The Cloverdale Citrus Fair is a few days away. This year’s fair includes an in-person drive-thru food frenzy and a bevy of online contests and exhibit entries — some of which will be viewable from a distance during the fair food frenzy. While many of the different pieces of this year’s fair will be accessible online from the comfort of home, the food frenzy will run from Friday to Sunday, Feb. 12-14, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
There’s no gate admission to get into the fair this year — driving through is free — and the only cost to attendees is the fair food. People will need to remain in their vehicles for the duration of their time at the fairgrounds, and must wear a mask at all times.
What will be at the drive-thru event?
The drive-thru portion of the fair will have the fair food major players — funnel cakes, corn dogs, popcorn (including kettle and caramel corn), cotton candy, caramel apples, fries, burgers and more. On Friday, guests age 62 and up can get a senior meal deal (consisting of a corn dog or hot dog plus a drink) for $7.
According to Citrus Fair Chief Operating Officer Katie Fonsen Young, the fair will also have sweetheart candy apples and an “I Heart U” kettle corn available through the weekend, and guests who purchase a corn dog or hot dog on Valentine’s Day will receive a sweet surprise as well.
While people drive-thru and get their food, they can take a look at variety of things that will be on display around the fairgrounds including citrus sculpture boards from the Cloverdale Rotary Club, Cloverdale Chamber of Commerce, Cloverdale Lions Club, Sons of the American Legion and the Citrus Fair Board of Directors.
Since there isn’t a proper Citrus Fair parade this year, there will also be larger stationary floats and exhibits on display. Fonsen Young said that these include: a 1998 Fully Serviceable Pumper Fire Engine with 1,000 gallons that was used by the Highland Fire Brigade on the Pocket Fire, a Northern Sonoma County CERT trailer, a CERT mass casualty incident trailer, a solar generator, Merle Reuser’s Daffy O’Dills Daffodil truck, an exhibit by Rockin’ A Adventure Cafe and an exhibit from the Cloverdale Police Department.
There’s also something for people who like seeing the animals at the fair — 4-H’ers from the Two Rock 4-H club will be bringing their animals for drive-by viewing.
On Saturday, live entertainment will be coming to the fair for people to enjoy from their cars.
Last of a Dyin Breed will play music from noon to 2 p.m. and Rock On A Roll will play music from 3 to 5 p.m. From 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. fair favorites Mark & Dre will be on site juggling and walking on stilts.
Looking online
Around 650 entries were submitted for the fair’s virtual exhibit program, which covers both youth and adult entries. While actual items or images of the items will be on display during the fair, entries will also be viewable online starting on Friday.
The different exhibit entries run the gamut — from youth citrus art to youth photography, adult ceramics to adult woodworking, nearly every kind of craft is represented. Also online will be livestock entries, including youth and open rabbits, youth cavy, dog obedience, youth poultry and youth pygmy goats. Youth exhibitors are members of either 4-H or FFA or show independently.
Also appearing online for the virtual fair is a parade float display, a timed trial Baby Derby and the Community Talent Showcase, which is made up of submitted videos of folks showing off their talents.
For more information, visit the Citrus Fair website here.
