Fair celebrating 70th anniversary
“Here’s Cheers to 70 Years,” is the theme for the upcoming Porterville Fair and the community is invited to celebrate this momentous milestone Wednesday through Sunday.
This year the fair will be celebrating 70 years and its rich history in the community dating back to 1948. Most community members have fond memories of the fair during its 59-year run (19592010) at its Olive Avenue location. However, the inaugural fair in 1948 was held at Porterville High School. Prior to finding its permanent home, the fair was once again housed at Porterville High School in 1949 and the Rocky Hill Arena in 1950. In 2011, the fair found its new home at 2700 W. Teapot Dome Ave. and has been bringing joy to a new generation of families and the
community.
Over the first two days of the fair hundreds of local 4-H and FFA members will be exhibiting everything from 12-pound rabbits to 1,200-pound steers. The culmination of the fair for the young exhibitors will be Saturday morning when the annual Livestock Auction is held. The 2017 Porterville Fair Auction generated a record $593,335 in sales.
Butler Amusements is back with some new rides and some old favorites, and the Kids Zone will offer a little bit of everything.
Special days are held Wednesday through Friday, with Physics Day Wednesday for sixththrough eighth-graders; Special Friends and Senior Day on Thursday and the ever-popular Farm Day for secondgraders on Friday.
Porterville is fortunate to have one of the few not-for-profit community fairs that still exist in the state of California. The fair is supported by a large volunteer base including a 12-member board with representation from throughout the surrounding area. Fair admission: Adults pay $10, senior citizens $7, children 6-12, $5; and children age 5 and under are free. A VIP parking pass costs $35 for the entire Fair, while a general parking pass costs $20 for the entire Fair. One-time general parking costs $6.
For decades the community has banned together each year to celebrate our agricultural roots and encourage children in the community to explore leadership opportunities and life skills through raising, showing and selling livestock.
Join the excitement early by purchasing season passes, parking passes, and pay one price (POP) carnival wristbands at the Porterville Fair Office.
For the first time in
years, the Porterville Fair added a concert to its event lineup on Saturday, May 12 featuring Wade Hayes. Concert entry is free with fair admission.
Fair hours are 4-11 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and noon to 11 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The ticket gate opens at 6 a.m. every day but Sunday. They will have a shuttle to take people from the parking lots.
For more information regarding the activities and entertainment at this year’s fair, visit the Porterville Fair Office at 2700 W. Teapot Dome Ave., online at www.portervillefair.com, or call 781-6582.