That Time of Year : County Fair to Mix Food Booths, Shows, Long Tradition and Talking Egg

The sight of a 6-foot, 3-inch talking egg may be one of the weirder spectacles at an event more noted for its nonverbal farm products.

But when the Ventura County Fair opens this month, Mr. Egg, a skateboarding spokes-product for the California Egg Commission, will “charm visitors while talking with them about the nutritional value of eggs,” fair promoters trumpet.

The fair, which began 115 years ago as a showcase for blue-ribbon farm animals and produce, is trying to keep up with the times while still offering some old-fashioned flavor with the theme, “A Timeless Tradition.”

With 30,000 entries and displays, there are enough traditional and unusual items to keep fair-goers happy during the 12-day run from Aug. 15 to 26, officials say.

There will be 60 food booths, 300 vendors, rock and country music concerts, and of course, eggs, only one of which speaks.

“Our fair is a traditional fair. People enter their 4-H animals and canned goods,” said Earl McPhail, Ventura County agricultural commissioner and a fair director. “The fair in the last three years has done a lot better job in trying to display Ventura County agriculture.”

Last year, the fair drew more than 306,000 people, up about 9% from the previous year, Assistant Fair Manager Art Amelio said.

The fairgrounds on Harbor Boulevard in Ventura are now almost completely empty, but come mid-August, fair officials expect more than 25,500 people to pass through the turnstiles daily. The fairgrounds will be open from 11 a.m. to midnight daily.

“Gorgeous weather could produce some nice attendance figures,” Amelio said.

Because of an expected increase in fair attendance, more than $2.3 million in sales are projected this year, up from last year’s $2 million, Amelio said.

Climbing fair attendance has helped make Ventura County’s annual event one of the 10 largest county fairs in the state, McPhail said. But it has not always been a moneymaker. Last year the fair lost about $500,000, he said.

General admission is $5 for adults and $2 for children 6 to 12 and senior citizens. Children age 5 and younger are free.

Helped by the usual restrictions on alcoholic beverages and weapons at the entrance, fair officials expect a smooth event, although parking may be a problem.

There are only 2,000 three-dollar parking spaces available. Free shuttle buses will run from lots at Ventura High School, the County Government Center and the Buenaventura Plaza Shopping Center.

One pre-fair highlight will be Sunday, when the Ventura County Fair Queen is chosen from among eight contestants at the Agriculture Building.

A fair parade, led by Grand Marshal and Rep. Robert J. Lagomarsino (R-Ventura), will follow on Aug. 18 down Ventura’s Main Street.

In addition to the fair’s livestock and agricultural entries, there will be live nightly entertainment with 75 shows. The Smothers Brothers kick off the first day with a performance in the grandstand area. Other entertainers include the Pointer Sisters on Aug. 16 and Johnny Cash on Aug. 21.

The fair will also feature a bit of the bizarre. Besides meeting Mr. Egg, fair-goers can toss around cow chips, pick the ugliest fish and, for men, compare mustaches.

Long before the turnstiles open, workers will be trucking in materials to prepare buildings at the 62-acre fairgrounds for displays featuring products and student crafts produced in Ventura County.

Construction for some horticultural displays began last week, said Barbara Schneider, superintendent of the floriculture department. Schneider’s job is to turn a 30,000-square-foot building into an outdoor garden.

Workers on Friday were digging holes and building gardens at the Floriculture Building. Many of the elaborate garden displays will sit on 4,000 square feet of grass surrounded by about 60 tons of rocks.

Schneider, who has handled the floriculture displays for more than 21 years, said workers have put in 12- to 14-hour days readying the building for an estimated 3,000 floral and garden entries. By the time the fair starts, Schneider is exhausted.

“You just have to do without sleep,” she said. “I love to see it come together. I’ve done it for a long time, and I never fail to get excited.”

Judging of some of the student contests will take place in the next two weeks before the fair opens.

Some of the nearly 2,000 children who enter the fair each year were at the grounds Friday entering their arts and crafts for various contests.

“It’s the biggest thing of the year. My grandsons look forward to this all year,” said Joan Meyer, assistant superintendent for the youth department.

High school classes from around the county are gearing up for a locker-decorating contest next week. “They get really wild, I’ll tell you,” Meyer said.