided carnival ride tickets as prizes to children who read during the summer. During Fair time, more than 250 coupons were given to young readers in our community.

“The Nevada County Fair is about the hardworking kids in the barns, volunteers, community partnerships, traditions and generations of families enjoying the Fair,” said Patrick Eidman, Deputy Manager of the Nevada County Fairgrounds. “It’s about showcasing talents and months of hard work, giving back and having fun. We’re proud of the 2018 Fair and we thank the community for its ongoing support and another successful year.”
The 2019 Nevada County Fair is August 7 – 11.

(Image: Kathryn Wronski Oil Paintings)