North Kitsap Herald, August 21, 2015 by Sound Publishing

HERALD NORTH K ITSAP

INSIDE The Best of North Kitsap — In this edition

Friday, August 21, 2015 | Vol. 114, No. 34 | NorthKitsapHerald.com | 50¢

And leave your goats at home

In a dangerous place

IN THE HERALD August 26-30, 2015

It’s time for all the fun of the fair Exhibits, animals, food, entertainment and rides — it’s all at the Kitsap County Fair & Stampede By LESLIE KELLY

lkelly@soundpublishing.com

t’s the 92nd year for the fair in Kitsap County. And throughout the years, the fair has been a place for local residents to celebrate what makes Kitsap County great. The Kitsap County Fair & Stampede is held annually for the purpose of educating, entertaining and creating a better quality of life for the residents of Kitsap County and surrounding counties, according to members of the fair board. It consists of teaching youth historical lessons so they may better understand what has shaped Kitsap County to become what it is today and what it will become in the future, board members said. It promotes agriculture so that consumers may better understand the source of their food and fiber. It also provides information to consumers so that they may make better choices of products and ideas in their own lives. Competitive exhibits are another one of the tools that it used to educate customers. And there’s always a lot of entertainment, including this year’s headliner, The Marshall Tucker Band. The Marshall Tucker Band will perform on Aug. 26 at the Thunderbird Arena directly after the Xtreme Bulls competition. Other entertainment during the fair includes: ■ Predators of the Heart, which features animal encounters as an educational and entertaining close-up of nature’s most amazing animals. This crowd-pleasing program incorporates audio, videos and live exhibits. ■ Karen Quest – Cowgirl Tricks, a unique fun-filled Vaudeville-style western comedy act complete with trick roping,

A night at the fair can be fun because of all the lights on all the rides. The Kitsap County Fair, including a midway of amusement rides opens Wednesday. File photo whip cracking, music and lots of surprises. She also performs on stilts as “Lucky Starr” — an eight-foot tall cowgirl — as she engages audiences with her special brand of Western humor. ■ Kevin Wolfe Comedy Hypnosis, a fastpaced and funny hypnosis show that will keep everyone laughing. With Wolfe’s special improvisational style, you never know what’s going to happen. There are four entertainment stages including the Center Stage, sponsored this year by West Hills Auto Plex; the Pepsi Stage, which features family entertainment; the Cowboy Corral, which includes the PRCA Rodeo and lots of country music; and the Random Acts stage, a place for “unplugged” entertainment. In all, there will be more than 100 performances to choose from while attending the fair. Many people come to the fair to see the livestock. This year, the barns will be full and there’ll be cows, pigs, lambs, cats, dogs and rabbits to see. And the exotic bird barn will return again this year. According to Cassie O’Hara, the fair’s livestock director, the Kitsap County Fair is the only fair in the state to have exotic birds on display. The Rodeo & Stampede is a highlight for many and will include rodeo events from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The Xtreme Bulls competition

will take place on Wednesday. Rodeo events include bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc riding, calf roping and barrel racing. The PRCA is the largest and oldest professional rodeo sanctioning body in the world. The recognized leader in Pro Rodeo, the PRCA sanctions more than 600 rodeos annually and showcases the world’s best cowboys in premier events. And, of course, there’ll be hundreds of exhibits to look at, including homemade pies and pickles, and retail vendors selling everything from pots and pans to purses. And the food. What can you say about fair food, other than come hungry? Just don’t eat before you ride the carnival rides!

First fair in 1923

The first recorded Kitsap County Fair took place in 1923 in Port Orchard, some 15 miles from its present location. It was held in Port Orchard from 1923 -29. Then it moved to Roosevelt Field in Bremerton. The fair moved to its present location in 1958. In 1929, exhibitors at the fair totaled 1,000; today, there are more than 6,000, with annual attendance of 80,000. In the late 1950s, what was then the Chief Kitsap Stampede sold stock certificates for $1 and constructed the

