Glenn County fair a fun time for all

The 92nd Glenn County Fair came to a close Sunday night following four days of celebrating “Critters, Squeals and Ferris Wheels’’ in homage to this year’s fair theme.

This was the place to go if you wanted to see livestock, clowns, racing pigs and more.

Despite intense heat, fairgoers braved triple-digit temperatures and toured the grounds from Thursday through Sunday. On Saturday, Judy Holzapfel took a break at a shaded picnic table for lunch.

“I’ve been coming since my children had animals in the fair,’’ she said. “Now, we take the grandchildren. We have a good time. There is one on the power jump (ride) right now.’’

Holzapfel added she gets to see local people while at the fair and catch up on things.

“I like the animals,’’ she said. “I make sure we see everything.’’

In the meantime, children gravitated to the carnival rides and enjoyed trips down a giant slide as well as turns on a merry-go-round.

There also were games to play where softballs could be thrown for stuffed animal prizes and video arcades for kids to test their gamer skills inside a tented facility.

Of course, food vendors were everywhere selling cold drinks, ice cream treats, burgers, Chinese cuisine, barbecue, corn dogs and lots of other fair delicacies.

Commercial exhibitors congregated in the Whitsett-Cook Building and included political candidates, business organizations, police and fire agency recruiters and a few schools, jewelers and inventor types.

The junior artwork could be found in Flaherty Hall where students and young adults displayed photographs, oil paintings, sketches, charcoal drawings, woodworking items and furniture plus assorted ceramic wares or pottery.

Ribbons in blue and red were proudly displayed on the award-winning creations with subjects ranging from wildlife and family pets, to friends, relatives and iconic figures like Marilyn Monroe and Joe Montana.

Kristina Burnham of Willows High School received a second-place ribbon for oil painting of a tiger in the junior fine art category. It hung on a wall of its own.

Other exhibitors brought food like cookies, cakes and breads all set out on a stand tempting visitors to take a bite. However, “Please do not touch the displays’’ signs warned people not to get too close to anything.

Outside, Cook’s Racing Pigs of Galt put its porkers to the races with quick trips around a small track. Betters could pick such runners as “The Blue Plate Special’’ and win prizes if the critter crossed the finish line into the trailer first.

Nearby, the Swan Brothers Circus clowns, “Zippy’’ and “High Tops’’ entertained the young set with missing hats and water bottles aimed at cooling the audience. The pair had been clowning around for 35 years, “Zippy’’ said.

Another building had adult photography and quilts made by older people on display. Quilts in blue, red, green and interesting patterns hung on walls for a good view while some quilters recalled learning the craft from their grandmothers.

On Saturday, the junior livestock auction was held in the Brawley ring, and auctioneers pushed to sell swine, goats, sheep and cattle for the maximum dollars per pound. With precision, the animals were taken through a chute one-by-one into the ring _ their handlers dressed in white shirts and pants with green hats or scarves if they were in 4-H or sporting blue FFA jackets from the FFA clubs around the county.

Bidding was brisk on most animals and they were in and out of the ring within minutes.

Additional attractions included an old blacksmith’s shop that contained anvils, rods and equipment from a bygone era, and a 1920’s gas station, donated and moved to the fairgrounds, and set up like was in the old days.

Car dealers, tractor companies and trailer dealers had exhibits as well, and a vintage tractor display sat along a roadway for people to check out as well.

Rabbits and guinea pigs or caveys had their own barn, and visitors could talk to them.

There also was a baby animal barn with calves, lambs and baby goats in a petting zoo setting.

Finally, a visit to the poultry building allowed people to take in some exotic looking chickens and pigeons inside an air-conditioned room.

Rick Eastman of Orland ‘baby sat’’ the birds while visitors walked through. “I raised pigeons and caged birds for 40 years,’’ he said. “But I don’t have them anymore.’’

He added the birds made great pets when he was a kid, and they teach kids responsibility today when they raise them for 4-H or other projects.

Now the building is air-conditioned, people don’t comment on the smell anymore, Eastman said.

“But it is interesting to watch people walk through and see the expressions on their faces,’’ he said. “They see the big roosters and say ‘he’s a big one.’ Then he’ll let out a crow and startle them.’’

Final tallies for fair attendance and information on the exhibitors’ placings were being calculated by fair staff Monday. The Press-Register will place them on its Web site as soon as they are available.