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COVID-19 may have cheated Del Norte out of a 2020 fair, but the annual four-day event is back and one fairgrounds official expects it to be “jam-packed.”

“We’re hearing hotels are already booked up and restaurants are anticipating being full,” John Pritchett, a member of the 41st Agricultural District Board of Directors, told the Wild Rivers Outpost. “We think it’s just going to be a great weekend.”

The fair will feature musical acts like Journey’s Edge, a Journey tribute band, and Coffey Anderson as well as mainstays like Barrels and Bulls and Demolition Derby & Tuff Trucks. People can “expect to have an absolutely great fair,” Pritchett said.

But, Pritchett said, with the Delta variant confirmed in Del Norte County, officials are urging fairgoers to wear masks. The fairgrounds are also taking precautions. The cleaning crew is working harder, Pritchett said. Some events like the Junior Livestock Auction buyers’ luncheon and the rodeo dance will be held outside.

But there’s been no state or local mandate to cancel the event, Pritchett said. People also have a chance to get the COVID-19 vaccine at the fair if they want, he said.

“We don’t want to see it become a super spreader event,” Pritchett said. “But on the other hand, this community needs a reason to cheer and get excited and see their friends and that’s what the fair does.”

The Del Norte Healthcare District will have a vaccination site at the booth manned by the Del Norte Office of Emergency Services, according to HCD Chairman Kevin Caldwell.

Fair gates open at 8 a.m. Thursday with its first few events being the goat, poultry, swine and cavy shows before the opening ceremony at 10:45 a.m. Kids ages 12 and under will get in free that day. Opening night will close with the Journey’s Edge performance at 6 p.m.

On Friday, Senior Day — people ages 60 and over get in free — highlights include the Jr. Rodeo at 8 a.m., the Coast Central Credit Union Car Show from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. and Coffey Anderson at 6 p.m.

Saturday those with military ID get free admission to the fair. Highlights include Challenge of the Champions Bulls & Barrels at 4 p.m. and the Adult Rodeo Dance from 7 p.m.-11 p.m. for people 21 and older.

Sunday is family day — admission for two adults and three kids 12 and under is $20. Highlights that day include the Junior Livestock Auction at 1 p.m., Demolition Derby & Tuff Trucks at 2 p.m. and the Alter Ego Dance at 5 p.m.

Kids involved in 4H, Grange or Future Farmers of America are getting their animals ready for the show ring. Pritchett said there will be more than 80 animals up for sale at the Livestock Auction this year.

“For those kids a lot of times it’s scholarship money or their college money,” he said. “Plus it’s such a great learning experience for young people to be involved. They have to have dedication and discipline and understand that to raise an animal costs money so they have to pay their parents back in order to make money.”

According to Jacki Bennett, a leader for Del Norte 4H, there will be fewer animals at this year’s auction. In previous years, youth were able to bring as many species as they chose. This year, they will be restricted to having one livestock entry or a breed-show animal, Bennett said.

“There’s mostly larger animals this year,” she said. “I think there’s quite a few hogs, a few beef, less of the small animals — only three rabbits — but more poultry and there will be sheep and I even think a couple goats.”

Youth begin their animal projects in January and finish up in August, Bennett said.

“They’re making sure their animals are shaved properly and looking good,” she said. “Being a pandemic year I think we did pretty good. We were able to do a lot of our projects out doors thsi year, which I thought was huge due to the fact that most kids had to do school on tablets.”

According to Bennett, about 214 kids are enrolled in Del Norte 4H and of those, between 150 and 175 are entering animal projects or non-animal projects or have helped raise a calf through the Bucket Calf project.

Non animal projects begin in January and end in May and include geocaching, sewing, leather craft, robotics, archery, marine biology and outdoor adventure, Bennett said.

Like their peers in 4H, kids in the Lake Earl Grange, particularly those taking part in the Jr. Rodeo competition began preparing for the event long before the fair, according to Grange leader Helen Ferguson.

This began with a horse camp on June 26, which is a feeder program for the Jr. Rodeo, Ferguson said. Part of the California High School Rodeo Association’s District 2, those taking part in the Jr. Rodeo at the Del Norte County Fair also have a chance to compete at the regional level in September.

According to Ferguson, the CHSRA District 2 Rodeo is a stepping stone to the state level and, ultimately the national level.

“We had six to seven kids go to state this year and we had one kid go to the nationals,” Ferguson told the Outpost.

The Jr. Rodeo is for youngsters starting at age 6 through about 18, according to Ferguson. Boys’ competitions include junior bull riding, dummy roping and chute dogging.

Junior and senior girls pole and barrel riding, goat tying and steer dogging. According to Ferguson, between 40 and 50 kids have entered the Jr. Rodeo. Some are choosing to enter as independents, she said, others represent 4H and Grange.

“It’s a growing sport and it’s kind of cool because our kids are right on the tip of the iceberg going with it,” Ferguson said. “And it can be kind of expensive because the kids need to practice at least five days a week in order to condition their horses.”

Lake Earl Grange also sponsors the Rodeo Queen Competition. This year a Del Norte girl was named Queen for District 2 and represented the region for the California Queen title in Bishop.

Participants in the local Rodeo Queen competition are ambassadors for the Del Norte County Fair, Ferguson said. This year’s winners include Kaydence Farley, who represented District 2 at the state Rodeo Queen competition; Carlee Rose Harper who is senior Rodeo Queen and Jaime Good who is Junior Rodeo Queen.

For more information about this year’s fair, visit www.dnfair.org.

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