   Yavapai County Fair - September 20, 2000 Jeff Schalau, County Director, Agent, Agriculture & Natural Resources Arizona Cooperative Extension, Yavapai County Today (September 13, 2000), I was up in Kingman judging fruits and vegetables for the Mohave County Fair. Judging plants, crops, flowers, and livestock is a time-honored tradition among County Agricultural Agents. We generally avoid judging in our own counties, but I know one Agent that does it. Anyway, on that long drive to Kingman, I was pondering what to write about and it came to me: the 87th Annual Yavapai County Fair in Prescott September 21-24. Fairs are full of flowers, gems, minerals, livestock, art, crafts, collections, carnival rides, live entertainment, exhibitors, and 4-H projects. While you are there, you must see the largest pumpkin and smell the burnt sugar smell of cotton candy. I know several people that could be called "fair fanatics": they literally live for fairs (that's probably why they live here - we have three fairs). Yes, I know the Verde Valley Fair is an excellent fair and the 4-H/FFA EXPO features countywide youth. However, the Yavapai County Fair is an event that unifies us all. It gives us a chance to celebrate living in the most beautiful county in Arizona (my apologies to those Coconinites living in Uptown Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon). While I'm at it, I'll give you another reason to go: this is the last year the County Fair will be held at the historic fairgrounds in Prescott. After this year, the County Fair will be held at the new fairgrounds in Prescott Valley. The new grandstands are already a prominent feature on the landscape. To further entice you, read the following brief history of the Yavapai County Fair. The Yavapai County Fairgrounds in Prescott was first used in 1913 for the Northern Arizona Fair, which served Apache, Coconino, Mohave, Navajo, and Yavapai Counties. In 1919, the name was changed to the Northern Arizona State Fair and was run under this name until 1932. Between 1933 and 1946, no fair was held in Prescott, but an active Board of Directors was present. The fair was not held during these years presumably because of the Depression and World War II. The Prescott Rodeo was still held at the fairgrounds each year during this period along with other community events. The first fair in 1913, had five departments: Mining and Machinery; Agricultural and Industrial; Livestock and Poultry; Art, Women's and Educational; and Private Exhibits. Newspaper accounts of the 1913 fair paint a descriptive picture of Northern Arizonans living close to the land. The Santa Fe railroad shipped livestock to the fair via a rail spur that ran directly to the Fairgrounds. During the early fairs, Santa Fe also shuttled passengers from the depot to the fairgrounds. In 1913, it cost $0.15 for a round trip. Baseball games between rival towns were played. Horse races were run and Governor George W. P. Hunt and his staff had a special box in the grandstands. I'm a sentimentalist and am convinced that I was born too late, but what I would give to have attended the 1913 Northern Arizona Fair. A "Better Babies Show" was offered in 1913. Here, doctors served as judges for babies in four classes: less than 6 months; 6 to 12 months; 12 to 18 months; and 18 to 24 months. Fred Lebsch was named the most perfect baby in Northern Arizona in 1913. Are any of his relatives still living in Yavapai County? Would this practice be acceptable (politically correct) today? One thing for sure, I would not want to judge this event! Another note: following the 1913 Northern Arizona Fair, the Prescott Miner-Journal reported that the Fair Association will title the 1914 Fair "Bigger and Better Than Ever". Some sayings just never wear out. Many prominent Yavapai County names were represented on the Fair Board over these years and they are too numerous to list in this article. I will name one early agricultural exhibitor of interest. John Bianconi won several blue ribbons in 1913 for his hay, vegetables, fruit, hogs, and horses. His farm was in the Granite Dells near Prescott. In 1916, he was appointed Yavapai County Fair Commissioner and served in this capacity until 1924. The task of the Fair Commissioner at that time was to gather and exhibit Yavapai County agricultural items at the local fair, and design, construct and arrange displays for Yavapai County at the State Fair. In 1924, his son, Bill Bianconi, took over as Fair Commissioner, and also served as superintendent of fruits and nuts at the Yavapai County Fair for the next 17 years that the fair was held (until 1954). Where is this story going? Well, Bill Bianconi's daughter, Betty Bianconi Billingsley was born in 1926. She started by helping her father at the fair when she was ten years old and took over as the Agriculture and Horticulture Superintendent at the Yavapai County Fair in 1974, She still serves in that capacity today. Betty knows the history of Yavapai County growers and local fruit and vegetable varieties like no one else. Just look at the fair premium book and see all the varieties of each crop sometime. The reference I used for this column comes from Danny Freeman, a Prescott historian and good friend. The title is "Yavapai County Fairgrounds 72-Year History 1913-1984. Danny has written several other historical books related to Yavapai County Agriculture and the Prescott Frontier Days Rodeo. I hope I've inspired you to attend this year's Yavapai County Fair. I'll be there and I hope to see you too. If you have other gardening questions, call the Master Gardener line in the Cottonwood office at 646-9113 or E-mail us at mgardener@kachina.net and be sure to include your address and phone number. The Yavapai County Cooperative Extension web site is http://ag.arizona.edu/yavapai/. |