Tootling Around the County Fair

Only one more day before the 91st Annual San Benito County Fair opens at Bolado Park for the weekend. Whooo-hooo!

Yesterday evening, I noticed that a few of the carnival rides were up. That took me back to being 8 or 9 years old when I went to the fair (the San Benito County Fair, in fact) for the first time and I rode the crazy spinning ride for the first time and I experienced vertigo for the first time. Oh, joy! It took a few more times before I was cured from going on any kind of spinning rides again.

There are so many things to check out at the fair—the livestock, 4-H displays, and the quilting, crafts, baking, arts, and other fair entries. There are also the community group booths, the vendors, the model train exhibit, and more. One year, the Husband and I plunked down a dollar each to see The Strange Thing. After reading all the signs outside of the booth, who wouldn't want to know what The Strange Thing was.  So, what was it? An old beat-up, dried lizard-looking body that we were told was the legendary chupacabra monster. Uh-huh.

And, when your tootsies are tired from tootling around the displays and exhibits, you can park yourself in front of the one stages and listen to a live band or watch dance troupes, jugglers, a magician, or, perhaps, a hypnotist put willing fair guests under his spell. I did that one year. Yup, I did. If you'd like to read my hypnosis experience, please click here.

For a schedule of events, including All Alaskan racing pigs, truck pulls, and kid tractor pulls, click here.

Today I'm taking part in Jenny Matlock's Alphabe-Thursday. To check out what other bloggers are featuring about the letter T, please click here.

All this week I'm writing about the San Benito County Fair. If you want to see a few more photos of our fair, here are Monday's post, Tuesday's post, and Wednesday's post.
 

Livestock at the Fair

Do you remember the folk song (or children song) Animal Fair? 

We're going to the animal fair.
The birds and beasts were there.
The big baboon by the light of the moon
was combing his auburn hair.

That's the first verse of the version I know, which according to Wikipedia was first sung in 1898 by American sailors. I'll probably hum that tune on Saturday as the Husband and I take the free shuttle to the San Benito County Fair. Alas, there shan't be any baboons, but domestic birds and beasts shall be there.

The San Benito County Fair is this weekend at Bolado Park: Friday, October 3 (10 a.m. to 10 p.m.), Saturday, October 4 (10 a.m. to 10 p.m.), and Sunday, October 5 (10 a.m. to 7 p.m.) The San Benito County Express will offer a free shuttle from San Juan Bautista and Hollister on all three days. Click here for the shuttle schedule.

The cows, pigs, goats, chickens, and rabbits are all raised by members of the various 4-H clubs in San Benito County, as well as high school students who belong to the Future Farmers of America (FFA). Every year, the youth sell their cows, pigs, and goats at the Junior Livestock Auction which is held at the fair. This year, it's on Saturday, starting at 10 a.m.

Today is Mrs. Nesbitt's ABC Wednesday. That's where I'm hanging out, checking other letter L posts by  bloggers from around the world. You can join me by clicking here.

By the way, I'm featuring the county fair this whole week. Here are Monday's post and Tuesday's post. Swing back tomorrow if you can.

Our World: The San Benito County Fair

I never gave much thought to the definition of county fair. Nor did I ever wonder if the term was even in the dictionary. Until last night, that is.  In honor of the San Benito County Fair this weekend (October 3, 4, and 5), I thought I'd feature it every day this week, but, as usual, without a plan about what to post. And, when in a mire about what to write, I reach for the dictionary and if the dictionary inspires naught, the encyclopedia.

According to Merriam Webster, the term county fair is a noun.  It originated in 1856. It means "a fair usually held annually at a set location in a county especially to exhibit local agricultural products and livestock."   Oxford Dictionaries.com defines county fair one better: "A competitive exhibition of livestock, agricultural products, and household skills held annually by a town, county, or state and also featuring entertainment and educational displays."

 
The San Benito County Fair is held at Bolado Park, eight miles south of Hollister. According to the May 10, 1938 issue of the Free Lance,  in 1922, some folks asked Julia Bolado Davis if they could hold a county fair on part of her property. She said yes and the rest was history.

Today, I'm linking up with Our World Tuesday. I invite you to come check out posts by other bloggers around the world. Please click here. 

P.S. Here's the link to yesterday's post about the San Benito County Fair. By the way, I have no idea what I'll write about tomorrow.

Up Ahead: The 2014 San Benito County Fair

2011 San Benito County Fair

Yaay! It's county fair time in our part of the world. Over the next four days, children and adults are taking their entries down to Bolado Park for the San Benito County Fair. Then all through next weekend, we can stroll among the exhibits and check out all the wonderful entries—livestock, art, flower arrangements, photographs, paintings, crafts, cookies, pies, pickled vegetables, quilts, crafts, and so on.

2009 San Benito County Fair

The 91st annual San Benito County Fair runs from Friday, October 3 to Sunday, October 5. For details about hours, admission, and schedule, click here to go to the fair's website. The San Benito County Express will be offering a free bus shuttle to the fair, which will make stops in Hollister and San Juan Bautista.  Click here for the shuttle schedule.

2012 San Benito County Fair

Today, I'm hanging out at Smiling Sally's Blue Monday. Come join me by clicking here. 

By the way, I'll be posting photos from the past six fairs this week. 

2013 San Benito County Fair

Heading Up to the Clouds

Yesterday was a gorgeous day to hike the Anza Trail, a mile or so south of the City of San Juan Bautista. The trail, formally known as the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail, is 1,200 miles long, stretching from Nogales, Arizona to the Carquinez Straits in Contra Costa, California.

The local segment of the trail used to be the Old Stage Road, on which once upon a time stage coaches ran between San Juan Bautista and Salinas. The first mile of the 4.5 trail is a rather steep climb that I wonder how often passengers had to get off the coach and walk.

Today, I'm hanging out at The Weekend in Black and White. Click here to see other black and white photos by bloggers around the world.

One of the Three Sisters

Don't let this photo fool you. The peak is further away than it looks. I took this from the north end of Santa Ana Valley Road when I was bicycling around the valley a couple weeks ago.

BBQ, Bread, and Honey

Where can you buy some of the best locally-made BBQ, European-style breads, and honey from San Benito County bees?

"Ooo-ooo, I know, I know," she said, waving her arms in the air.

Head for that empty lot on the west side of Highway 25, just before you reach Bertuccio's, which is near the corner of Union Road. Every Friday afternoon,  that lot is occupied by Mansmith's BBQ,  Suncoast Organic Farm Bakery,  and Bray Apiaries. All of the foodstuffs are mighty delicious.

Hmmmm, what's for dinner?