As soon as we were clicked through the entrance and escaped the bombardment of the knives, fudge, and dill pickles in the Pavilion, we were treated to the sound of the most glorious tenor singing his heart out. I’m a sucker for a good tenor. He was part of a group called The Don Giovannis. We were seranaded while we ate our plates of Ibletto’s green and red spaghetti.
The sound of the horses enticed us to place several bets which we lost, but last year we won, so there you go. One horse in the 8th jumped the gun and ran the wrong way all around the track. (Yes, I bet on him). As he crossed the finish line, the highly amused crowd burst into rousing applause and cheering! Sometimes you just don’t care if you lose as long as you are entertained.
There were several new attractions this year, notably Mechanical Bull Riding! Very amusing. Everyone looks cool while the bull is going slow, but invariably the bull wins the contest.
The DJ/bull-master was having a great time matching the music to the rider and giving riders a chance to demonstrate at least a few seconds of glory.
The flower show was brilliant! The flowers glowed with exuberance about their own color and design. The exhibits are a beautiful look at past fair themes, called “A Stroll Down Memory Lane”. Very nicely done.
One of the greatest feelings I get living in Sonoma County is the friendliness of the people. Everywhere we turned, people said hello and spoke to us as if we were long term friends. In the rest room (which was very clean , by the way) w0men who didn’t know each other were helping apply sunscreen to the backs of their fellow fair travelers. I love living here! It really is “the chosen place” to paraphrase our good friend Luther.
I love the Sonoma County Fair! We’re going back aagin to see the art, animals, and play a few more horses. See you there!
This is the great place to look for live entertainment any night of the week. The owner, Suzi Feehery, has an ear for jazz and singers and books the best talent in and out of the area. For a small cover fee (usually $3-5) you can spend the evening with the likes of Grammy Nominee Vernelle Anders ( “At Last”) or a hot blues artist like Gwen “Sugar Mama” Avery. There is someone I’d like to see and hear there every night of the week.
