Marin Voice: Supervisor’s love of county fair is in her blood
Just as the theme promises, the Marin County Fair has been “Electrifying” this year, celebrating all things electric, solar and charged with excitement.
The fair, which ends Tuesday, has offered several ways to inspire electrifying creativity of all kinds throughout the grounds.
Favorites such as the juried Fine Arts and Photography Exhibit, headline concerts including Melissa Etheridge, Patti LaBelle and Stephen Marley, among others, carnival rides, sheepdog trials, the petting zoo and fireworks every night have been great so far. I hope you will join us for the holiday.
The history of the Marin County Fair dates back to 1879 with San Rafael civic and business leader C.T. Coleman. Around that same time, my own family had a hand in another fair, the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago where my ancestor George Washington Gale Ferris Jr., a structural engineer, designed and built the original Ferris wheel.
Intended as a keystone attraction similar to the 1889 Paris Exposition’s 1,063-foot Eiffel Tower, his Ferris wheel was the tallest attraction, with a height of 264 feet. Called the “Chicago Wheel,” Ferris’ enormous vertical structure rotated around a center axle, featured 36 gondolas capable of holding up to 60 people each — for a total capacity of 2,160 people. The spectacular views were a revelation.
While not quite as tall as the Chicago Wheel, the views of Marin from the 10-story Ferris wheel at our Marin County Fair are also spectacular, and this is just one of many features for our enjoyment this year.
The 28 carnival rides and games – free with admission – are not to be missed. They are suitable for all ages, from heart-pounding thrill rides to gentle, kid-friendly rides. In addition, an incredible number of food options are available, from simple snacking to delightful desserts. The fair also features an array of retail offerings from apparel to automotive in the popular Global Marketplace.
The fair offers multiple ways to take your electrifying experience to the next level. Join the Marin County Sustainability Team at the Electrification Experience tent, where you can get hands-on experience with clean energy solutions.
Electric vehicles, electric bicycles and electric motorcycles are on display. Fairgoers can practice plugging in EVs and learn how EV-charging works.
Charge your cellphone using a retired EV battery and learn about ways old EV batteries can be repurposed. Experience the “electrified forest” in the Exhibit Hall, an immersive installation inspired by the Point Reyes Cypress Tree Tunnel and created by Bay Area artist and designer Paulino Deleal. This incredible installation is created with 1,500 pounds of office e-waste, including power cables, electrical cords, phone chargers, audio video waste and LED lights. It all transforms into an electrifying tree tunnel.
Drop by the Artist Circle tent and participate in a collective masterpiece exploring electricity using recycled and reused materials.
This year’s fair offers electrifying performances, including Hillia Hula Hoop Extraordinaire and the glowing LED hoops at night, Jeremiah the Juggler lights up the night with his LED juggling light show and Edison and Tesla Quest for Power, a one-of-a-kind interactive experience, immerses you in the world’s mad dash for electricity.
Finally, leave your car at home and ride Marin Transit for free to the Fair. Marin Transit has been providing free local transit rides countywide on all Marin Transit fixed route services during the fair and our friends running the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit trains are offering late night rides both northbound and southbound so you can stay for the fireworks and get home safely on the train.
Happy Fourth of July, we hope to see you at the fair.
Marin County Supervisor Stephanie Moulton-Peters, of Mill Valley, represents Southern Marin’s District 3.