Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, step right this way

Mariposa Fair and Homecoming

It’s back! Mariposa’s County’s favorite event is back: the annual Mariposa County Fair and Homecoming and it’s celebrating 85 years of serving the communities of the county.
“Tickets sales have been really good this year; people are excited about the fair,” said General Manager Brian Bullis.
This year’s theme is “Gold Rush Roundup,” and there’s a full slate of entertainment and events for the entire family over the four-day gathering that showcases everything that distinguishes Mariposa County as a rural icon in the Sierra.
The grounds and buildings open at noon on Friday, Sept. 1. The Classic Amusements Carnival on the midway opens at 4 p.m.
Plenty of activities are available, but the highlight of opening day is quite possibly the Fosters Family Fun Night in the Goldbowl arena.
Four special family events kickoff at 6 p.m. beginning with the crowd-pleasing Dachshund races. It’s a fast-paced entertainment line-up with the stick-horse races for the youngsters starting at 6:15 p.m., sponsored by Keith Williams Excavation. The hilarious kid’s bounce-horse race starts at about 6:30 p.m., followed by the physically taxing Ultimate Cowboy and Cowgirl competitions. Friday’s family fun night is sponsored by Foster’s Ace Hardware.
On Saturday morning, the traditional Labor Day Parade steps off through downtown Mariposa on Highway 140. The popular procession begins at 10 a.m. and is presented by the Lions Club of Mariposa.
The grounds open at 8 a.m. on Saturday with a plethora of livestock judging events beginning at 9 a.m. in the Strathearn Pavilion, sheep barn and goat barn. The amusement rides on the midway open at noon.
At the top of the list Saturday evening is the always sold-out destruction derby presented by Moondog Motorsports. Sierra Telephone is the event sponsor.
One feature performance on Saturday will be the Jakota Wass Band from Nevada. Jakota is a member of the expansive Wass family throughout Mariposa County so a robust audience is expected. Wass and his band will perform on the Amigo Stage from 4 to 6 p.m.
Dustin Heer, who truly entertained and engaged the audience during the Friends of the Fairgrounds pre-fair event will perform at Fiske Park near the Strathearn Arena from 2 to 6 p.m.
On Sunday and Monday the fair offers a wide variety of competitions that highlight equine skills, horsemanship and teamwork. These events are unique to the Mariposa County Fair and are a big part of its mission to preserve the county’s western heritage. All the events are free with paid admission to the fair and fans can cheer on their favorite cowboy and cowgirl.
On Sunday the local team roping competition begins in the cool of the morning at 8 a.m. in the Goldbowl arena, sponsored by Frank Rose Construction.
Team roping will be followed by the local saddle roping contests and the Champion of Champions competition. The winner’s saddle has been donated by Rockslide Materials. The kids dummy roping also takes place Sunday morning sponsored by Heath and Kelly Harris.
Cowboy Church, a nondenominational service is held at the Amigo Stage from 10 to 11:30 a.m.
At 2 p.m. Randy Brower, owner of Randy Brower Construction and a long-time community supporter, will receive the coveted Western Fairs Blue Ribbon Award. This coveted award is conferred to individuals who have been dedicated and long-time supporters of the Mariposa Fair.
The carnival on the midway opens at 2 p.m. Sunday.
A local favorite that packs the Strathearn Pavilion begins at 3 p.m. with the Junior Livestock Auction. Youngsters from all over the region involved in 4-H clubs, FFA and also independents compete for ribbons and top dollar bids for the livestock they’ve spent months grooming, training and preparing. It’s always a rewarding experience.
Sunday is capped off with the traditional rodeo. Tom and Amanda Martin are the Grand Marshalls of the event, which is sponsored by H&L Lumber.
The rodeo will include bull riding, saddle bronc riding, junior and senior barrel racing, team roping and specialty acts. Gates at the Goldbowl open at 7 p.m.
The four-day celebration concludes on Monday with a free admission day.
At 10 a.m. there is calf branding in the Goldbowl. The carnival opens on the midway at noon. Team penning competition is held in the Goldbowl at 1 p.m., sponsored by the Merced-Mariposa Cattlemen’s Association. These contests will be followed by the top hand award, sponsored by Larry and Lynn Johnson and the Mankins Family, and the junior all-around award, sponsored by Cantrelle Ranch follows.
What will undoubtedly become a real crowd-pleaser will step off at 3 p.m. in the Goldbowl with the Muttin Busting event for the youngsters. This is the first time this crowd-pleasing event has been held at the Mariposa Fair and will be sponsored by Yosemite Glass and Window.
Topping off the day’s festivities will be a performance by The GillyGirls Band on the Amigo Stage from 5 to 6 p.m. The four GillyGirls, two pairs of twin sisters hailing from Prather, CA, were a favorite at the Friends of the Fairgrounds Pre-Fair Party earlier this summer. The band just released a new album “Home,” which brings their album count total to four.
“We’ve got a lot of good bands this year. Dave Stamey always puts on a good show and pulls a crowd,” Bullis explained. Stamey performs from 5 to 7 p.m. on the Amigo Stage on Sunday, sponsored by Merco Credit Union.
Admission for adults is $10 daily, children 11 years or age or younger are just $5 each.
Although the destruction derby has sold out, tickets for the rodeo should be available at $15 for box seats or $10 for general admission.
Shuttle buses are available to transport residents and visitors to and from the fair. The buses run throughout each day and evening, stopping at Bootjack Store, Woodland Park, the Mariposa County Courthouse, Mariposa County High School, Rite Aid Park and Ride, and the bus stop across from 7th Street.