LAKEPORT – The Lake County Fair was in full swing on Friday, as county residents and visitors stopped in to enjoy the event's numerous offerings.
The fair runs through Sunday night.
On Saturday, the gates open at 11 a.m.
A fair highlight on Saturday will be the annual Junior Livestock Auction, which begins at 1 p.m.
The auction is expected to offer around 230 lots of prize winning livestock, poultry, and rabbits for potential buyers from throughout Northern California. A registered buyer's luncheon immediately precedes the sale at 10:30 a.m.
In recent years, the sale has been split into two sales rings which operate at the same time, making for a total sale length of around three and a half hours and providing buyers with plenty of time to visit the rest of the Lake County Fair.
An average of around 230 lots have been offered for a number of years, and the 2007 total auction proceeds were slightly more than $275,000.
"It's a real indication that the community supports youth programs like 4-H and the Future Farmers of America," said Fair Chief Executive Officer Richard Persons, adding that the programs teach kids about agriculture, which is Lake County's largest economic sector, and about teamwork, sportsmanship, honor and responsibility.
Persons said they hope to set a new record this year, in excess of $300,000. “Many of these kids save the money for college or other educational efforts, and eventually return to Lake County to become farmers and ranchers, so in the long run the whole community benefits,” he said.
On Saturday evening, an X-Style Motorcycle High Jump Show will take place at the grandstands. The show starts at 7:30 p.m.
On Sunday the fair will hold Seniors Day, with seniors 60 and over admitted all day at the discounted price of $4. Gates open at 11 a.m. Sunday. Seniors are advised to visit early in the day before the evening crowds become hard to negotiate.
The grandstand show on Sunday evening, beginning at 7:30 p.m., will be the WGAS Motorsports Tuff Truck and ATV Races.
Regular admission prices for the 2008 Lake County Fair are $8 for adults and $5 for children ages 6 through 11. Children under 6 years old are admitted free every day.
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