Ramona Country Fair features fun for all
RAMONA —— As its name implies, the Ramona Country Fair remindsresidents about the area’s small town traditions with watermelonand jalapeno eating contests, crafts, carnival games, rides, liveentertainment and other fun events.
Set at the Ramona Outdoor Community Center at 421 Aqua Lane, thefree fair begins Thursday and runs through Sunday with attractionsfor all ages, said Vince Franano, chairman of the Ramona CountryFair.
“Ramona still understands the value of sharing long-standingfamily-oriented traditions like the fair, the carnival and animalshowmanship,” Franano said. “It’s a prime example of a smallcommunity getting together to showcase their talents, their wares(and) their livestock.”
Franano said he expects between 10,000 and 15,000 people toattend the four-day event.
Put on by the Ramona Chamber of Commerce, the Ramona CountryFair features about 100 craft, food and service vendors as well aslive entertainment throughout, beginning with performances of theNational Anthem by Ramona singers who kick off each day of thefair.
Franano said the fair committee relies on community sponsors tosupport the fair. He added that while the event is free, there willbe a $1 charge for parking to support local youth groups in thecommunity.
The Ramona Junior Fair, which is also held at the OutdoorCommunity Center, began July 30 and runs through Sunday. Itfeatures various youth competitions in animal husbandry and homeeconomics.
One new feature of the fair will be a set of displays anddemonstrations by the Mountain Men Encampment. Several members ofthe Corps of Discovery, who are with the Mountain Men, will set uphistorical exhibits from the 1750s through 1840s, play authenticmusic from the era, and give demonstrations on tomahawk throwingand starting fires with flint and steel. They will also offer adisplay of vintage flintlock rifles, muskets, pistols and animaltraps.
Franano said the fair committee is planning to offer severalcontests, depending on participation, including canning, bakedgoods, arts and crafts, photography, science projects,agriculture/horticulture, and beer and wine making. None of thecategories was finalized at press time.
On Friday, the fair is open from 5 p.m. to midnight, andincludes pop tunes from the 1960s through 90s by the Shakey JakeBand at 6 p.m., followed by rock band Junkies & Thieves at 8p.m. and country pop by Coyote Moon at 9 p.m.
The third day of the fair, Saturday, events start at 11 a.m.with continued live entertainment such as a dance performance bythe Ramona Council of Arts, Unlimited. At noon, youths and adultswill spend 3-minute increments gulping down cold chunks ofwatermelon for a prize.
Students from the Ramona-Julian Dance Academy will spin throughseveral student dance routines before the Ramona Community Theatreperforms excerpts from the show “Broadway Revue.” Otherperformances on Saturday will include The Attitude Dance Group,Misty and the Moby’s, who will play dance music of the 1970s and80s, Christopher Cash who will offer a selection of original folkpop music and dance group Spurious Emission.
In addition to dancing and music, fairgoers can witness martialarts demonstrations by the Martial Arts of America in Ramona orsample traditional fair food such as kettle corn, cotton candy,blossom onions, funnel cakes and other not-so-heart healthydelights.
The last day of the fair will be a hot one with a jalapenoeating contest at 1 p.m. Participants will burn their lips andtongues on five or six grilled jalapenos. Whoever finishes firstwins, Franano said.
“The hotter the better, they don’t care,” Franano said ofjalapeno eaters.
“There are a lot of eager jalapenos contestants out there.”Fairgoers can then cool down in the Rodeo Arena during a communitywater fight with the Intermountain Volunteer Fire Department, whoplan to douse willing participants.
For more information about the Ramona Country Fair, contact theRamona Chamber of Commerce (760) 789-1311 or (760) 789-1484.Information about the junior and country fairs are also availableat www.ramonafair.com.