Stanwood-Camano fair, a great service to the community

Forty-five thousand people – that’s nothing to shake a stick at!

The Stanwood-Camano Community Fair is the largest fair of its kind in the state of Washington, with attendance fluctuating in recent years between 42,000 and 45,000, according to fair manager Kim Burden.

Burden estimates that half of that number is comprised of locals from Stanwood and Camano Island, with the other half traveling from as far away as Seattle and British Columbia.

The fair is largely self-sufficient, operating primarily on income from admissions, with some assistance from the state Department of Agriculture, which pays for ribbons and premiums awarded to exhibitors.

More than 5,000 (5,200 to be exact, last year) children and adults show a wild range of stuff: from the standard cows, sheep, pigs, rabbits and chickens and produce from the garden, to floriculture, clothing and many arts and crafts. There’s even a duct tape competition.

The fair offers all of us the opportunity to share the results of our efforts. You don’t have to be a member of 4H or any other group. The community’s many artists, young and old, are welcome to submit entries. Entries are due Tuesday and Wednesday this week. The fair offers young people the chance to practice and display their skills in raising and training animals and adults can showcase their gardening prowess.

The cool thing about the Stanwood Camano fair is that it is all about this community.

While it attracts exhibitors and visitors from afar who spend money here, more importantly, it provides a fun event for everyone to share.

The Performance Stage features all local entertainers and the Viking Stage brings to town some fairly big name entertainers from around the Pacific Northwest and beyond. I personally am excited to hear a reincarnation of Jimi Hendrix. I first heard about Randy Hansen from a German nightclub owner on a backpacking trip in British Columbia. Oldtimers in town undoubtedly look forward to seeing the king of Scandinavian humor, Stan Boreson. See our special section on the fair for a complete schedule of entertainers.

While the entrance fee covers most expenses, the fair counts on the contributions of many sponsors that help in many ways.

“Like Cascade Lumber,” Burden said.

“When we called and asked them for some lumber, they asked, ‘how much’ then gave us more. See’s Candies donated all the chocolate needed for the cooking competition.”

The 350 volunteers make possible the reasonable cost of admission ($9 for adults and $6 for youth and seniors, with a three-day pass for $18).

After two years as general manager of the fair, Burden is grateful to them all.

Burden discovered the fair as a child when her parents had a cabin on Camano Island. She left the corporate world to spend her time on this community event.

The fair is definitely a community asset — especially for kids — but everyone else should definitely have a Stanwood-Camano Community Fair experience.

It’s much easier and more pleasant than the huge state fairs.

-Sarah Arney Acting Managing Editor