Mariposa County Fair ready to welcome community home

Four-day Labor Day weekend celebration features free family entertainment, livestock traditions, rodeo action and the annual destruction derby.

By Dan Tucker

The Mariposa County Fair and Homecoming will return for its 88th year Friday, Sept. 4, opening a four-day Labor Day weekend celebration built around the theme “Red, White, Blue and Ewe.”

Admission is $10 for adults ages 12 and older and $5 for children 11 and younger. Parking is $5 per vehicle during the fair.

Fairgrounds General Manager Leslie Foley said ticket sales are tracking close to normal, with demand expected to increase in August. She encouraged fairgoers to buy early, especially for the destruction derby, which typically sells out.

“Everything is falling into place, and the grounds are just about ready,” Foley said. “We’ll start getting the arena ready next week. We want to remind people that there’s plenty of free entertainment throughout the four days of the fair. There’s really something for everyone.”

The annual celebration runs Friday through Monday, with each day offering a full schedule of entertainment, livestock events and community traditions.

Friday: Gates open with family fun

The fairgrounds and exhibit buildings open at noon Friday. Entertainment throughout the day will include Flo the Clown, comedy hypnotist Tyzen, Adam the Great and other performers.

Classic Amusements opens the carnival midway at 4 p.m. Fairgoers can save on rides by purchasing pre-sale wristbands at the fairgrounds office. The wristbands cost $35 for unlimited rides Friday and Monday, compared with $50 when purchased from the carnival.

The JNX Band will perform on the Amigo Stage from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., followed by Tyzen. The evening’s featured event is Foster’s Family Fun Night in the Gold Bowl Arena, sponsored by Foster Ace Hardware. The free program includes dachshund races, stick horse races, a kids’ bounce horse race and ultimate cowboy and cowgirl competitions.

Saturday: Parade, derby and music take center stage

The pace picks up Saturday when the fairgrounds open at 8 a.m. Livestock judging events begin in the morning, and exhibit buildings open at 10 a.m.

The annual Labor Day Parade, sponsored by the Mariposa Lions Club, begins at 10 a.m. and travels through downtown Mariposa.

The Gold Bowl is expected to draw a crowd for the traditional destruction derby at 7 p.m. Recording artist and fair favorite Jakota Wass will close the night on the Amigo Stage, performing from 9 p.m. until midnight, when the facility closes.

Sunday: Rodeo traditions anchor the celebration

Cowboys and livestock will be at the center of Sunday’s schedule. Local team roping begins at 8 a.m. in the Gold Bowl, followed by local saddle roping, champion of champions competition and kids’ dummy roping. All those events are included with fair admission.

A nondenominational Cowboy Church service will be held at 10 a.m. on the Amigo Stage. Exhibit buildings also open at 10 a.m., offering booths and displays throughout the day.

The carnival opens on the midway at 2 p.m. The Junior Livestock Auction, one of the day’s signature events, also begins at 2 p.m. in the Strathearn Pavilion.

The annual rodeo closes the evening in the Gold Bowl Arena. Gates open at 7 p.m., and events begin at 8 p.m. The family-oriented program includes bull riding, saddle bronc riding, junior and senior barrel racing, team roping, specialty acts and more. The rodeo is sponsored by the Friends of the Fairgrounds.

Justin Lawrence and The Double Average Band will perform on the Amigo Stage from 9 p.m. until the day’s events conclude at midnight.

Monday: Fair closes with contests and livestock events

The fair begins to wind down Monday, with the grounds opening at 8 a.m. and exhibit buildings opening at 10 a.m. Classic Amusements starts the carnival at noon.

“Our fair is proud to offer a wide variety of horse show events Sunday and Monday. These events are held in the Gold Bowl Arena and are free with paid admission. It’s great family entertainment and you also can cheer on your favorite local cowboy or cowgirl,” Foley noted. “These events are unique to the Mariposa County Fair and are a big part of our mission to preserve our Western Heritage.”

Monday’s schedule includes livestock judging and Gold Bowl events such as calf branding and team penning. The popular Mutton Busting kids’ event, sponsored by Yosemite Glass, runs from 3 to 4 p.m. Additional events include Pee Wee Showmanship and a watermelon seed-spitting contest.

The fairgrounds and carnival close at 6 p.m., bringing the four-day celebration to an end.

The complete daily program noting every day’s times and events is available on the Mariposa Fair website at mariposafair.com under the FAIR tab.