Nevada County Fair draws 100,000 visitors

By Nevada County Fair

More than $540,000 raised for Nevada County youth, more than 7,400 exhibits, and several community partnerships made for a successful 2016 “Kick It Up” Nevada County Fair.

•About 100,000 people attended this year’s Fair.

•More than $900,000 was generated on Treat Street by local nonprofit organizations. Proceeds raised will allow these organizations to provide vital services to our community.

•The Ag Mechanics Auction featured 57 custom items handmade by Bear River and Nevada Union FFA students, and raised approximately $54,000 for these students.

•Two hundred and thirty-six animals were sold at the Junior Livestock Auction, grossing more than $490,000 for the youth of Nevada County. This year, there were 693 bumps on 236 animals, which is an average of 3 bumps per student. A bump occurs when a buyer offers additional money to the price of the animal, as a benefit to the student.

•This year marked the 60th anniversary of the Junior Livestock Auction at the Nevada County Fair, and the 15th year of the Ag Mechanics Auction at the Fair.

•More than 3,300 students and educators attended Wednesday’s Scholar Student Day.

•This year’s Fair included more than 7,400 exhibits from our community. Some exhibitors featured more than 30 exhibits, including Margaret Good, 95, who had 34 floriculture exhibits and has entered exhibits in the Fair for the past 46 years.

•More than 3,200 of the Fair exhibits were from youth exhibitors, which is exciting because it represents the next generation of Fair exhibitors.
•From salsa to photography to quilts, the Fair gives people the opportunity to share their talent, creativity and passions. Popular exhibit categories this year included Blue Jean Art, cut flowers, fruits and vegetables, Proud to be a Grandparent, Fairy Gardens, honey, Ugliest Cake, and Mommy and Me categories (for our very youngest Fair exhibitors).

•Almost 10,500 attended the Fair’s five arena events – the Flying U Extreme Rodeo, Monster Trucks, Tuff Truck racing, and KNCO’s Destruction Derby.

•One week prior to opening day, the Fair partnered with BloodSource, The Food Bank of Nevada County, Foothill Lions Club, Story Club, NEO, Nevada County 2-1-1, and Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Coalition (DVSAC), to offer Community Involvement Day. As a result, 95 blood donors were registered and 83 pints of life saving blood were collected; more than 750 books were collected; 2,250 pounds of food (enough to help feed 400 to 500 families) were donated; school supplies were collected for families in Nevada County; cleaning supplies, toiletries, clothing, and gift cards were collected for DVSAC; $750 of crafts were donated to NEO; and 530 prescription eye glasses and 10 hearing aids were donated.

•More than 175 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 140 coupons were given to young readers in our community.

•Seventy-three business sponsors partnered with the Fair to provide valuable services – like shade on Treat Street, free shuttle rides, materials for the special contests in the Special Events tent, shavings for the sale ring, and free drinking water.

•The Fair partnered with Nevada County’s agricultural community for the seventh year to create Ag-Sperience, an area devoted to education in local agriculture.

•In the Special Events Tent on Wednesday, more than 75 bowls of Jell-O (and six cans of whipped cream) were used in the first annual Jell-O Eating Contest; and on Saturday, 30 artists of all ages painted their hearts out in front of a full house for the Live Art Battle. These paintings will be auctioned off at Art at the Classic at the Draft Horse Classic.

The Nevada County Fair is about so much more than numbers,” said Rea Callender, CEO of the Nevada County Fairgrounds. “It is the personal and positive experiences of Fair-goers, it is the memories that are created, the traditions that are carried on, the good that’s been done and will continue to be done in the community, and the community’s sense of pride and ownership of the Fair. The 2016 Fair is another example of the importance of our community in making the Fair a success – and the importance of the Fair in gathering our community together – and we thank our customers, our community, and all our partners for making the 2016 Fair a success.”

The 2017 Nevada County Fair is August 9 – 13; visit NevadaCountyFair.com for information.

(Photo: Kelly Hawkeswood)