Mendocino County Fair 2022

It’s the Monday after the Fair and town is a lot more quiet than it was since last Thursday. There’s still a lot of activity going on over there, though. I went over just now to pick up my entries and ribbons and saw lots of folks taking down their stalls and many others picking up things like me. I didn’t get a chance to see the whole fair, but here’s a rundown of what I did get a chance to see.

The front of the AVHS FFA feature display.

I headed over to the Fair on Friday afternoon around 2:00 PM. I was on the hook to pour wine for the Elderhome booth from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM so I went in a little early top grab a bit to eat and look around. The always dependable baked potato booth inside the Agriculture Building did not disappoint and I walked out with a huge potato with all the fixings. I walked around that building briefly, mainly admiring the fine job the Anderson Valley High School FFA group did with their feature display. It was very well done and really invited the viewer to examine each part of the display carefully.

The Flower building was my next stop. I have always loved the gardens that folks take so much time and effort to put together. Like a lot of the Fair, I can remember when there were gardens along all the wall space, but the turnout was good this year and I salute those who can put in the time and imagination to make these beautiful displays. I also admired the wheelbarrow gardens, all the flower arrangements and the variety of succulents on display.

Finished with my baked potato, I was able to finally head into the Home Arts building to look at the incredible quilts, paintings, photographs, baked and canned goods and the many different arts and crafts on display there. I was, unfortunately, running out of time, so it was a brief tour, though I did find my baked goods and a few done by friends and neighbors. I realized this morning that I never got a chance to admire the outside-facing windows on that building, which is a shame.

My three hours at the Elderhome booth were fun, as usual. I get to see a lot of folk and visit, some I hadn’t actually laid eyes on for a couple of years (thanks, Covid). It was warm, warmer than I had expected, so I was happy to see the sun go down. After our stint was finished we got our annual corn dogs and a glass of lemonade and did some more visiting before finally heading home to the hungry dogs and horses waiting for us there.

I went back on Saturday afternoon and spent a little more time admiring the FFA exhibit before heading over the rodeo arena for one of the best hamburgers available. The AV Volunteer Fire Department does a great job with their burgers and you get to support them as well. The Veterans have a beer booth right next door, making it a great place to eat and drink.

We found seats in the grandstand and watched the rodeo from there. It started off with a big bump when one horse fell multiple times and a few cowboys had some tough falls too, but the evening kept on and the roping was entertaining. The barrel racers were my favorite, zooming from barrel to barrel, some amazingly fast. At the end of the evening we went over to where Dean Titus and the Coyote Cowboys were playing and enjoyed a little dancing before heading home to bed.

I decided to skip the heat on Sunday, so I don’t have a parade report. I went to the coast and did a bike ride instead. From all accounts, everyone had a good time at the Fair this year and now we can all plan for next year. Will you knit, bake, paint or can an entry? Bring in that gorgeous houseplant you’ve been nurturing? Or put together a float for the parade? You have a year to get ready!