2016 Presidents Message

On September 28, 2016, we’ll open the 87th Annual Caruthers District Fair. Eighty Seven years of free gates, safe family fun, and a celebration of small town values and traditions. It’s somewhat fitting that the theme for this year’s fair is “There’s no place like home”. I’m looking forward to seeing how our local elementary schools decorate the Horticulture and Home Arts exhibits.

We often brag about being California’s largest free gate fair, and longest running I might add. We can thank our local servicemen returning home from WWII for resurrecting the fair after it closed its doors during the war. Not many of that generation are still with us, but their efforts and the traditions they valued so much are still very much a part of our small town. It was our greatest generation that began the tradition of raising money by raffling off a car. And this year, we have a beautiful, 2017 Mustang that some lucky person will win on Saturday night of the fair!

There are some wonderful pictures that Ann Hamilton had on display last year in the Home Arts Building and its likely she will display them again this year. If you have not yet seen them, I invite you to do so. You can see from these pictures that there were big crowds way back when. The fair was a big deal then and is still a big deal. In days past, just like today, many of the local townspeople attend the fair every day, because nobody cooks at home when the fair is running! Those who grew up around here and have moved away will typically find a way to return for the fair. It’s their chance to come home and visit family, and when they go to the fair, it’s their chance to catch up with old friends. There’s no place like home.

We truly have something unique here; the largest free gate fair in the State of California, run entirely by volunteers. The Caruthers District Fair Board works throughout the year planning for the fair and making improvements so that our friends, families and community members can come back to something they are proud of. These board members value the traditions started by community members eighty seven years ago. They value our agricultural heritage. They value community. They are a reflection of all the volunteers who run their food booths, and of all the people who attend the fair. We owe it to those hard working, early Caruthers residents who started this fair, to keep it going, and to continually improve on their vision.

If you are reading this, there’s a strong chance that you are a regular attendee of the fair, and that you have seen the kind of improvements we have made over the years. Look around, because the positive changes and improvements are everywhere to see. The grounds are well maintained, we have made significant improvements to the Horticulture and Floriculture buildings and with the arbor and new lights, and it will look great come fair time. Our buildings are all painted nicely, there’s a good looking roof over the office deck, clean, smooth asphalt, and of course, the best livestock facility to be found. We are proud to say that we are now completely debt free, having paid off the last of the bank note on the livestock building this spring. We can all thank the hard work of our Fair Queen candidates for their efforts selling raffle tickets for that.

Our next big improvement, and it is a big one, is to replace the old commercial building in the middle of the fair. We love this building, but it’s time to replace it with something that will last for future generations. We love the character and flavor of this old building and you can be sure that the new one will have the same charm and appeal as the old one. Since last year’s fair, we have been soliciting support for the new building and have an active barn raising effort going on. Please consider joining us in “Raising the Barn”. We have been selling sponsorships in the form of plaques that will be permanently displayed inside the barn once it is built. Sponsorship plaques can be purchased for $500, $1,000, $5,000, and $10,000. Without community support, there is no way the fair can generate the kind of money it will take to build a quality barn that will meet the building code requirements we now have. This is a chance for your family or business to leave a legacy to the fair we all love. Please visit our website at www.caruthersbarnraising.com for more information.

The fair will be on us before we know it. We look forward to another great livestock show and sale, some really great rides and improvements in the carnival, wonderful exhibits, and of course, the best food to be found in the county. You can always count on a safe environment, due in large part from the incredible support we get from the Fresno County Sheriff’s office and other law enforcement agencies. Come to think of it, you can always count on three things with our fair: No alcohol, no admission, and never open on Sunday!

Support our fair queen candidates when they come knocking. It’s what keeps the gates open and it’s a great way for these young ladies to earn some money for college. Think about buying a sponsorship to the new building. Most importantly, mark your calendars for the 87th Annual Caruthers District Fair, September 28 – October 1, 2016.

Gary Wenter Fair Board President