Site Logo

Clallam County Fair sees positive weekend with attendance up in 99th year, organizers say

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, August 22, 2018

By Matthew Nash

Clallam County Fair sees positive weekend with attendance up in 99th year, organizers say
1/20
Clallam County Fair sees positive weekend with attendance up in 99th year, organizers say
Brownie the goat and Abby Brittell Brown, 9, of Sequim, ready for their closeup in the Goat Barn on Aug. 16. The pair won a blue ribbon as part of the 4H Rascals Club. Abby said her favorite part of the fair is decorating the goat barn. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash
Friends Natalie Thurston, 18, and Abby Garcia, 15, of Sequim FFA stand with their award-winning pigs Sprinkles and Marshmallow (Natalie) and Snoop and Martha (Abby). This was Abby’s first year selling pigs and Natalie’s second. Both sold a pig at the Junior Livestock on Aug. 18, and they intend to sell another pig at the state fair.
Isla Frisby, 9, of Sequim and Pure Country 4H, looks to change out a water bottle for Wiley the rabbit at the fair. Isla exhibited her bunny Paul at the fair, too.
Cousins Jackson Melnick, 4, of Port Angeles, and Joelle Cochran, 5, of Sequim walk cage-to-cage looking at cats in the Cat Barn at the Clallam County Fair on Aug. 16. Jackson’s mom said they come every year and especially love the pony rides. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash
Pepper Giffin, 6, of Sequim, holds a bee for the first time at the North Olympic Peninsula Beekeepers’ booth on Aug. 16, with help from club members John Joseph and Chuck Giefer. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash
Lindsey Carlson, a majority member of the Sequim Rainbow Girls, readies some corn on the cob for the club’s annual booth at the fair. Carlson said she’s been with Rainbow 14 years and she still loves the corn. “It gets better every year,” she said. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash
Brothers Ben, 10, Silas, 3, and Zeke Smith, 5, paint rocks inside the 4H building at the Clallam County Fair. The trio said they’ve never painted rocks before but they make a tradition each year to come to the fair with their grandparents Richard Jensen and Irene Smith. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash
Billy Edwards of Sequim leans in to see more of the model train display by the North Olympic Peninsula Railroaders. “This thing is so sweet,” he said. “It has so much detail.” The Railroaders exhibited for the ninth year in a row and plan to bring their annual show to the fairgrounds on Oct. 13-14. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash
Port Angeles youngsters Carson Tillia, 4, and brother Evan, 3, take a ride on the carousel with mom Danielle at the Clallam County Fair carnival on Aug. 18.
Kolton Mason, 7, of Port Angeles, goes “fishing” at the Clallam County Fair carnival on Aug. 18. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell
Ventriloquist Vikki Gasko Green gets chuckles from the county fair crown on Aug. 18. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell
Wade McCarthey, 4, practices guiding one of Dungeness Valley Creamery’s calves around a show ring at the Clallam County Fair on Aug. 17.
Michele Billings of Port Angeles and her daughter Isabella, 2, ride together down the giant slide at the Clallam County Fair on Aug. 17.
Clallam County Fair sees positive weekend with attendance up in 99th year, organizers say
Wyatt Billings of Deer Park, formerly of Sequim, goes all out in the steer wrestling portion of the Aug. 18 Pro-West Rodeo at the Clallam County Fair on Aug. 18. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell
Clallam County Fair sees positive weekend with attendance up in 99th year, organizers say
Wyatt, left, and Rocky Billings look for a top time in the team roping competition at the Clallam County Fair Pro-West Rodeo on Aug. 18. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell
Wyatt Billings of Deer Park, formerly of Sequim, goes all out in the steer wrestling portion of the Aug. 18 Pro-West Rodeo at the Clallam County Fair on Aug. 18. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell
Mother-and-daughter combo Rashell (right) and Amelia Hermann of Port Angeles celebrate a quick time in the team roping competition at the Clallam County Fair Pro-West Rodeo on Aug. 18. Amelia is a Sequim High School freshman this fall.

Ninety nine years in, and the good times kept rolling at the Clallam County Fair.

While staff continue to tabulate the numbers this week, Fair Manager Shari Ioffrida estimates attendance and exhibitor totals seem up from recent years.

“It was a very smooth fair. It was great,” she said. “The weather was perfect with no issues. It was a great event and we’ve had a lot of good feedback.”

For its four days on Aug. 16-19, the Clallam County Fairgrounds in Port Angeles hosted dozens of events including the Pro West Rodeo, logging show, live music and more along with carnival rides, animals, and handmade exhibits.

See more photos from the fair and rodeo at Sequim Gazette’s website.

See more photos from the Clallam County Fair here.

See highlights from the first day of ProWest rodeo action here.

The sixth annual Talent and Variety Show on Sunday was the closest in its history, Ioffrida said.

Joseph LaChester won the contest with his hip-hop dance routine thanks to audience support.

He originally tied runner-up Joshua Crabtree, a PA singer/guitarist, for first place but in the contest’s rules, judges measure the audience’s decibel level to determine a winner.

LaChester received 108 decibels and the $200 first prize and Crabtree 100 decibels and $100 for second place. The Burn Sisters, also of Port Angeles, sang and won $50 for third place.

Animals took center stage too throughout the weekend with this year’s theme “Paws on Parade.”

Fair organizers for its 100th year on Aug. 15-18, 2019, seek a theme, as well.

Participants must live in Clallam County. There’s no age limit, but participants can only enter up to 10 suggestions and not use “Clallam County” in the theme.

Ioffrida said the selection is based on creativity, originality, fair appropriateness and ease for decorating the theme.

Entries can be emailed to fairgrounds@co.clallam.wa.us or by mail to “Clallam County Fair, 1608 W. 16th St., Port Angeles, 98363.”

For more information on the Clallam County Fair, contact the fair office at 360-417-2551 or visit www.clallamcountyfair.com.

You Might Like