Here’s the 2016 schedule of music festivals at the Nevada County Fairgrounds! These world-class music festivals will make for an exciting and entertaining year! Mark your calendar.
2016 Music Festivals
Fairgrounds Fun in 2016
Mark your calendar for these fun events at the Nevada County Fairgrounds in 2016.
Gingerbread House Competition Results and Christmas Faire Wrap Up
A successful canned food drive, more than 115 vendors, and 37 gingerbread houses built made the 31st Annual Country Christmas Faire at the Nevada County Fairgrounds a success.
The 13th Annual Gingerbread House Competition, in its new location in Ponderosa Hall, was once again a crowd favorite, with 37 entries received. Of those entries, the Best of Show award to Wanda Dunn of Penn Valley, and the People’s Choice Award went to Kathy Kinney of Penn Valley. The Best of Show is chosen by the judges, and the People’s Choice is selected through ballots cast by individuals who attend the Christmas Faire.
First place winners in the traditional categories include Jayden Jory and Carlee Fowler (age 5 & under); Finn Becker and Whitney Murphy (age 6-8); Owen Strolle and Nate Becker (ages 9 – 12); J & C Anderson and A & K Barks (Kits: Age 8 and under); Molly Becker and Jeralee Groves (age 13-17); Wanda Dunn (age 18 -64); Joan Morton (age 65 & over); Caylee Sinnock and Jessie/Maggie Lee (group – children); and the Barne/Damico Family, the Spotts Family, the Emily Fisher Family and the McBride Family (family).
At Sunday’s canned food drive, Grass Valley Elks Lodge #538, with help from Boy Scout Troop 21, collected more than 400 pounds of food. These donations will help complete Christmas food baskets for 30 local families in need during the holiday season.
The names of all the Gingerbread House Competition winners can be found here.
The 2016 Country Christmas Faire is planned for Thanksgiving weekend, November 25, 26, and 27.
400 Pounds of Food Collected
At Sunday’s canned food drive at the Country Christmas Faire at the Nevada County Fairgrounds, Grass Valley Elks Lodge #538, with help from Boy Scout Troop 21, collected more than 400 pounds of food. These donations will help complete Christmas food baskets for 30 local families in need during the holiday season.
These food baskets will include all the ingredients for a Christmas dinner, including ham, potatoes and gravy, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie. Thanks to the Faire patrons, additional items will be added to each basket to support additional meals. SPD Market is helping the Elks get a good buy on the products purchased, and Boy Scout Troop 21 will assemble the baskets.
Great teamwork, and nice job!!
Theme for 2016 Fair: “Kick It Up!”
“Kick It Up!” is the theme for the 2016 Nevada County Fair. Congratulations, Kate Horton of Nevada City, who submitted the winning theme. We received more than 140 entries in our contest to find the theme for the 2016 Fair. Thank you to all who entered the theme contest!
Donate a Can of Food; Receive $1 Off Admission on Sunday of Faire
The Nevada County Fairgrounds and Grass Valley Elks are teaming up for a canned food drive to help feed those in need in Nevada County.
Bring a can of food (or two or three) to the Country Christmas Faire on Sunday, November 29, and the Fairgrounds will give you a coupon for $1 off general admission to the Christmas Faire on that day (one coupon per person). Volunteers from Grass Valley Elks will collect the cans at the food collection bins at the Fairgrounds from 10 am – 4 pm at Gates 1, 3 and 5, which is also where you’ll receive your coupon. All food donated is collected by the Grass Valley Elks and used in their Christmas baskets that they hand out in December.
The Country Christmas Faire is happening Thanksgiving weekend, November 27, 28 and 29 at the Nevada County Fairgrounds. Hours are 10 am – 5 pm on Friday and Saturday, and 10 am – 4 pm on Sunday. Cost is $4, and free to children under 12. Parking is free.
Country Christmas Faire: November 27, 28 and 29
Mark your calendar for the 31st annual Country Christmas Faire at the Nevada County Fairgrounds in Grass Valley on November 27, 28 and 29. Rated as one of the top handcrafted shows in Northern California, the Country Christmas Faire features unique gifts and crafts from top artisans from across the state, as well as from Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and New York.
Exhibit buildings will be filled during the Thanksgiving weekend, giving shoppers a chance to start their holiday shopping with quality hand-made holiday items, ornaments, jewelry, wooden crafts, soaps and lotions, hand-woven baskets, stained glass, candles, beadwork, and dozens of other unique gifts.
