ARCATA
If you are looking for the typical County Fair, it’s not here.
But you can find the North Country Fair. It’s the Northwestern California version of a County Fair.
It is an event that fits the predominant demographic of old lumberjacks, old hippies, new hippies, greens, and progressives.
Nobody was wandering about with carnival prizes or a new fangled, multi-function kitchen utensil purchased from a “barker”.
Nor would you find any consumable that was wrapped in bacon and deep fried.
Crafts and products were made by local hands and not from some distant country.
The local University provided kids the opportunity to make pneumatic rockets instead of throwing ping pong balls into goldfish bowls.
Culinary offerings had some character potential.
Some service offerings were a bit over my head.
Carnival rides were nowhere to be found. Children had to manage their own risk assessment.
There was no lack of local talent. A demonstration was provided by two seasoned belly dancers…
…while a couple up-and-coming apprentices waited in the wings.
Music was always in the air.
The majority of it seemed to involve hitting drums with sticks.
Free-form, interpretive dance was common and encouraged….
.…for any age.
The town square had a statue of President William McKinley that had been converted into a sunflower.
The statue was given to Arcata after it was salvaged from the San Francisco earthquake and fire in 1906 - and they didn’t have anywhere else to put it. Since William didn’t meet the political perfection du jour standard, he was eventually voted out of town and shipped to a museum in Ohio.
And speaking of music involving hitting drums with sticks…
Pan Dulce!
Trinidad steel drum orchestra in the coastal fog and redwoods of Northern California?
These folks have a serious studio that was sprouted from the music department of Humboldt State University - definitely ready for prime time.
A few would call it cultural appropriation but these folks own it - bought and paid for!
The typical small County Fair parade might include the High School marching band, some veterans in uniforms that don’t quite fit, and a fire truck.
But we’re not in Kansas anymore. The band chronology spanned beyond high school.
There was no military presence but the uniform problem…
Not a fire truck but it had wheels and part of it was red.
The next day was yet another parade.
This was the world famous Samba Parade!
And again with the sticks. Some part of the lumber industry must have survived.
A town nearby cancelled a women’s march because they couldn’t organise a quorum.
Marketing. They needed costumes and percussion.
The community does seem to favor music and dance closer to the equator.
It was a festive weekend without a disruptive incident or a discouraging word.
A peaceful time indeed.
….THANKS FOR THE LOOK1