The eLEMONader

06/24/2021

Produced for the Public Relations Dept. of Lemon Corp.Shot, Chopped & Directed by Keith Richardson.Written by Timothy Orr & Keith Richardson.© 2007 lowercase...

04/04/2021

06/26/2020

FAIR FOOD for another weekend! This Friday 4-9pm, Saturday and Sunday 12-8pm. is back! is offering an option to add a scoop of ice cream to funnel cakes. Free Parking. Free Admission. Entry at 2495 S. Delaware Street.

06/24/2020

We are sharing this news with you our community with a very heavy heart today.

The 2020 Santa Cruz County Fair has been cancelled due to the current COVID 19 global pandemic.

We look forward to bringing you all a safe county fair experience in 2021.

06/16/2020

Western Idaho Fair Patrons, Partners, and Exhibitors,
Over the last few months, our Fair staff has been working tirelessly, brainstorming and discussing how to bring you, our fairgoers, a 2020 Western Idaho Fair. We’ve received advice and recommendations from our local health officials. We’ve considered all possible scenarios with the goals of providing the Western Idaho Fair you love while maintaining the health and safety of our community and being fiscally responsible.
Our entire staff, board and partners work year-round to make the Fair come to life. Right Now, this week, is the time of year we really need to make decisions to have adequate time to make the fair come to life. We don’t know what August will look like, but we can’t wait until August to make this decision. After careful consideration and lots of discussions on modifications, we’ve run out of options right now. We are so disappointed to announce that there will not be a Western Idaho Fair this year. We understand the gravity of the decision. We understand the sadness you may be feeling, we are feeling it too. Please know that it is the hardest decision we’ve had to make, but we know it’s the right decision to make this year.
The fair is built by an incredibly complex network of businesses, organizations and people, literally thousands of people. There were a couple of main factors in this decision all related to the health of the people who work the fair and come to enjoy the fair. One of the main factors was the recommendation to continue to have social distancing at events and gatherings. The whole concept of a fair is the gathering of people to enjoy our agriculture heritage, to enjoy the fair food, have a laugh at the comedians, sing along at concerts, and share a ride with our friends and family on the Giant Wheel. Can you imagine our grandstand concerts socially distanced with less than ½ the normal audiences there to share it with you? Or standing 6’ apart on a Saturday night on food row for an Ice Cream Potato? Can you imagine only half the rides from Butler Carnival being set up so that people have ample space between them? Or having to tell people at the front gates they aren’t allowed in due to limitations?
We do have some good news to share. We have been able to work out an option for our 4-H and FFA youth to finish the projects they have been working on all year. These youth and ag competitions are the roots of Western Idaho Fair. They are our foundation and history. We are thrilled, we were able to find a scenario that allows them to exhibit, show and sell their animals this year. To all our 4-H and FFA participants, visit our exhibitor page on our website to locate the Jr. 4-H and FFA Handbook with updated information.
We have developed an FAQ to address questions that you may have. You can find the FAQ here: https://idahofair.com/faq.
Western Idaho Fair has been around for 123 years. We’ve become the largest event in the state. Our valley has come to love our traditions. We have come to love our traditions, but right now we need to focus on the Fair’s long-term future. We want to extend a thank you to everyone who has worked with us over the last few months in our planning discussions. We know that we will all come together again to make the 2021 Western Idaho Fair the best yet. We can’t wait to celebrate the end of next summer with you all…right here at Western Idaho Fair.

Sincerely,
Bob Batista, Western Idaho Fair Director

06/12/2020

A letter to all our fair and event partners struggling through this!

06/11/2020

The Nevada County Fairgrounds Board of Directors voted Tuesday evening to cancel the 2020 Nevada County Fair due to the COVID-19 public health crisis. The Board also voted to authorize an online junior livestock and ag mechanics auction.

The vote comes after delaying the decision two weeks ago following Governor Newsom’s same-day announcement that California was moving rapidly into the next reopening stage. Since that meeting, the Fairgrounds Board and staff discussed the feasibility of different options with various Fair partners, communicated with State and public health officials, and further reviewed the Governor’s executive orders and updated guidance regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and mass gatherings.

Nevertheless, according to the California Roadmap to Recovery, fairs and festivals remain in Stage 4 of the reopening plan and will not be permitted until the roadmap is complete and all shelter in place restrictions are lifted. At the Governor’s May 29 daily update, he stated that “We’re not ready for Stage 4 – concerts, big outdoor stadium events, festivals, and large conventions. We’re simply not there. There is no sectoral guidance that’s been given, no authority for local health officials to move into that phase.”

“While it was an extremely difficult decision for the Board, and one that we were hoping could go in a different direction, it is the only decision we could make in light of the restrictions on mass gatherings,” said Jeanette Royal, Board President of California’s 17th District Agricultural Association. “The Board and staff realize that this action has a huge impact on so many – our community, local businesses, sponsors, youth in agriculture, vendors, entertainers, local nonprofit organizations, and the Nevada County Fairgrounds itself – and we actively explored numerous possibilities before making this devastating decision. However, the Fairgrounds are state-owned property and the Board of Directors is responsible for the health and safety of our community, guests, and staff. We are following the guidelines set by the Governor and State public health directives to postpone mass gatherings until we can safely host them again.”

Since the 17th District Agricultural Association was formed in 1884, the Nevada County Fair has been one of the county’s most popular and longest standing events. This will be the first time since World War II that the annual Fair will not take place.

“We are deeply saddened to not be celebrating together at Nevada County’s favorite event,” said Fairgrounds CEO Patrick Eidman. “But until we are able to safely gather again at the Fairgrounds, our team will be exploring opportunities to hold virtual exhibit contests and other activities in the spirit of the Fair. Additionally, we are steadfastly committed to working with the Nevada County Livestock Producers to support our livestock and ag mechanics exhibitors with an online auction.”

Last year, the Nevada County Fair welcomed more than 95,000 guests to the grounds, generated millions of dollars for the local economy, provided more than $700,000 to youth in agriculture, broke record sales on Treat Street that infused almost $1,000,000 into local nonprofit organizations, showcased local entertainers and vendors, and provided nearly 250 jobs.