"Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup." ~ Unknown
Fairs Year-round Information	F.Y.I. Volume 8, Issue 13 July 3, 1998

IN FOCUS

Accurate Record Keeping and Tenacity Pay Off for the Cow Palace

Looking for a California commodity to showcase at your fair? How about grapes? According to CDFA’s Agricultural Statistics Service, California’s 1997 grape acreage was up 24,117 acres from 1996, setting a new record with total reported acreage of 768,903. Raisin-type grapes account for 35.7 percent of the grape acreage; table grapes, 11.7 percent; wine-type grapes, 52.5 percent; and rootstock, .1 percent.

California’s oldest fair, the Dixon May Fair, celebrated its 123rd anniversary this year, with events that drew a record crowd. Clint Black (sold out), Huey Lewis and the News, and Pedro Fernandez, one of Latin America’s most popular recording stars, made up the fair’s biggest name lineup ever. At the Shasta District Fair in Anderson, the weather was perfect, and overall attendance was up 4.5 percent. This was also their first year of new fair days, now Wednesday - Sunday.

Six fairs have reported in; two with increases in their total paid attendance:

• 1998: 144,242 visitors
• 1997: 149,897 visitors
• Down: -3.75% (5,655 visitors)

F.Y.I. thanks all the fairs who’ve returned their total paid attendance faxes along with attendance influencing fair highlights. If your fair is completed, and you haven’t yet faxed or mailed in your report sheet, please do as soon as possible. Don’t have a report sheet? Please call Melissa Thurber at 916/263-6178.

If your fair is offering any special admission or activity discounts, share your strategy and strategy results with your fellow fairs through F.Y.I. Simply give Melissa Thurber a call, send a fax, or make life really easy for yourself and add her to your fair’s press release mailing list (thanks again to all fairs who’ve already done so):

Already halfway through its second year, the Agricultural Literacy and Fairs Alliance (ALFA) program continues to keep Program Director Carol Spoelstra busy networking for new projects and locating new curriculum. (She recently brought home about 33 lbs. of curriculum from Virginia.)

Since the program’s inception, Carol reports, more than 500 teachers have incorporated ag literacy into their class curriculums; their students exhibiting their projects at local fairs. ALFA has even caught the attention of local community and commodity groups, who show their support through monetary assistance, curriculum, resources and materials.

Here’s a glimpse into some second- year program highlights of a few of the original seven fairs, and the four newest ALFA fairs added at the beginning of this year:

Approximately 125 teachers signed up their classes to participate in the 1998 San Joaquin County Fair. Inspired by the fair’s theme, "And the Beet Goes On," exhibits included "Beetnik Building" and "Beetnik on a Stick." Computer curriculum was provided to the teachers by the sugar industry, including Spreckles Sugar.

At the National Orange Show, middle and high school students recreated water gardens and systems used by the Aztecs, in addition to "The Humble Potato," "Healthy Horse," and a Thomas Brothers (the map folks) "Community Treasures" exhibits. Against a 40-foot backdrop of a new dam being built in their community, students also interviewed fair visitors, asking them how they felt the new dam would affect their lives.

The Yuba-Sutter Fair, one of four new ALFA fairs, has teamed up with the local Department of Parks and Recreation. With supplies provided by ALFA and area pork producers, students will use saw horses to creatively "Create a Pig" at the late-July fair.

During their first year as an ALFA partner, the Farmers Fair in Perris will host a "Create a Horse" special event in conjunction with the "Healthy Horse" curriculum. Both fit in perfectly with the fair’s "Giddyup & Go" theme.

Fifty teachers signed up to partner with the Sonoma-Marin Fair, another new ALFA fair. A private agricultural group representing both Marin and Sonoma counties provided curriculum and resources. The fourth new ALFA fair, the Sacramento County Fair, featured a "Create a Cow" exhibit, along with entertainingly educational workshops provided by the CDFA.

A satellite fair not formally part of the program, the Mother Lode Fair, along with 28 teachers, took the initiative to contact their local Beef Council. The result? The Council donated curriculum and resources to the teachers.

Even if your fair isn’t an official ALFA fair, programs such as the Thomas Bros. Community Treasures can be easily implemented. Give Carol Spoelstra a call at 909/358-0186 for ideas and tips, and let her know if you’d like your fair to be considered for an ALFA partnership in 1999.

HAVE A CONTRIBUTION FOR

FAIR EXCHANGE?

F.Y.I. invites and encourages all fairs to contribute articles and article ideas for the Fair Exchange column. We’ll even write the article for you. For details, call Melissa Thurber at 916/263-6178.
To add F.Y.I. to your press release mailing list, send or fax releases to:

1776 Tribute Road, Suite 100
Sacramento, CA 95815
Attn: Melissa Thurber
Fax: 916/646-1238
e-mail: mthurber@msn.com