Four days of Country Fair fun
From chicken bingo and frozen T-shirts to carnival rides and vendors galore, Ramona’s 40th annual Country Fair promises four days of crowd-pleasing, old-fashioned family fun.
The fair has a new logo this year, giving it a fresh look to start its fourth decade. Designed by the fair’s chairman and Ramona Chamber of Commerce treasurer, Jason DeLeo, the new logo includes everything that represents a country fair—a Ferris wheel, balloons, circus tent and, most important, a family. That’s how DeLeo planned it.
This is, after all, the first year his son, 20-month-old Jaden, will be at a country fair, and DeLeo is sure Jaden will have a perfect country fair experience.
Organized by Ramona Chamber of Commerce, the country fair runs from July 29 through Aug. 1. Admission is free. Parking is $5 per vehicle, with the money split among the nonprofit groups providing volunteers to man the parking area.
Country fair food, contests, crafts, live music, Ramona Idol Semifinals and Finals, carnival games and rides will make the summer celebration one to remember. And there’s a Tractor Parade down Main Street at 10 a.m. Saturday.
“It’s going to be a lot of family fun, and I hope we see everybody out there,” said DeLeo.
Dubbed “The Best Four Days of Summer,” country fair festivities will be in the Ramona Outdoor Community Center, 421 Aqua Lane. Hours are from 5 to 11 p.m. Thursday and Friday, noon to 11 p.m. Saturday, and noon to 10 p.m. Sunday.
Interspersed among the live entertainment, look for contests in the ROCC Pavilion. Chicken bingo has become a town favorite, and egg toss and frozen T-shirt contests are among others on the agenda.
Approximately 75 vendors will be set up presenting clothing, jewelry, light-up swords and other children’s toys, candles, crafts and more, reports the chamber’s executive director, Craig Jung. Information booths, Psychic Center of LA, Poway Fun bowl, Poway Rodeo and churches will be represented, and Velocity Paintball will have a tent where fair-goers can fire paintballs.
When it comes to food, there’ll be everything but deep-fried butter, said Jung. Hawaiian barbecue, funnel cakes, kettle corn, street tacos, nachos, boba juice, Mexican food, fried onions, ice cream and roasted corn are among items on the traditional country fair menu.
Carnival and country fair set-up started early this week.
“We have a lot of chamber members and volunteers working real hard to make this a fun family event for the whole community,” said Jung.
“It’s a good way to support the community,” said DeLeo.