The Fair is Coming! So Much To Do!

Wednesday, August 13 — Saturday, August 16, 2014, San Juan County Fairgrounds

— from Reve Shannon —

Farm-tastic Fun is the name of the game at the San Juan County Fair, Wednesday, August 13 through Saturday, August 16, 2014. This community celebration located within walking distance of Friday Harbor on San Juan Island is a sweet, down home county fair with an arts festival atmosphere. All the typical county fair exhibits, demonstrations and competitions share the limelight with a high-class blend of arts and entertainment.

The whole family will enjoy a robust line-up of fun events. Cute costumes, lots of laughs and a chicken dance to boot highlight the non-stop action for kids of all ages in the Let’s Pretend Farm Time Tour. Everyone gets to dress up in the Cutest Show on Earth’s presentation of their family fun participatory theater daily at the Kid’s area Food Court Stage. The Carter Family Marionettes brings more magic to the stage on Friday and Saturday with their unique take on The Sorcerer’s Apprentice.

Everyday there are chicken and rabbit races with the finals in the main arena on Saturday and the fantastically popular Zucchini 500, where islanders can race their zucchini racers in the skate park raceway. Kids of all ages can join in on this “fierce” competition daily at 5 p.m. There will also be plenty of games and activities for kids of all ages everyday at the Fair.

A must see is the annual Fairly Outrageous Trashion Fashion Show, Saturday at 6 p.m. on the Main Stage. Join in the glamour and fun as local designers get to strut their recycled wearable fashions down the fashion runway.

Come and dance to the high energy music of Hit Machine, on the main stage, Saturday from 7-9 p.m. This group features a hot guitar, great vocals and music that is contagious to say the least. They throw out synchronized dance moves and have many appropriate ways to get the audience in on the fun. Friday will feature live-band karaoke with Rock-Bot from 7-9 p.m. With hundreds of songs to choose from anyone can be a rock star. Recently returned from recording their debut album in Nashville, Lace & Lead will bring a unique country style to the Main Stage on Thursday night from 7:30 – 9 p.m. A local group, The Chameleons will rock it on Wednesday night. The Main Stage features great music everyday.

The special Agricultural Exhibit’s popular demonstrations include daily cooking workshops by local chefs, Bees and Pollination, Kid’s carrot pull and seed saving, to mention just a few.
Another unique event is the Sheep to Shawl on Saturday. Weaving teams have five hours to card, spin and weave their fibers into a finished shawl 20″ X 72″. This is a very exciting and unique event with demonstrations of different techniques and equipment. There is also a raffle for each of the shawls produced giving the winner a one-of-a-kind prize.

All this and the traditional county fair demonstrations, animal events, exhibits, community BBQs and fair food make the San Juan County Fair a great choice for summer fun at its best. The Fair opens at 10:00 a.m. and closes at 9:00 p.m. Free transportation to and from the Ferry dock will be provided by San Juan Transit for those coming from off island. For more information visit www.sjcfair.org.