Thunderbird Arena. When completed, it held 12,000 spectators. In the late 1970s, portions of the arena were condemned. The covered grandstands were later added. Today, the arena holds 5,000 spectators and is used year-round for various events such as D-derby, draft horse shows, monster trucks and more. The complex has an annual overall attendance at its various events of more than 211,000. Preparation for the fair begins right after the previous year’s fair is over, according to Jim Dunwiddie, director of the Kitsap County Parks and Recreation. And on the Saturday two weeks before the fair, more than 300 volunteers come out for “Super Saturday.” “Volunteers put fresh paint on many of the buildings and clean up the fairgrounds,” he said. “These are the people who make sure we’re ready to open.” He noted, too, that many members of the fair board work full time and take vacation the week of the fair so that they can be there to help. “They’re really very dedicated folks,” he said. Each year, the fair board also looks over a list of suggested themes that have been submitted by fair supporters, he said. “We’ve had lots of suggestions and we keep track of them,” he said. “The board sits down after the last fair and chooses the theme for the coming year.” The theme chosen for this year is “Hay! It’s Kitsap Fair & Stampede Time.” “It represents the old-time agricultural aspect of the fair,” said O’Hara. “It’s selfexplanatory … Hay.” This year’s fair board includes: President Danise Barnes, overseeing admissions; Maaren Stroble, commercial exhibits; Linda Moran, Still Life; Mike Brady, parking; George Serrano, security; Joe Drouin, stampede; Doug Dillion, concessions; Diana Pheasant, entertainment, and O’Hara, livestock. According to fair manager Sunny Saunders, last year’s attendance was 80,000. Attendance and income for the fair has continued to grow in recent years. “The fair did make money last year,” Saunders said. “It was in the black for the last two years. When we took over in 2011, the fair was in the red by over $250,000.”

Soon, be on the lookout for trolls while crossing Lindvig Bridge By MICHELLE BEAHM

A S P E C I A L S U P P L E M E N T T O K I T S A P W E E K LY

mbeahm@northkitsapherald.com

COUNTY FAIR Special section in Kitsap Weekly

POULSBO — If you find yourself crossing Lindvig Bridge come October, you might want to make sure you have a few coins. Trolls are moving in, and you don’t want to be caught without the proper toll. In keeping with Scandinavian legend, artist James Mayl will paint a mural on the bridge

— In this edition

KITSAPWEEKLY

AUGUST 21-26, 2015 | ARTS, CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & KITSAP CLASSIFIEDS | 65,000 CIRCULATION

‘Thornbrook’ Port Gamble, Kingston among settings for local filmmakers’ steampunk mystery — pages 3-4 It’s Kitsap County Fair time!

A still from the series “Thornbrook,” which will serve as a launching point for Monocolus Films.

