Let’s come together at our annual Plumas-Sierra County fair
We need something to celebrate
What a difference a year makes … or does it? The Plumas-Sierra County Fair opens today. One year ago, firefighters battling the Minerva Fire occupied the fairgrounds, but they relocated their fire camp to make way for a carousel and carnival booths. The fair went on, but smoke filled the air and worry filled our minds as the fire burned nearby. This year the fires aren’t in our own backyard (at least they weren’t when this was written), but we know we are just one spark away from a potential inferno. And just as it did last year, smoke envelopes the county, this time from the Carr Fire and other blazes.
The fair is a time to come together and celebrate all that is best in Plumas and Sierra counties. From 4-H youth and their livestock, to the creations in the Art Barn, to the quilts hanging in the Home Arts building, there is much to be appreciated. Of course, there are the floral arrangements and gardens, as well as the jams and jellies waiting to be admired. It takes a lot of time, effort and some expense to enter items into the fair, and all we have to do is show up to demonstrate our appreciation for those that contribute.
That spirit is definitely in keeping with this year’s theme “Welcome to the Neighborhood.” Whether you live in the Chester/Lake Almanor Basin, Indian Valley, Eastern Plumas or in Quincy, make a point of spending at least one afternoon or evening at the fair. It will take all of our support to not only ensure the fair’s future, but to make it the success that it deserves to be.
It’s easy to romanticize the fair. The annual community event represents a bit of Americana that is deeply engrained in all of us. The food, the music, the rides, the exhibits, the carnival atmosphere — everyone has a favorite fair memory.
The list of activities, exhibits and entertainment is extensive this year. Check out the front page of this section for a complete schedule of events —tear it out and refer to it over the fair’s five-day run. Be sure to visit the youth livestock area, where our area’s young people showcase their animals, as well as the popular livestock auction on Sunday morning. Attend the annual fair parade that begins at 10 a.m. on Saturday and travels down Main Street. That evening, a new event will take place at 6 p.m. in the grandstands — drone wars. Not only will there be drone races, but local law enforcement will test their skills using paint ball guns to take down the drones.
There is something for everyone to enjoy and the fair provides the perfect opportunity to take a break from everything that’s going on in our world — at least for a little while. We all need one.
Editorials are written by members of the editorial board and should be considered the opinion of the newspaper. The board consists of the publisher, managing editor and the appropriate staff writers.