Cloverdale turns out for 123-year-old Citrus Fair traditions

Its formal name is the Cloverdale Citrus Fair, a 123-year tradition that celebrates the history of the orange and lemon industry that blossomed during the beginning of the 20th century but now is better represented in the yards of local residents.

But informally, it’s more of a homecoming for the city at the tip of northern Sonoma County, where 16,000 people are expected to enter the fairgrounds from Friday until Monday looking to reconnect and celebrate with family and friends.

“They do come back,” said Bonnie Wlodarczyk, the fair’s chief executive officer.

That was evident in the diaper derby, where?babies crawl across a carpet in an event more akin to the Puppy Bowl, where the enjoyment of spectators contrasts with the oblivious competitors.

The winner of the event was 8-month-old Brooke Butler, whose parents are Mac and Heidi Butler of La Quinta. “We grew up here,” Mac said as Brooke’s grandparents beamed with pride nearby.

Mac bragged the secret to Brooke’s success so far was keeping up with her older sister, Leah. “She has to be fast to keep up with a 2½-year-old,” he said.

But he later confided: “I didn’t think she was going to move at all.”

Given the event is held over Presidents Day weekend, inclement weather can typically occur for the fair, which is the first one of the year in Northern California. But this year, the event was blessed with great weather as temperatures hit 80 degrees under sunny skies, forcing fairgoers to apply sunscreen rather than reach for umbrellas.

“It’s our own little niche,” Wlodarczyk said.

A highlight of Saturday’s event was a downtown parade featuring marching bands, men on horseback, tractors, local political figures and kids on BMX bikes whizzing down Cloverdale Boulevard.

Children were jockeying for the candy thrown by parade participants, ranging from 4-H to the Ancient Order of Druids, with most of the tiny Hershey chocolate bars, Twizzlers and other sugar treats landing well short of the spectators, resulting in a mad dash of kids scooping up treats.

The parade finished with a performance by Humboldt State University’s irreverent Marching Lumberjacks, who were transported via a large flatbed truck carrying backhoes.

The band members, wearing yellow T-shirts that on back proclaimed “We Kick Axe,” finished off their parade set with the Oak Ridge Boys’ 1981 hit “Elvira,” which had many along the route singing along.

Band members were later seen on a giant swing in the fairgrounds playing another tune perfect for Valentine’s Day, “Crazy Little Thing Called Love.”

You can reach Staff Writer Bill Swindell at 521-5223 or bill.swindell@pressdemocrat.com.