Napa County Fair: Annual Event Sparks July 4th Fun

By John Lindblom
St. Helena Star
Thursday, July 08, 2010

napa county fair

napa county fair

At 92 years of age, former Calistoga policeman Bill McCall is believed to have patrolled or otherwise attended 61 annual editions of the Napa County Fairs.

“I never arrested anybody at the Fairgrounds because I pulled the graveyard shift,” he said.

His daughter, Lynette Fife, however, recalled one of the most untoward incidents in all those years.

“In the middle of the night when the Fairgrounds was empty some carnies got out of control and let the livestock out,” she said. “But no one got arrested. They were just having a good time.”

Indicative of how times have changed, such tomfoolery could not be duplicated at the Fair in this day and age because there are essentially no livestock to let out. There were only a dozen entries in the entire livestock division in the 2010 Fair that ended Sunday. All were chickens, entered primarily by 4-H Club members.

There were almost as many Best of Show awards as chickens — 10 . That’s not counting the six awards presented in a separate judging category for eggs.

Of special note is Mica Chandler, who responded to a need for temporary help during the Fair and also gave the eggs high marks after taking the prize-winners home and eating them.

Two local teenagers distinguished themselves with their entries in the Fair’s Junior Arts and Crafts. Allison Young of Deer Park was awarded Best of Show for her “Panda” painting in the 11-14 division. Young also won Best of Show in Junior. Arts and Crafts for her mix of miscellaneous oven-baked ceramics. Shea Zimmerman of St. Helena, meanwhile, won a Best of Show award in the 15-18 division for a Japan fashion doll.

Angwin’s Slim Benson also scored a Best of Show for woodworking in the handmade division for crafting a side table and a wine barrel top.

Among the more coveted awards, the Calistoga Spa Babes Drill Team took down the Best of Show for the Fair’s Silverado Parade.

Despite the awards, the original question remains  — can a county fair be a legitimate county fair without livestock?

Or is it simply a case of “big hat, no cattle?”

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