Fair showcases local talent

By JoAn Bjarko
North Forty News

A county fair marks the year's grand finale for Audrey Hamby, a LaPorte woman who loves to exhibit everything from jams and jellies to woodworking projects.

Hamby grew up in 4-H and enrolled her children in 4-H. Now an empty nester, she just can't keep away from the exhibit hall, so she enters her own works in the fair's open classes. "I've always been competitive," she said.

The Larimer County Fair and Rodeo opens with a Sneak Peek Day on Aug. 4 from 6 p.m. to midnight. There is no admission that evening. Visitor admission is $5 a day for adults and $3 for children and seniors Aug. 5 through 10.

Hamby and the hundreds of other exhibitors will showcase their talents in the new First National Bank Exhibition Hall this year. The new fairgrounds is located east of Interstate 25 at exit 259.

Hamby's favorite category is jam and jelly gift baskets. After the fair, she donates her baskets to Santa Cops for a fund-raiser auction. Friends familiar with her penchant often leave boxes of fruit on her porch for canning.

She also gets a kick out of the photography competition, dressing her cats in costume to catch the photo judge's eye. Although she said she would never take up sewing, Hamby can't resist getting something into the quilting division. Depending on the weather, she also enters garden flowers. Altogether, she will probably have a couple dozen projects in this year's fair.

"Before I started showing, I used to love going there," Hamby said about the county fair. "It's amazing some of the talent people have."

Prizes ranges from $1 to $3, along with white, red and blue ribbons. Hamby treasures her books of ribbons the most.

Hamby's love of county fairs doesn't stop at the exhibition hall. She will be taking Bernie, her 40-year-old mule, to the draft horse and mule show on Aug. 7 in the Budweiser Events Center. Bernie will be in costume, along with miniature donkeys Festus and Apple.

It's not too late for other talented county residents to enter exhibits, but there is a $5 per class late charge. Entries can be submitted for the following departments: horticulture, garden flowers, baked products, canned or dried products, needlework, machine work, fine arts, photography or creative crafts. Details about the categories and entry rules are available in the fair premium books or on the Internet at www.larimer.org/ext. For additional information, call the Larimer County Extension Office in Fort Collins, 498-6000, or at the fair office in Loveland, 619-4000.

"Go down and see what there is to show and try something out," Hamby encourages those uninitiated to county fairs. "Whether you win or lose, it's still fun. That's my philosophy."

For more information about the county fair, go to the web site www.larimer.org/fair/rodeo/.