Sparks Fly in Poster for County Fair
Fireworks illuminate a seaside carnival in the 1997 Ventura County Fair poster, unveiled at Seaside Park on Tuesday.
The photograph chosen to illustrate the fair’s “Reach for the Stars” theme is the first to depict a scene from a previous fair.
Photographer Peter Escobar of Ventura snapped the shot during one of last year’s nightly fireworks shows, capturing the sparks’ reflection on the ocean as a Ferris wheel spun nearby.
“This is truly one of the most dramatic photographs of the fair that we’ve created,” said Devlin Raley, creative director of Creative Images. Raley designed and directed the production of the poster.
The image represents the complexity of this year’s theme, Raley said. It conveys the excitement and drama of the annual event, while hinting at the dedication and effort involved in making it happen, he added.
After the unveiling, fair board President Charles Schwabauer gave an emphatic nod of approval. “We like to keep a fresh face on it all the time,” he said, affirming his support for the new design.
The commemorative edition of the poster will be available for purchase today at 9 a.m. Posters cost $16 and are sold at the administration office at Seaside Park, located outside the fairgrounds.
T-shirts and sweatshirts with a full color reproduction of the poster will be sold for $14 and $19 at the fair, which runs from Aug. 13-24. All prices include tax.
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