Under the tent at Napa Expo’s Town & Country Fair
By John Dunbar
NAPA, Calif. — Napa’s Town & Country Fair, produced by the Napa Valley Exposition, ran from Aug. 10 to 13 and drew huge crowds to the exhibits, carnival rides, live shows and food vendors. Attendance figures grew significantly over previous years and a record $2.2 million was raised at the annual Junior Livestock Auction to support 4-H and FFA youth in Napa County.
As a member of the Napa Expo Board of Directors, I attended all four days of the Town & Country Fair, which is separate from the Napa County Fair held for decades in Calistoga.
Each day offered choices: Want to spin fast on a thrill ride? Enjoy a unique view from atop the Ferris wheel? Sit down for fried something on a stick and enjoy live entertainment? How about lounge with friends while sipping a glass of wine? It was Napa Valley’s Fair after all.
It’s rare that large-scale events capture the local community vibe as much as the Fair and Junior Livestock Auction did, especially at such an affordable level. The $10 presale admission price was cheaper than a nighttime screening of the “Barbie” movie!
Fairs have a surprisingly large number of moving parts (literally) and rely on traveling professional amusement parks, food vendors and entertainers – supplemented by local non-profits, service organizations and various industry groups – to deliver the experiences people crave and share with generations of family and friends.
A surprisingly small fulltime team produced the #NapaFair, including only three administrative staff members and a three-person maintenance crew. Before and during the Fair, the #napavalleyexpo staff was joined by more than 700 contracted and volunteer workers who trained together and executed the complex logistics required to deliver such a broad array of activities. As many as 60% of the workers and vendors slept on the 33-acre site during Fair week.
Planning for the Fair is a year-round effort. Executing the plans takes months. Loading all the rides, livestock, displays, food tents and other features happens over weeks. All that effort was dedicated to creating fun for all ages that was packed into a grand total of 36 hours of operation.
What was not seen by the general public were the many hours of intense work put into livestock raising and showmanship, judging 375 animals and dozens of art and artisan exhibits, setting up displays throughout the grounds, and the piles of paperwork and time that went into the magic behind earning those Blue Ribbons. Close to 2,000 awards were generated for the competitions.
Patrons sure did love their Fair food, as well, having consumed 9,000 corn dogs and 1,000 Flintstone-sized turkey legs, just to name two of the most popular selections.
Attendance this year was up 28% over 2022 with an average of more than 8,000 fairgoers each day, according to Napa Expo CEO Corey Oakley. Corresponding gate revenue increased 7% and exceeded $600,000 for the first time.
“Producing the annual Town & Country Fair is an enormous task in that there are so many moving parts, from livestock to quilts and carnival rides to camels, plus all of the crew that makes everything work. It’s like building a temporary city,” Oakley said.
“The community has definitely responded since the pandemic and we have been overwhelmed by the positive feedback we received this year especially,” added Oakley. “The entertainment, attractions and programming along with the promotions and décor are all carefully curated to ensure that every guest experiences something new and exciting. If we can entertain, amuse and educate via our diverse programming, we have accomplished quite a feat.”
“Our approach over the past two Fairs has been to bring diversity, creativity and updates to the programming, attractions and entertainment. We think it’s important to offer things that are popular now, as well as traditional things that elicit memories – all in a safe and affordable way,” added Oakley.
In 2023, one show in particular generated extra community attention. The Friday evening lineup included drag performers for the first time at Napa’s Fair.
“Adding the Fierce and Fabulous Drag Revue to our entertainment lineup this year was a natural progression in our programming. While we knew there would be some pushback, the overwhelming community support told us all we needed to know about the decision. That show was electric and a success in every way. Folks who had never been to the Fair shared that they attended because of the drag show and had an incredible experience. That is what you hope will happen when you program new things,” said Oakley.
While the live entertainers, specialty booths and exhibits, evening concerts and carnival rides captured eyes, ears, stomachs and imaginations, the marquee event was the Junior Livestock Auction on Saturday.
Leading up to and during the Junior Livestock Auction, 4-H and FFA clubs showcased how their members embraced the responsibility of breeding, raising, nurturing and presenting a wide range of animals, from cattle and hogs to goats, lambs, poultry and rabbits.
Watching how professional and mature these young people were showing their animals was impressive by itself. The encouragement and financial support from families, business leaders and the public put on full display the core character of our community. It should leave all of us with a sense of hope and comfort. If these young people are indicative of who will lead our communities in the future, then we are in good hands.
The camaraderie and community spirit are worth celebrating. Get me another corn dog, please!
John Dunbar is the former mayor of Yountville and served on the Yountville Town Council for 18 years. Dunbar has been a member of the Napa Expo Board of Directors since 2012.