Section inside

Courtesy photo / Thornbrook

August 26-30, 2015

It’s time for all the

fun of the fair

it When completed, Thunderbird Arena. In the late 1970s, held 12,000 spectators.were condemned. arena portions of the were later 5,000 specThe covered grandstands the arena holds various added. Today, year-round for shows, tators and is used horse D-derby, draft complex events such as and more. The at its varimonster trucks overall attendance has an annual than 211,000. ous events of morethe fair begins right Preparation for year’s fair is over, after the previousDunwiddie, director of according to Jim Parks and Recreation. the Kitsap County two weeks before the And on the Saturdayvolunteers come out 300 fair, more than many for “Super Saturday.” fresh paint on “Volunteers put clean up the fairand for the fair in Kitsap of the buildings “These are the people t’s the 92nd year the years, grounds,” he said. ready to open.” County. And throughout of a place for local make sure we’re the fair has been what makes Kitsap The Kitsap County who noted, too, that many members vacaon all the rides. He File photo and take of all the lights residents to celebrate work full time they can the fair board can be fun because rides opens Wednesday. is County great. of the fair so that A night at the fair Fair & Stampede tion the week a midway of amusement The Kitsap County purpose of educatFair, including be there to help. very dedicated folks,” for the on Wednesday. better held annually riding, will take place “They’re really and creating a include bareback bronc of surprises. ing, entertaining the residents of Kitsap Rodeo events music and lots looks over he said. team roping, saddle whip cracking, fair board also quality of life for on stilts as “Lucky as counties, accordsteer wrestling, and barrel racing. The been Each year, the She also performs themes that have County and surrounding tall cowgirl — riding, calf roping and oldest professionof the fair board. a list of suggestedsupporters, he said. Starr” — an eight-foot with her special ing to members youth historical PRCA is the largest body in the world. submitted by fair of suggestions and we she engages audiences It consists of teaching al rodeo sanctioning in Pro Rodeo, the “We’ve had lots he said. “The board may better understand of Western humor. Hypnosis, a fastleader lessons so they Kitsap County to become brand rodeos Comedy The recognized keep track of them,”last fair and chooses ■ Kevin Wolfe more than 600 that will what has shaped what it will become in the hypnosis show PRCA sanctions the world’s best and sits down after coming year.” Wolfe’s spepaced and funny what it is today members said. the annually and showcases laughing. With “Hay! the theme for events. know keep everyone for this year is of the future, board style, you never so that consumcowboys in premier The theme chosen there’ll be hundreds cial improvisational It promotes agriculture the source of & Stampede Time.” And, of course, including homemade happen. understand It’s Kitsap Fair at, what’s going to entertainment stages inforthe old-time agricultural ers may better exhibits to look selfvendors selling “It represents fiber. It also provides There are four sponsored this pies and pickles, and retail said O’Hara. “It’s their food and to purses. so that they may the Center Stage, the Pepsi aspect of the fair,” pots and pans Hay.” mation to consumersof products and ideas including Auto Plex; everything from say about fair explanatory … board includes: year by West Hills What can you make better choices family entertainJust don’t And the food. Competitive exhibits This year’s fair includes come hungry? Stage, which features Barnes, overseeing in their own lives. the tools that it used to Corral, which rides! food, other than of President Danise ride the carnival ment; the Cowboyand lots of country Stroble, commercial are another one eat before you admissions; Maaren Still Life; Mike the PRCA Rodeo stage, a place educate customers. a lot of entertainMoran, Random Acts In all, security; exhibits; Linda music; and the And there’s alwaysyear’s headliner, The George Serrano, entertainment. conthis Brady, parking; for “unplugged” than 100 performances Doug Dillion, ment, including Band. Fair be more Joe Drouin, stampede; Kitsap County the fair. perform there will Pheasant, entertainment, Marshall Tucker The first recorded Port Orchard, some while attending Tucker Band will cessions; Diana in to choose from The Marshall to the fair to see took place in 1923present location. It was Thunderbird Arena and O’Hara, livestock. Many people come the barns will its manager Sunny on Aug. 26 at the Xtreme Bulls competiThen year, 15 miles from According to fair attendance was from 1923 -29. the livestock. This be cows, pigs, lambs, directly after the year’s held in Port Orchard Field in Bremerton. the fair Saunders, last be full and there’ll And the and income for tion. during the fair it moved to Roosevelt rabbits to see. location in years. 80,000. Attendance cats, dogs and again this year. The fair moved to its present Other entertainment to grow in recent year,” barn will return has continued money last features exotic bird Cassie O’Hara, the fair’s includes: 1958. “The fair did make in the black for the of the Heart, which and Fair at the fair totaled According to ■ Predators “It was the Kitsap County In 1929, exhibitors more than 6,000, as an educational Saunders said. over in 2011, are livestock director,the state to have exotic animal encounters of nature’s most When we took 1,000; today, there in of 80,000. last two years. $250,000.” is the only fair entertaining close-up the red by over with annual attendance This crowd-pleasingand the fair was in what was then highlight birds on display. amazing animals. In the late 1950s, stock Stampede is a audio, videos The Rodeo & events Stampede sold program incorporates include rodeo the Chief Kitsap and constructed the for many and will Thursday, Friday and $1 a live exhibits. certificates for p.m. – Cowgirl Tricks, from 6:30-8:30 ■ Karen Quest western Xtreme Bulls competition Vaudeville-style Saturday. The unique fun-filled with trick roping, comedy act complete

Exhibits, animals, food, entertainment and rides — it’s all at the Kitsap County Fair & Stampede

near Fish Park depicting bridge trolls peeking out windows. “That’s one of the old Scandinavian legends, the trolls under the bridge,” Poulsbo Mayor Becky Erickson said. “The story goes, you have to pay the troll to get across the bridge.” The City of Poulsbo won’t be requiring a toll. But, according to mythology, failing a troll could See TROLLS, Page A6

By LESLIE KELLY

lkelly@soundpublishing.com

SUPPLEMEN A SPECIAL

P W E E K LY T TO KITSA

‘THORNWOOD’ Steampunk mystery — Kitsap Weekly

More than 35,000 acres have burned 14 miles northeast of Republic, as of Aug. 17. Firefighters from North Kitsap and Poulsbo fire departments are helping to battle fires that are burning Eastern Washington. InciWeb / Courtesy

North Kitsap, Poulsbo firefighters lending a hand in Eastern Washington By MICHELLE BEAHM and RICHARD WALKER North Kitsap Herald