Visitors to the Faire will enjoy strolling live entertainment, festival foods, the magical Gingerbread House exhibit, errand elves, and a community bon-fire. Wagon rides around the Fairgrounds will be offered; and Victorian singers, the bell ringing RiverBells, and the Sierra Symphony quartet will perform throughout the event.
Santa will be available each day until an hour before the event closes, so bring your camera to capture that special photo with Santa. Free babysitting will be offered by Girl Scouts of the Northern Mines Service Unit, so parents can drop off their children while they enjoy holiday shopping. Errand Elves from Clear Creek School will be available to assist shoppers throughout the event.
On Sunday of the Faire, the Nevada County Fairgrounds will partner with Grass Valley Elks for a canned food drive. Bring a can of food on Sunday, November 29, from 10 am to 4 pm, and receive $1 off Sunday’s admission price (one coupon per person). All food donated is collected by the Grass Valley Elks and used in their Christmas baskets that they hand out in December.
The Country Christmas Faire begins Friday, November 27, and runs through Sunday,
November 29. Admission is $4 for adults, and children 12 and under are free. Parking is free. The hours are 10 am – 5 pm on Friday and Saturday, and 10 am – 4 pm on Sunday.
Dan Castles: Guest Speaker at Foundation’s Speaker Series for Youth
“Stop comparing yourself to others,” said Dan Castles, CEO of Telestream, to local high school students on Thursday night. “There will always be somebody richer, smarter, prettier, and taller, than you. Figure out your uniqueness – and embrace it.”
Last night, Castles addressed more than 25 FFA and 4H students from Bear River, Nevada Union and Placer high schools, and served as the second speaker in the Nevada County Fairgrounds Foundation’s ongoing Speaker Series.
The series, hosted by the Fairgrounds Foundation and sponsored by Sandy Ballou and California Outdoor Properties, brings business education – through access to business leaders and real-life leadership experiences – to local high school students.
“I was so impressed with Dan’s ability to connect directly with these students and pass on advice that can be applied today and throughout their lives,” said Rea Callender, CEO of the Nevada County Fairgrounds. “It was an honor to welcome him to the speaker series.”
Dan is the co-founder of Telestream, and has more than 25 years of TV industry executive experience. Under his leadership, Telestream has become the recognized worldwide leader in enterprise-class video transcoding and workflow solutions. He was named President of Grass Valley Group (then a division of Tektronix) in 1994, following a sixteen year career at Portland-based Tektronix, where he served as Controller and then as Vice President of the Television Division.
Dan, who was involved in FFA growing up, and is a supporter of the Nevada County Fair’s auctions, told the kids that “if I were to ask my young self which program influenced me the most – I would say FFA. Through FFA, I gained confidence and public speaking skills.”
In sharing stories with students and encouraging them, Dan said, “Earn people’s respect for what you do, not your title. Work hard and smart, give your best, be humble, be a team player and always ask what you can do to help.”
The Fairgrounds Foundation’s speaker series, which began in October, features six speakers and will run through April. Students have an opportunity to hear about the speaker’s career path, how they achieved their goals, insight regarding their area of expertise, and plenty of opportunities for questions. The first guest speaker was Jack Parnell, former United States Deputy Secretary of Agriculture. Upcoming speakers include John Paye, former NFL player for the San Francisco 49ers.
About the Nevada County Fairgrounds Foundation: The Nevada County Fairgrounds Foundation’s mission is to support and improve the community’s Fairgrounds, and to support youth in agriculture. For more information about the Fairgrounds Foundation, or to become a member, visit here.
Happy Veteran’s Day
Happy Veteran’s Day! Thank you to all who have served, who are currently serving, and who have dedicated themselves to future service. Thank you for all that you do for our nation! 
Country Christmas Faire Winners
Congratulations to the following winners of a Country Christmas Fair admission ticket: Wendelina Stout, Ameya Scanion, Brittney Berns, Sarah Marie, Aaroon Lewis, David Porter, Sherry Myers, Christene Favetti, Teresa Undercoffer Walker, Kaathlyn Connor, and Kathy Stewart. Send us a private message on Facebook, and we’ll give you details on collecting your ticket. See you at the Country Christmas Faire.
