Y-S Fair doesn't fear State Fair

Yuba-Sutter Fair Manager Regina Goody isn't worried about a little competition.

When the California State Fair moved its schedule from mid- to late summer this year, causing an overlap with the Yuba-Sutter and three other county fairs, other fair managers were concerned it would put them in a crunch.

Some rearranged their dates, others prepared to lose vendors. But the Yuba-Sutter Fair board decided to keep the faith, banking confidence in community and vendor loyalty, Goody said.

They lucked out. The 152nd annual Yuba-Sutter Fair only lost one food vendor — Dippin' Dots — and gained a deep-fried dessert seller residents have been clamoring after for years.

"It's very hard to get products like that because they go to the big fairs," Goody said. And by other fairs rearranging their schedules, it allowed a few new vendors to come in, including the booth that will sell either deep-fried Oreos or deep-fried Twinkies, Goody said. This year's fair will also have roasted corn, fresh fruit cups and deep-fried burritos.

"You always have to have something different," Goody said. "We try to do that every year."

All five days of the Yuba-Sutter Fair overlap with the last five day of the state fair, but Goody said she doesn't think the local event will have to compete much for attendance.

"People at county fairs in smaller areas tend to go to their local fairs," she said.

But last year's attendance was not the greatest for the Yuba-Sutter Fair. Organizers at the time attributed the decline to the economy.

During the five-day fair, 58,096 people went through the turnstiles, down more than 14,000 from the previous year, which also boasted record attendance.

Goody is still hoping the economy will boost this year's attendance. People whose pockets are hurting might patronize entertainment a little closer to home, she said, and the fair board again opted not to raise ticket prices this year.

"It's an inexpensive way of going out for you and your family and having some fun," she said. "Obviously people are going on the big vacations they used to."

A successful fair is a combination of fresh fun and steady staples, Goody said. For this year's fair, which opens July 28 and runs through Aug. 1, the Miss Yuba-Sutter and Mini-Miss scholarship competitions, tuff trucks show and destruction derby are back as usual, along with a varied entertainment lineup.

The Pepsi Stage will feature the Christian band "The Reel" on Friday night, and the Air Force Reserves are bringing in Sugar Ray on Saturday, when those with a military ID can get in for free.

The theme of this year's Yuba-Sutter Fair is "Honor-Glory-Tradition," and residents will see homage to the men and women who protect the red, white and blue all around the grounds.

CONTACT Ashley Gebb at 749-4724 or agebb@appealdemocrat.com