PORT TOWNSEND — The Jefferson County Fair starts Friday and will run through Sunday.
“We’ve made a lot of efforts this year to push towards a very family-friendly, family-centered approach,” said Karly Mishko, Jefferson County Fair Association’s executive director. “Really wanting it to be something where you could bring the whole family, including grandparents, all the way down to kids, and there would be something interesting and intriguing to take a look at.”
The theme of this year’s fair is national parks. Each building will have decorative and interactive elements relating to a different national park, Mishko said. Among others, Olympic National Park and Rainier National Park will be represented, she added.
“4-H specifically is of the national parks in Hawaii, so we’ve got a volcano in there that kids can come in and make erupt,” Mishko said. “They’re making all kinds of fun crafts in there that tie back into educational things about the national park in Hawaii.”
The theme extends beyond building interiors, too.
“We will have Sasquatch himself making some fun appearances throughout all three days,” Mishko said.
Sasquatch won’t be the only hairy creature on the grounds.
“The animals are amazing,” Mishko said. “So when the kiddos make their way down to the barns, there’s horses and goats and sheep and cattle and a lot of the small livestock as well.”
On Saturday, the draft horse pulls are sure to entertain.
“Those are pretty amazing,” she said. “The horses come in and they’re beautiful and they pull the big cement blocks.”
Not all of the animals will be hairy.
“We have the duck slide, and we have little ducklings. They’re about two weeks old now,” Mishko said. “They climb up and then come down the duck slide into a pool of water.”
Also, Bamboozle will make balloon animal art all weekend, Mishko said.
This year’s music programming is a mix of new bands and those that people have appreciated seeing repeatedly at the fair, Mishko said.
“Chase Rabideau has played locally at the Vineyard, but he’s never been out to the fair,” Mishko said. “Taylor Montgomery is also on the schedule. She is local and really is more of an up-and-coming (artist), known around Port Townsend, she’s coming as well.”
Rabideau will perform on the main stage at 2 p.m. on Saturday. Montgomery will perform on the stage at 11:30 a.m. on Friday.
Arts and crafts will be in the Erickson Building.
“They’ve got all kinds of things in there,” Mishko said.
Mishko said the building will have quilting, different kinds of knitting, crocheting and sewing.
Food and drinks from Viking Ice Cream, Sweet Symphony (Lemon-aid), Egg Roll Hut, Fast n’ Fresh, Raney Day Coffee, Funnel of Love and Little O’s (donuts) will be sold at the fair.
“Ideally, we’re just hoping it’s a great community event that brings people together,” Mishko said of the annual event.
________
Reporter Elijah Sussman can be reached by email at elijah.sussman@peninsuladailynews.com.
Jefferson County Fair events
Friday
8 a.m. — Gates open for ticket sales
10 a.m. — Fair opens, National Anthem
10 a.m. — Performance class at Horse Arena
10 a.m. — Explore Fin, North Olympic Salmon Coalition’s 25-foot-long salmon sculpture
10 a.m. — PT glass blowing demonstrations at Mac’s Building
10 a.m. — Duck slide at Small Animal Barn
11 a.m. — Sasquatch walk around
11 a.m. — Sheep to shawl at Goat Tent
11:30 a.m. — Taylor Montgomery at stage
11:30 a.m. — Llama demonstration at Outside Small Animal Barn
1 p.m. — Sasquatch walk around
1:30 p.m. — Raptor events: Birds of prey
1:30 p.m. — Kids mechanical bull near fair entrance
1:30 p.m. — Llama demonstration at Outside Small Animal Barn
2 p.m. — Home arts demonstrations at Erickson Building
2:30 p.m. — PT summer band at Stage
3:30 p.m. — Llama demonstration at Outside Small Animal Barn
4:30 p.m. — Kids mechanical bull
4:30 p.m. — Birds of prey
6:30 p.m. — Duck tape activity at Yesteryear
8 p.m. — Grounds close to public
Saturday
8 a.m. — Gates open
10 a.m. — Fair opens, National Anthem
10 a.m. — Performance classes at Horse Arena
10 a.m. — Huntseat at Horse Arena
10 a.m. — Explore Fin
10 a.m. — PT glass blowing demonstrations at Mac’s Building
10 a.m. — Duck slide at Small Animal Barn
10:30 a.m. — Birds of prey
10:30 a.m. — Kids mechanical bull
11 a.m. — Sasquatch walk around
11 a.m. — Harbor View Vaulters at Horse Arena
2:30 p.m. — Draft Horse Pulls at the grandstand
3:30 p.m. — Kids Bingo in the 4-H Cat Building
5:30 p.m. — Lego contest in the Yesteryear building
7 p.m. —Llama and Alpaca Obstacles at the Outside Small Animal Barn
8 p.m. — Grounds close to public
Sunday
10 a.m. — Fair opens, National Anthem
10 a.m. — PT glass blowing demonstrations at Mac’s Building
10:30 a.m. — Birds of prey
10:30 a.m. — Kids mechanical bull
11 a.m. — 4×4 mud drags at grandstand
11 a.m. — Jumping at Horse Arena
1 p.m. — Costume class at Horse Arena
1:30 p.m. — Birds of prey at Stage
1:30 p.m. — Kids mechanical bull
2 p.m. — Buck Ellard Band at stage
2 p.m. — Llama demonstration at Outside Small Animal Barn
2 p.m. — Cat quiz bowl at 4-H Cat Building
2 p.m. — Gymkhana at Horse Arena
3:30 p.m. — Free kids craft activity at 4-H Cat Building
4 p.m. — Llama demonstration at Outside Small Animal Barn
4:30 p.m. — Birds of prey
4:30 p.m. — Kids mechanical bull
6 p.m. — Jefferson County Fair concludes
All day, all weekend
Bamboozle: balloons and fun
Bouncy houses and kid zone
Yard games in the courtyard
Make your own lava lamps and volcano eruptions at 4-H Building
4-H presentations and 4-H in action at 4-H Building
Weaving demonstrations at Home Arts
Vote for your educational llama/alpaca poster
Microscopic parasites hands-on activity at Outside Small Animal Barn
From animal to yarn: educational display at Outside Small Animal Barn
People’s choice voting – fine arts and photography in Art Building
