Twelve-year-old Ronin Olson of Ben Lomond suspects it might be time to stop collecting Beanie Babies. But before he retires his hobby, the Ocean Grove Charter School student decided to enter his massive assortment into the Santa Cruz County Fair’s hobbies and collections contest category.
“I think I have enough now,” Ronin said. “My grandma gave me my first ones, and I kept going from there.”
Ronin’s collection of 99 Beanie Babies, along with many other valley contestants’ art, livestock, horticulture and more, will be on display at the fair, which will run Sept. 14 through 19 at the fairgrounds in Watsonville.
At last year’s fair, Ronin won a first-place ribbon for his redwood forest diorama, and he hopes to continue the winning tradition with his Beanie Babies.
“My favorite one is a patriotic donkey named Lefty,” he said.
This year’s fair theme is Apple Pies and Family Ties, and the festivities will feature a sea lion, carnival rides, Harriet the hog, a hypnotist, pig races and much more. Musical entertainment includes The Family Stone, Bucky Covington and Gallagher, famous for his wit as well as his watermelon smashing.
Ben Lomond resident Anna Bushard and her daughter will host the fair’s first Kiss the Pig Contest to raise money for Felton’s 4-H Club.
The contest has a ballot listing some of the valley’s movers and shakers, including county Supervisor Mark Stone, Sheriff Phil Wowak, Felton fire Chief Ron Rickabaugh and Valley Churches United Mission founder Annette Marcum.
Whoever gets the most votes will kiss a pig at the fair, Bushard said.
Bushard’s 11-year-old daughter, Simone, came up with the idea.
“It just kind of popped into my head,” Simone said. “I wanted to do something fun and creative.”
Michael Bethke, manager of the fairgrounds, said he is hopelessly optimistic about the fair’s success.
Bethke was named fairgrounds manager in March and said he plans to treat the fairgrounds more like a business and will try to raise money throughout the year by using the space as much as possible.
“We’re really trying to spruce things up this year,” Bethke said. “It’s going to be a real safe place to come have a good time with family and friends.”
At a glance
WHAT: Santa Cruz County Fair, Apple Pies and Family Ties
WHEN: Sept. 14 through 19
WHERE: Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, 2601 E. Lake Ave. in Watsonville
INFO: www.santacruzcountyfair.com
Kiss the Pig contest polling places:
**Redwood Pizzeria, 6205 Highway 9, in Felton, 335-1500
**Valley Churches United Missions, 9430 Love Creek Road, in Ben Lomond, 336-8258
**Felton Fire Department, 131 Kirby St., in Felton, 335-4422
