Carnival & Fair News

It was a juicy long weekend in Sonora County at the Cloverdale Citrus Fair. The 133rd edition of the annual fair ran February 14th through 17th, with a theme of “The Good Ole Days: remember when…” According to CEO Karyn Pulley, “Amazingly, we have lasted 133 years, and the community comes out to support us every year.”

As the first fair to take place in California every year, the fair focuses on celebrating the agricultural heritage of the Cloverdale area. With a parade, a carnival by Butler Amusements, and plenty of citrus-themed fun, the event is even held on a property that's appropriately surrounded by citrus trees that are harvested to support area food banks.

General admission for ages 13 and up was $11 at the gate, $10 with advance purchase. Kids ages 6-12 and seniors ages 62 and up received admission for $6. Friday was Senior Day with seniors receiving free admission; Kids Day on Monday brought free admission for those ages 12 and under. Advance pricing for Butler Amusements carnival ride wristbands was $29; with pricing $35 at the door.



The fair offered plenty of tradition and a solid mix of events. The Cloverdale Citrus Fair Parade is a decades-long annual tradition with floats and marching band. Just as it did last year, the parade route was packed with viewers, and the Cal Poly Humboldt State marching band, the Traditional Lumberjacks, performed once again during the event.

For the carnival, Butler Amusements offered a Cloverdale favorite in the Chance Century Wheel, which remained a top attraction. Also popular were the Wisdom Area 51; the Zamperla Jump Around; and the Wacky Worm Coaster, a kids' favorite.

Butler's Whacky Shack fun house, the Freak Out and Rockstar, and the Lolli Swings, were also large draws. Butler Amusements entered its 45th year of providing the carnival at the fair.



Food was plentiful, with “about half,” the vendors offering citrus-including menu options, Pulley said. Among the popular eats were burgers from Boss Burger, Castle Mini Donuts, funnel cakes, Dynamite Pizza, a wide range of Mexican treats from Taste of Mexico, corn dogs from Red & White Concessions, and grilled sausages from The Wurst. The Cloverdale Lion's Club served beer, microbrews, wine, and wine coolers.

Pulley, who joined the fair just over a year ago notes that the fair receives a great deal of affection from the committee, and that attendees always show an interest in the fair's legacy. One important part of that legacy is the fair's “citrus boards, which are display exhibits that feature oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruit” laid out to create dimensional artwork. These exhibits are required to use a minimum of 60 dozen citrus fruits, with at least 50% being oranges. Pulley notes that oranges are “what started the fair” and the region was once a prime grower of the fruit, whose “seeds were originally brought to the area from Panama.”

Top winners of the citrus boards event this year were The Alchemy Collective, in first place, which won a $200 prize sponsored by the town's Chamber; and Papa's Pizza in second place, which received 4 complimentary fair tickets as prize. As the fair's still exhibit building, Warner Hall also included a mural created by area school children, who, Pulley says were welcomed, receiving “a visit to the fair as school groups to see the presentation of their work, along with a fair gift bag and four fair entrance tickets to enjoy with their families.”

Other fair classics include the Lily Lemon and Oran Orange contest, which Pulley asserts has been a part of the fair “forever.” Kids are called on stage and asked what they want to be when they grow up and similar questions, in order to be selected as “king and queen to be in the Saturday parade, with the rest of the contestants coming along behind them.” The fair's Baby Derby is another continuing classic event.

Live music is an additionally important aspect of the fair. This year, Pulley says the music program focused on “all local area bands.” She adds that an emphasis on local talent was carried throughout the fair this year in an effort to “promote local… vendors selling local merchandise and food.”

As the fair included Valentine's Day, several holiday-themed events were on offer including a popular wine tasting in the fair's tearoom, replete with charcuterie plates.

While agriculture is the fair's heart, animals also play their role including cavies and rabbits this year. There was also a petting zoo and a dog show. What was missing from the livestock area were chickens, due to the avian bird flu. However, there were “poultry entries” for breeders nonetheless, including eggs, photos, and a poultry knowledge quiz for participants.

Speaking of contests, fairgoers could watch the multiple competitive heats of the orange juicing contest, or sip winners at the San Francisco Chronical Wine Competition at the Cloverdale Citrus fair. There were also dessert contests Lemon Delight and Orange Surprise, that allowed participants to “bring whatever you want to compete with before a panel of tasting judges.” The desserts could be anything their chef desired to create, Pulley explains, as long as it “includes citrus in all the dessert items.”



Sunday was family day at the fair which also offered “cultural awareness of the community [with] Hispanic bands and dancing on outside stages” per Pulley. As was true of all the musical entertainment at the fair this year, the acts appearing on Family and Cultural Awareness Day were offered free to attendees. Sunday's Banda La Toxica was among the most popular musical acts, as was the fair's “grand act,” The Funky Dozen, in a Saturday appearance. Also performing were cover rockers, The Hots; Ballet Folklorico; The BluesBurners R & B; The Poyntlyss Sistars; and musical revue Court n' Disaster.

For Pulley, Monday's Kids' Day provided a special event of which she is particularly proud: a dedicated sensory period. During that period, sensory-sensitive kids could enjoy the carnival without noises or lights to bother them, she says, and experience sensory tactile toys to interact with in Warner Hall. According to Pulley, “some kids would love to come to a fair environment, but noises and lights bother them…so Butler Amusements worked with us and dedicated two hours to turn off the lights and the carnival music.”

Fair attendance was not available at press time but was described as strong. The fair typically hosts around 17,000 attendees.