With slightly more than a month to go before the Sept. 29
opening date, many county residents are busy preparing for the 82nd
Annual San Benito County Fair.
Hollister – With slightly more than a month to go before the Sept. 29 opening date, many county residents are busy preparing for the 82nd Annual San Benito County Fair.
With the Sept. 2 entry deadline less than one week away, Fair Manager Kelley Ferreira said it was too early to tell how many people will enter the fair this year, but he hopes entry and attendance numbers will increase.
“Our attendance has pretty much stayed the same, we haven’t seen the numbers really drop,” Ferreira said. “But we always hope for more.”
Although entries have steadily trickled in over the past few weeks, the big rush will come next week, Ferreira said. Ferreira and dozens of others will spend the next month preparing the fairgrounds at Bolado Park in Tres Pinos for the big event.
“We’ll be going strong, setting up buildings, painting and getting organized,” he said.
Preparations have already begun for Hollister Future Farmers of America members at San Benito High School. Local FFA Advisor and SBHS teacher Kelly Bianchi is excited about the fair this year because she will have more students and more help – in the person of new Ag department teacher Renee Willey.
Fifty SBHS students will enter 79 animals in the fair this year, which is slightly more than last year, Bianchi said.
During the first week of school, Bianchi and Willey have been busy checking up on students’ animals in order to make sure they will make weight for the fair. Josh Masters’ pig Daisy, who was injured last June by vandals attempting a senior prank, had improved steadily, but was injured again last week, Bianchi said. Daisy is still under weight for the fair, but Bianchi and Masters have not given up hope yet, she said.
Next week FFA students will learn the finer arts of fair showmanship and have a chance to practice showing their animals to instructors.
“They kids are getting excited for the fair,” Bianchi said. “They always do this time of year.”
For the students, the big attraction is getting to show off their animals, FFA President Nicole Silveira said.
“It’s such a big rush to be in the show ring because so many people are watching and competing against you,” Silveira said.
Hollister residents aren’t just preparing livestock. Some are preparing cookies, cakes and other edibles.
Hollister resident Ray Wilson, who entered several prize-winning sweets in last year’s fair, has been flipping through his recipes and trying them out on his family at home, where he does most of the cooking.
“Basically I’ve been trying to figure out what I’m going to make,” Wilson said.
Wilson, who plans to enter several selections, has two new cookies in mind for this year’s “For Men Only” contest, but will postpone a final decision until later.
Brett Rowland covers education for the Free Lance. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 330 or br******@fr***********.com
