98th annual Clallam County Fair

Where: 1608 W. 16th St., Port Angeles

When: Aug. 17-20

Tickets: adults: $8, seniors: $6, students 13-17: $6, children: 6-12 $5, children 5 and under free; children 12 and under free on Thursday, Aug. 18

Carnival bracelets available for $30 through Aug. 16 online at clallam.net/FAIR or at Kaboom Salon and Dungeness Kids Co. in Sequim; Swain’s, Higher Grounds (West/East), Strait View Credit Union, Wilder Auto Center and the Fair Office in Port Angeles; Forks Outfitters in Forks; and Weel Road Deli in Clallam Bay.

Gates open: 8:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 8:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday; Buildings open at 10 a.m.; Carnival at noon

Events

• Fair royalty meet-and-greet, 6 p.m. Thursday

• Jet City FMX Extreme Moto-X-Nitro 5, 6:30, 8 p.m. Thursday-Friday

• Logging Show, noon Saturday

• 4-H/FFA Junior Livestock Auction, 1 p.m. Saturday

• Magician Jeffery Dial three shows Saturday

• Rodeo, 5 p.m. Saturday and noon Sunday

• Seventh annual Variety and Talent show, 2 p.m. Sunday

• Demolition Derby, 5 p.m. Sunday, Tickets $12, on sale at yellow gate (west) starting at 9 a.m. Sunday

• Live music everyday on the Wilder Auto Community Stage with Aaron Crawford at 6 p.m., 8 p.m. Thursday; Rocklyn Road 2 p.m., 4 p.m. Thursday; Lions Ambition 4 p.m., 8 p.m. Friday; Three Too Many noon, 6 p.m. Friday; Foreign Figures 4 p.m., 8 p.m. Saturday.

Familiar fun meshes with a variety of new offerings Aug. 17-20, at the Clallam County Fair.

For the 98th year, locals can experience the thrill of the rides, see the efforts to earn a blue ribbon, taste the fine, fried and baked foods, listen to a variety of music and experience much more at the fairgrounds, 1608 W. 16th St., in Port Angeles.

Last year was a scorcher weather-wise, but this year’s anticipated moderate temperatures should help bring people in, said fair manager Shari Ioffrida.

“Thursday-Saturday last year broke all (heat) records in Port Angeles,” she said. “It definitely affected attendance.”

Earlier this year, Ioffrida and other county fair leaders across the state were concerned about budget cuts. However, she said, they received their funding through 2019.

Despite the weather and budget scare, the fair received some major accolades for this year.

Ioffrida said cowboys in the Pro West Rodeo circuit voted the Clallam County Fair the association’s top rodeo in the Northwest.

Her hope is that the award translates to more competition and notoriety for the rodeo, which runs at 5 p.m. Saturday and noon Sunday.

Ioffrida continues to bring in a diverse crowd for music offerings, too, from hip hop to rock to country to bluegrass between the Sunny Farms Stage and Wilder Auto Community Stage.

One of the big draws comes near the end of the fair with the seventh annual Variety and Talent show at 2 p.m. Sunday with 14 musical contestants including three from the Sequim area — The McInturffs, The Lost Ranger, and Dreamsicle.

For adrenaline junkies, the fair hosts Jet City FMX Motocross stunts for three evening shows on Thursday and Friday, too.

Family time

Plenty is available for families and children including the return of popular pirate variety show Cap’n Arr in the KidZone four times daily on Thursday-Saturday.

Those looking to go on rides all day and night, all-you-can-ride bracelets are available through Wednesday, Aug. 16, at the fair’s website or multiple businesses throughout the county including Kaboom Salon and Dungeness Kids Co. in Sequim. Cost is $30 and children can choose which day to use the bracelets. They won’t be sold on site though.

Members of local 4-H and FFA clubs will try to sell their animals at the Junior Livestock Auction at 1 p.m. Saturday in the Sheep/Swine Arena.

Daniel Bender of Port Angeles and a member of Pure Country 4-H plans to sell his pigs for the first time at the auction. His goal is to make back the money he spent on them.

His mom Lesley said they like 4-H because it’s something their whole family can eventually do when her children are old enough.

“It’s fun to have our kids involved because 4-H is a great organization for leadership skills,” she said.

The sights, sounds and smells of animals will be in all the animal barns throughout the weekend, too.

Children like Daniel will be on hand to answer questions about their animals.

This will be 15-year-old Ashlyne Money’s seventh year showing horses at the fair through the Silver Spurs 4-H Club.

“I love being in the group,” she said. “It’s like having another family away from family.”

For more information on the fair, see the Sequim Gazette’s special section or visit clallam.net/fair.

Members of the Silver Spurs 4-H Club, from left, Ashlyne Money, 16, Sierra Steffen, 12, Marissa Steffen, 10, and Lisi Hanson, 15, design posters for their horses’ stalls on Aug. 14, in a horse barn at the Clallam County Fairgrounds. Their group will show 18 horses throughout the fair from Aug. 17-20. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash

Ellie Hiigler, 15, and Justin Jackson with Port Angeles Junior ROTC look at a building block display created by 7-year-old Digeo Waterkotte of Port Angeles. This year, the Junior ROTC helped set up the Arts and Crafts barn. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash

Jeff Bender with help from his sons Daniel, 9, left, and Grant, 8, right, try to fix a flat tire on a wheelbarrow outside the swine barn at the Clallam County Fair. Daniel belongs to Pure Country 4-H and will show pigs, rabbits and goats throughout the fair Aug. 17-20. Sequim Gazette photos by Matthew Nash