Old fairgrounds gate is no more; Fair board selects 2017 theme
It’s done. The fairgrounds gate that stood for 40 years has finally come down.
Selfie photos taken with the gate during the 2016 Harvest of the Home will be the last memories preserving the image.
The fairground’s forklift turned out to not be big enough for the job. The gate was dismantled with the help of the Plumas Sheriff’s Office equipment.
“We had to jump when the forklift became available,” said Fairgrounds Manager John Steffanic in explaining the quickness of completing the project and lack of ceremony.
The logs making up the old entrance gate to the Plumas County Fairgrounds fell apart when the gate was gingerly taken apart by head of the maintenance staff, Oran Morrison, who Fairgrounds Manager John Steffanic describes as the “undefeated employee of the month.”
A few staff members were able to witness the spectacle.
“When the logs were delivered to the ground by the forklift, some of them just exploded,” said Fair Administrative Assistant Willo Vieira who snapped some photos of the event.
The reason for the explosive landings, were that the gigantic logs of the gate were so very past their prime.
“I touched one of the old logs,” exclaimed Vieira, “and my finger went right through.”
Looking toward the future, Steffanic reported the new gate will be put together in the spring, all dependent upon weather conditions. The gate will be 12-feet by 16-feet.
Other news
Steffanic said, “We will be switching to a solar light to keep illumination on the United States flag flying at the fairgrounds.” Any flag not taken down in the evening is to have a light shining on it through the night.
Steffanic reported that there were 287 events held at the fairgrounds which was a lower number than last year, but the money taken in for events was up $10,000 so no one thought to complain.
“That’s good news,” said Steffanic.
The 2017 theme and entertainment
A big topic in the fair future: the theme for the 2017 fair was chosen. The board unanimously chose “Art to Ag” as the theme to carry through the next fair.
“I see so much we can do interactively with the art community,” said Steffanic. The manager said he didn’t think of art just as a visual medium, but all types of art, like performance art and other expressions of art. Steffanic described his vision of a circular, modular mural painted by school children with one theme on the outside and another scene on the inside.
Steffanic reported that he is seeking entertainment for the grand stand in 2017.
“Big entertainment costs big money,” said Steffanic, but the manager is taking names and asking prices. On the table for consideration are tribute bands that have been known to draw large crowds.
Steffanic and board members will be attending a convention in Reno mid-January to view fair acts and vendors for this year’s “Art to Ag.”
“Normally I would wait until after the convention, but I did find this one act,” said Steffanic. He hired a vintage trailer act that sounded very “Quincy.”
It’s a couple. The man is a blacksmith and the woman tells stories. The man, pounds away at his craft on an anvil, while the women entertains spinning tales. The blacksmith makes metal trinkets and he hands them out to the crowd during the show.
Meetings
The board increased the number of times they meet by a third and the next meetings are scheduled for February, May, June, July, September and November.
All meetings are open to the public although no members of the public were at the November meeting. Fair staff prepared and offered popcorn to any takers to encourage attendance.
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