San Rafael, CA – Queue the fanfare music: The red carpet will be rolled out Wednesday for the 74th rendition of the Marin County Fair. The five-day community celebration runs from July 1-5 and features exhibits, family fun activities, rides, games, live performances and nightly fireworks.
The Marin County Cultural and Visitor Services (CVS) Department is serving as official host of the fair, which features the theme of “On with the Show.” It’ll be the first fair with new CVS Director Gabriella C. Calicchio in charge.
“Created collectively, the Marin County Fair truly embodies the cultural values of Marin County with an emphasis on Art, Agriculture, and the Environment. The artistry and imagination of our community is truly inspiring and together I look forward to presenting five days of the best Fair in the country,” said Calicchio.
The 2015 fair features a stellar lineup of headline music acts, including the July 1 main attraction, legendary progressive rock stalwarts Kansas. Tribal Seeds, the Marshall Tucker Band, Queen Nation, Pablo Cruise, Judy Collins and Aaron Neville each get turns on the main stage of the Marin County Fairgrounds in San Rafael.
The fair’s competitive exhibit categories will showcase the creativity of talented, artistic, technologically savvy, green-thumbed, and creative Marin and greater Bay Area residents. Last year’s fair featured more than 800 categories, 13,850 exhibits and 7,420 entrants in exhibits that covered everything from performing arts to baking. Some of the new competitions for 2015 include decorated hula hoops, family heritage collages, baby stroller decorating and photo “selfies.”
Additionally, from July 1-3, the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) will bring in two new rail cars for a public preview just outside the fairgrounds. Visitors will be able to walk inside the cars on the site where the future Civic Center SMART platform will be constructed (at Civic Center Drive & McInnis Parkway), then visit the SMART booth at the fair to learn more. The commuter train system is due to start running between San Rafael and Santa Rosa by the end of 2016.
The first Marin County Fair took place in 1925 with the goal to provide a place where Marin residents could share ideas and techniques in arts, gardens, livestock, fruits, vegetables and flower arrangements. These days, fair visitors and participants come from all over the Bay Area and beyond to rock out to headliner music acts, enjoy the carnival rides, view jaw-dropping artwork, pet farm animals, sample tasty treats and enjoy all sorts of live entertainment.
For information on the competitive exhibits, participation and entry forms, go to www.marinfair.org and click Competitive Exhibits. The 285-page Exhibitors’ Guide answers questions about categories and participation.