Sunday, August 16th
DIA DE LOS MUERTOS
Welcome to Día de los Muertos in August! Come celebrate Dia de los Muertos in the Mexican Village with music, dancing, contests, and fun. At 5:30 p.m. come dressed as a Catrina to the stage in Mexican Village and win a prize. Ireri Ballet Folklorico from Petaluma and the Elsie Allen High School Mariachi Band will be performing, along with other dancers and local musicians.
Don’t miss out! There are lots of prizes to be won, and maybe even some candy-filled piñatas for the kids! The Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) has been celebrated in early November in Mexico for centuries and has recently gained popularity outside of Mexico. Family and friends gather to pay respects and remember those who have died. For Mexicans, this is a spiritual and family-bonding experience, a time when celebrants can eat and drink with those who are no longer with us. Colorful festivals to celebrate the holidays have spread around the world. Día de los Muertos at the Fair is an opportunity to share this event with fairgoers who may be new to the holiday.
Sunday, August 16th
WIZARD FEST!/Harry Potter Day
Calling all Harry Potter fans! Whether you are a long-time fan or are new to the world of Harry Potter, get dressed up and come to the Fair on Sunday, August 16.
- 10 to 12 p.m. Find the Golden Snitch - Finley Hall All Ages Welcome. Search the exhibit hall for the Golden Snitch. Win to a prize if you find it!
- 12:30 to 3 p.m. Harry Potter Crafter's Corner - Showcase Cafe For Older Kids & Adults! Event continues until supplies run out.
- 12:30 p.m. Harry Potter Potion Mixing - Showcase Cafe Use our ingredients to mix up a tasty, drinkable (hopefully harmless) potion.
- 1:15 p.m. Harry Potter Trivia Contest for Kids - Family Fun Stage (ages 13 & under) Answer questions about the Harry Potter books & movies & be a winner! Followed by: Harry Potter Look-Alike Contest This Look-Alike Contest will be divided into at least two categories: People and Creatures.Followed by: Harry Potter Original Costume Contest No store-bought, commercial costumes allowed. Home-made, by you or someone you know.
- 3:30 p.m. ‘Moan Like Myrtle’ Harry Potter Contest - Family Fun Stage Make like “Moaning Myrtle” and groan-whine-whimper-sigh!
- 3:30-4:30 p.m. Harry Potter Broomstick Obstacle Course - Showcase CafeGet ready for a magical ride! Ride a broomstick around an obstacle course.
- 7:30 p.m. Harry Potter Team Trivia Contest – Showcase Cafe You and your team answer questions about Harry Potter. All ages welcome. Limited space, so arrive early.
Saturday, August 15th
BARBIE FUN DAY
If you see Barbie, tell her to join us at the Fair! You’re invited to dress in your favorite pink outfit and celebrate Barbie at the Fair on Saturday, August 15. Bring Barbie (or Ken) if you want them to join in the fun. All events are open to Barbie fans of all ages, so don’t make the mistake of thinking you are too old or too young. The day will be filled with fun activities and contests, a party with pink cake, and a ‘Weird Barbie’ Making Station. Stop by Barbie Central (Showcase Cafe) to say hello and check out last-minute additions to the Day.
Saturday, August 8th ~ 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
SCARECROW FESTIVAL & CONTEST ~ Olive Grove
Scarecrows are a major feature of Fall festivals, and scarecrow building contests are held all over the world. Many small towns and villages hold scarecrow contests and display them all over town. A Scarecrow Festival will be held at the Fair on August 8th, as a part of this year’s “Festivals, Fiestas & Fun” theme. So even if you don’t have a garden to protect, there’s a reason to build a scarecrow this summer! You and your family/friends/team/company can let your imagination go wild and build scarecrows to send to the Fair for the Scarecrow Festival. Cash prizes will be awarded in adult and youth categories.
Cash prizes will be awarded for the best scarecrows. Deliver your scarecrow by August 8 or build one at the fairgrounds. Categories for group and individual scarecrows. Judging begins at 4 p.m.
Elvis Day ~ Saturday, August 8th
Elvis is coming to the Sonoma County Fair on Saturday, August 8! All afternoon you can hang out with people dressed like Elvis, people who love Elvis, his music, and everything he stood for. The day includes an Elvis Look-Alike Contest, Elvis Trivia, and the famous “Thank You Very Much” contest. The Elvis Trivia Contest this year is a pub-style team trivia contest, so start putting your team together now! The highlight of the celebration is the Elvis Impersonation Contest. Ten Elvis impersonators will be performing with a live band, all competing for a $1,000 cash prize.
Past contestants have ranged from professional Elvis impersonators to first-time performers. But no matter who shows up to compete, you can count on a truly entertaining show! Each performer will sing a different song from Elvis’s career, all backed by the local band Buzzy & the Buzztones. Buzzy Martin and his band have a long history with this contest, and a reputation for helping each contestant sound great! If you are interested in entering the contest, email specialevents@SonomaCountyFair.com for more information.
Sunday, Aug 9th & Monday, Aug 10th
NEEWOLLAH! (It's Halloween Spelled Backwards)
Neewollah (Halloween spelled backwards) is a huge Halloween-themed festival celebrated for one week each October in Independence, Kansas,
with parades, entertainment, food vendors, and a big carnival. Neewollah
began in 1919 as an effort to provide an alternative to the Halloween pranks pulled off by local kids. Neewollah at the Sonoma County Fair is two days of trick or treating, costume parades, Halloween décor, pumpkin tossing and carving, and even a mini “notso-spooky” haunted room (Spooky Corner!)
- 12 to 4 p.m. TRICK OR TREATING for Kids in Costume, get a Trick or Treat map from any Information Booth so you know where the treats are.
- 12 to 3:30 p.m. MASK MAKING Showcase Cafe - Kids! If you didn’t wear a costume, you can still make a mask at the Craft Station at the Grandstand and Trick or Treat!
- 3 p.m. KIDS COSTUME PARADE Start at the Family Fun Stage - be sure to arrive at 2:45 to participate.
Other Showcase Cafe Events
- 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Pumpkin Carving by Committee*
Bring your group (3+ people) and carve a real pumpkin!
If you don’t have a team, we will find one for you. (*This event may be cancelled if the pumpkins are not ripe in time.) - 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Easy Bake Pumpkin Pie Baking
Bring your team of 2 or more. We provide everything you need to make and bake a real pumpkin pie!
