COLUSA, CA (MPG) – The sights, sounds, and lights of the midway brought thousands to the Colusa County Fairgrounds last week to celebrate the beginning of a Star Spangled Summer.
The 85th installment of the Colusa County Fair was filled with staple carnival foods, games, and rides, along with exhibits, livestock, entertainment, and pageantry.
In addition to corn dogs and funnel cakes, fair goers got a taste of new foods introduced to the fair this year like bacon-wrapped hot dogs and loaded baked potatoes. Pre-fair events were held Tuesday and Wednesday with 4-H and FFA members and their animals braving the heat in the show arena.
The fair got underway for its four-day run on Thursday when a ribbon cutting ceremony with the VFW officially opened the gates to the fairgrounds, exhibit buildings, and grandstands.
By Friday’s senior day, Colusa County’s royalty, Miss Colusa County Ally Wills, who was crowned opening night, and Mini Miss Colusa County Reese Cunningham Vedo, who was crowded Wednesday night in separate grandstand events, were well into their duties, which included attending the senior luncheon and riding in the Colusa County Fair Parade on Friday, being a role model for younger children, and representing the fair at all events through Sunday night.
The Colusa County Fair Parade in downtown Colusa on Friday has been a tradition of the Colusa Lions Club’s for nearly three decades.
Williams stalwart Patricia Ash was escorted through the parade as the 2024 Grand Marshal in a 2018 BMW convertible with her husband, Kevin Ash, daughter Andi Armstrong, grandson Asa Armstrong, and great-grandson Mason Armstrong.
Ash was born and raised in Williams, where her family settled in the 1870s. She served eight years on the Williams City Council, which included four terms as Mayor, six years on the Williams Fire Protection District, and is an elected member of the Williams Unified School District Board of Trustees, where she has served two terms as president.
She and her family are dedicated volunteers in the city of Williams.
“Together they painted blighted store fronts, picked up and weeded the downtown, and, while members of Citizens for a Better Williams, fundraised over $100,000 for projects to improve the wellbeing of the citizens of Williams,” said Lions Club member Ed Conrado, who served as parade announcer. “Some of it went to purchase 100 American Flags for downtown, funding for a police dog for their department, funds for the restoration of the Williams Fire Department Engine No. 1, and the mural that graces the downtown square, and so much more.”
The Colusa County Fair Parade procession also featured a variety of floats made by various sports teams including baseball, softball and the Cyclones Swim Team, antique, vintage, and new cars and trucks, fire and law enforcement vehicles from throughout the county, and off-road vehicles.
On Saturday, visitors to the fair also saw the annual livestock auction, with 4-H, FFA and independent exhibitors and grand champions bringing their goats, beef, sheep, turkeys, rabbits, and poultry back into the TK Marshall Arena for the last time.
Also on Saturday, the Colusa County Fair introduced its first Power Wheel Derby and Combine Derby as a grandstand event, which followed the popular Weenie and new Corgi dog races.
Spectators said the Combine Derby, which featured graffitied harvesters of famous names like Case and John Deere, was good enough to be a permanent stand-alone event for the fair on Saturday night. The 44th District Agricultural Association, Fairgrounds CEO Laura Ford, and N&S Tractor spearheaded the inaugural event.
On Saturday, visitors to the fair also saw the annual livestock auction, with 4-H, FFA and independent exhibitors and grand champions bringing their goats, beef, sheep, turkeys, rabbits, and poultry back into the TK Marshall Arena for the last time.
Fair festivities concluded on Sunday with the popular destruction derby, which followed a day of Hispanic music to celebrate Dia de la Famila.
Fairgoers also got to enjoy a special antique tractor display, a Lego competition, a diaper derby, and a King and Queen of Freckles contest, along with live music on the Sun Valley Rice and fairground stages.