Humboldt County Fair Opens Today! Horse Racing, Lucha Libre and Guy Fieri Imminent!

OK. Yes, the Humboldt County Fair is here again. We know your attention spans are crap so … do we need to go over what a fair is? No? Wonderful. What LoCO is going to do below is just quickly list this year’s highlights so you can’t say you weren’t informed (full details here):

Thursday, Aug. 20: Opening day! There will be a ceremony at 10:45 a.m. Last year Rex Bohn rode a camel, which will be hard to top.
Friday, Aug. 21: Flashback Friday! If you are over 62, you get free fair fun this day, you lucky old-timer! This is also the first day of horse racing (3:07 p.m.), which continues each Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the fair.
Saturday, Aug. 22: It’s the weekend! Just go to the fair. Eh, if you must have a highlight, uh, there will be sheepdog trials at 1 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 23: Hispanic Heritage Day! What does that mean? Mexican food and Lucha Libre wrestling at 7 p.m., of course!
Monday, Aug. 24: Both Monday and Tuesday are hyped as “Everything Humboldt” days. It is not clear that this means anything is different (you gotta label days somehow, apparently), but the first 400 guests through the gate get tote bags!
Tuesday, Aug. 25: (See above.)
Wednesday, Aug. 26: GUY FIERI! GUY FIERI! GUY FIERI! Humboldt’s most famous foodie hosts a barbecue competition starting at noon, then a battle of the bands at 7 p.m. Are you not entertained?!
Thursday, Aug. 27: Bull-O-Rama at 7 p.m. — this means bull and bronc riding as well as questionably adorable mutton bustin’.
Friday, Aug. 28: Date Night Challenge, in which you and your special someone go on a photo scavenger hunt to various fair locations to compete for prizes. Be cute.
Saturday, Aug. 29: Ladies Hat Day at the Races. Are you a lady? Do you have a hat that your great grandmother once wore that sits in your closet all year? This is your day!
Sunday, Aug. 30: Livestock will be auctioned off at 1 p.m.

--Andrew Goff

EVENTS (SUBMIT YOURS!)

119th Humboldt County Fair

Humboldt County Fairgrounds / 10:45 a.m.

"All aboard!" Live and satellite horse racing, mule racing, carnival rides and games, death defying stunts, live entertainment, competitive and interesting exhibits, plenty of livestock events, great fair-time foods, special programs, and the old-fashioned fun of a county-wide "family" reunion.

Web site

Eureka Summer Concert Series

C Street Market Square / 6-8 p.m.

Every year, the City of Eureka placates its citizenry with free bands by the bay so they may dance their worries away. This week its blues group Daniel Castro. Final week!

442-9054 / Web site

'80s Night

The Jam / 9 p.m. / Free / 21+

DJ Red knows the '80s really well. In some ways, he's still there. Benefit from his knowledge.

822-5266 / Web site

Vince Herman's Loose Canon Stringbang

Humboldt Brews / 9:30 p.m. / $12 / 21+

The Loose Cannon Stringbang is the first touring collaboration between Leftover Salmons' Vince Herman and his son, mandolinist Silas Herman of Gipsy Moon.

826-2739 / humbrews@gmail.com / Web site

Young Discoverers

Redwood Discovery Museum / 10:30 a.m.-noon / $5 / $3 Members

Want a better transition for your child who is about to enter school? Young Discoverers is the place you can bring your child!

443-9694 / redwooddiscoverymuseum@gmail.com / Web site

Mobile Outreach in Orick

Orick Community Resource Center / 11 a.m.-2 p.m. / Free

Visitors to the bus can be assisted with CalFresh, MediCal, In-Home Supportive Services, Veterans Services and Child Support.

441-4650 /

Wrapped in Love

Area 1 Agency on Aging / noon

Wrapped in Love Make a tax deductible donation of $50 or more to purchase a quilt for a family member or friend who is one of our local Skilled Nursing Facilities or you may make a donation and a quilt will be given to a resident that has "no one."

442-3763 / ssmith@a1aa.org / Web site

The People's Market

Food for People / noon-2 p.m. / Free

All income eligible folks are invited to pick out fresh fruits and vegetables.

445-3166 / hmchugh@foodforpeople.org / Web site

Animal Manga Drawing Course

Scrapper's Edge / 1-3 p.m. / $95

This class is designed for students who love to draw. Students will be inspired to see how simple it can be to draw interesting & imaginative characters in animal manga style while also being encourage to develop their own style of drawing.

445-9686 / scrappersedge@sbcglobal.net / Web site

Skate and BMX Summer Camp

RampArt Skatepark / 1-5 p.m. / $35

All skill levels are welcome.

826-0675 / info@rampartskatepark.org / Web site

The Wolfpack

The Miniplex at Richards' Goat Tavern / 4:30 p.m. / $8 / $6.50 matinees

Winner of the Sundance Grand Jury Prize. Locked away from society in an apartment on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, the Angulo brothers learn about the outside world only through the films that they watch and re-enact.

630-5000 / Web site