Rell Lenox

Rell Lenox

Three days of family, fun and food start today at Jefferson County Fair

NOTE: “Today” and “tonight” refer to Friday, Aug. 8.

PORT TOWNSEND — The Jefferson County Fair, which is celebrating its 77th anniversary this weekend, offers three days of fun, food, animals and community.

“People who come here can see what Jefferson County can make, create and grow,” said Sue McIntire, who manages the event with her husband, Bill.

“This is an old-fashioned country fair where people feel safe and comfortable, where you can connect with your neighbors,” she added.

The fair is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. today and Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds, 4907 Landes St.

General admission tickets are $6. Tickets are $5 for those older than 65 and for students from 13 to 17 years old. They are $2 for children ages 6 to 12. Children younger than 5 get in free.

A three-day pass, including a meal ticket for a beef barbecue Sunday, costs $15.

Alone, the ever-popular beef barbecue from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. is $8, while Saturday’s salmon barbecue from noon to 3 p.m. is $10.

About 12,000 people are expected to show up during the weekend, holding steady from last year.

This year’s fair provides all of the expected events — including the 4-by-4 mud drags on the main stage at 11 a.m. Sunday — along with something missing last year.

Piglets this year

“We have piglets,” Bill McIntire said.

“We didn’t have them last year, and people were disappointed.

“This year, I’ve talked to several people, and they’ve asked if the piglets are coming. When I say they are, they say, ‘Then so are we.’”

Sue McIntire said much of the fair’s appeal is the ability to get up close and personal with the animals.

“Kids don’t see these animals anywhere else. This is the only time where they can get close to them and touch them,” she said.

“A lot of them have never seen cows. They don’t know where milk comes from.”

Aside from the animals, a variety of livestock, food and crafts competitions draw people from all over the region.

Judging goods

On Wednesday, Connie Lammers and Stewart Smith were evaluating baked goods, tasting the finished products and applying objective criteria to the products.

It’s not important if they like what they taste; they judge whether the cake or pie follows the checklist for shape, texture and other factors.

“I’ve given blue ribbons to things that didn’t taste good to me because they meet all the qualifications on the list,” Smith said.

Both Smith and Lammers are from Port Angeles.

Kathi Johnson, who supervises the judges, recruits them from out of town on purpose.

“We don’t want the judges to know the people they are judging,” Johnson said.

“If you got someone from the local yarn store to judge the weaving competition, they wouldn’t be fair because they may have sold the yarn for the project.”

Winners of all the competitions will be on display and in some cases for sale.

________

Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.

More in News

Holly Hildreth of Port Townsend, center, orders a latte for the last time at the Guardhouse, a cafe at Fort Worden State Park, on Wednesday. At noon the popular cafe was to close permanently, leaving an empty space for food, drinks and restroom facilities in the park. (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)
Fort Worden Hospitality closes business operations

Organization faced with ‘legal limbo’ because lease was rejected

Clallam fire districts providing automatic support

Mutual aid helps address personnel holes

Port Angeles school board to meet with hiring agency

The Port Angeles School District board of directors will… Continue reading

Clallam County to host meeting to develop animal disaster plan

The Clallam County Sheriff’s Office’s Emergency Management division will… Continue reading

The Western Harbor Study Area includes Port Angeles Harbor, the Port of Port Angeles and Ediz Hook. (State Department of Ecology)
Comment period to open on Port Angeles Harbor cleanup

The state Department of Ecology will open a public… Continue reading

C.J. Conrad and Chris Orr of A&R Solar take solar panels from a lift on top of the Port Angeles Senior and Community Center on Peabody Street to be installed on the roof. The 117 panels are mostly made of silicone and will provide electrical power to the center. The crew members are each tied in with ropes to prevent any problems on the slippery slanted roof. The panels are 42 inches by 62 inches and weigh about 16 pounds. (Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News)
Solar installation

C.J. Conrad and Chris Orr of A&R Solar take solar panels from… Continue reading

Port Townsend Food Co-op board president resigns

Rowe cites unresolved tensions, calls for change

Recompete projects aim to close gap for workers in prime age

Goals include reducing barriers, creating up to 1,300 jobs

Carrie Heaton.
Governor appoints Heaton to PC trustees

Five-member board governs college’s policy, strategic planning

Finalists named for Port Angeles community awards

The Port Angeles Chamber of Commerce will announce the… Continue reading

Fort Worden Hospitality ceasing operations

No longer viable amid PDA financial and legal challenges