Ten-year-old Sailor Boreen from Vancouver climbs the rope in hopes of winning the husky at the top during the Clark County Fair Aug 3.
Twenty-one-month-old Ennasa Holtzlander from Ridgefield enjoys her second time at the Clark County Fair by riding the merry-go-round Aug. 3.
Some people go for the rides, others head straight for the food, but everybody plans for a whole day of fun at “Summer’s Best Party.” The Clark County Fair is back for its 151st year, bringing in people from all over the county for, among many other things, fried food, concerts and motorsports shows.
“We can’t miss the Clark County Fair,” Ridgefielder Inna Holtzlander said Saturday, explaining how going to the fair has been a family tradition for years.
Holtzlander said her two-year-old daughter’s favorite part is the rides while hers are the milkshakes, food and fun.
“She would ride the big ones (rides) if they would let her,” she said.
Despite gloomy and overcast skies on the first day of the fair, Friday, Aug. 2, early attendees were still treated to a plate of flapjacks at the annual pancake breakfast, courtesy of Fred Meyer. Following the breakfast, the First Friday Parade kicked off at the Green Gate.
Other than the first day, fairgoers were hit with intense heat and clear skies with the temperature getting into the 90s over the weekend. Some attendees beat the heat in the air-conditioned Expo Center where Clark Public Utilities had handed out 8,300 cups of ice water by 3 p.m. Saturday (they handed out over 20,000 last year).
Others chose to wait in line for a Dairy Women milkshake and grab a shady seat at the Columbian Stage for the Washington State Fiddle Competition.
The 2019 Clark County Fair is the first year for Fair Manager and CEO Mickey Webb, who replaced John Morrison after the fair’s 150th year. Webb feels the 2019 fair has been a success so far and mentioned that his favorite part of the fair is “watching everyone have fun.”
Coming this week
Among this year’s first-time offerings is a brewfest, highlighted by the “Summer’s Best Lager” created by three Clark County Breweries, 54°40’ Brewing, Loowit Brewing and Trap Door Brewing. Beer lovers can try the new lager and many more from around the area when brewfest cracks open Aug. 6 and 7. Those that missed the chance to buy tickets can head over to the beer garden located outside of the Grandstand to try many local brews, including the new lager.
Other new events include a BMX show and Moto Tuff Extreme, an obstacle-course style motorcycle competition which replaced the “high fly bikes.”
The new event will be taking place on Thursday with qualifying rounds starting at 1 p.m. and the main event showing at 7 p.m. The event will have a $3,000 prize purse and feature obstacles such as massive jumps and a mud pit.
