'Come Out and Play' 'Come Out and Play' (March 26, 2004)

Fair exhibit catalogs now available

The theme for this year's Alameda County Fair - which runs June 25-July 11 - will be "Come Out and Play." An action zone for interactive sports will be installed near the back area, and the exhibition halls will have sport themes.

The deadline to enter exhibits is Saturday, May 15. County residents of all ages enter everything from hobbies to stitching to jams and jellies in this community event. Most exhibits are delivered to the Fairgrounds two weeks before the Fair opens, where the entries are checked in, categorized and sorted.

Exhibit highlights this year include special one-day contests for ice cream-making, a speed crochet challenge, and a "My Grandkids' Favorite Cookies" contest. There will also be a 4-H guinea pigs show, bee and bee products divisions, and a new video competition in the Education Department. The poultry competition also returns after a one-year absence.

No pre-entry is required for the Fair's flower shows, and each person entering the competition receives a pass to the Fair. The Fair has two rose competitions, on June 24 and July 5, and three other general cut-flower competitions, on June 26, July 1 and July 8.

"You don't have to be an expert at all," said Barbara Anderson, amateur gardening coordinator. "Absolutely anyone can cut a rose and bring it to the Fairgrounds."

"We have experienced volunteers standing by to assist all exhibitors with staging their flowers on the morning of each competition," she added.

Exhibit catalogs with information on all the Fair competitions are now available in the library, at Farmers Market, in the Chamber of Commerce office, at Christesen's Western Wear on Main Street and at the Fairgrounds office as well as online at AlamedaCountyFair.com. For more information, call the Exhibit Office at 426-7611. -Dolores Fox Ciardelli

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