Several attractions, like the petting
zoo, greet visitors to the county fair.
Free concerts of rising
country and rock stars at the Grays Harbor County Fair
see
www.graysharbortourism.com
for updated info on this year's fair
events
Carolyn Dawn Johnson highlighted events at 2002 County Fair
By Craig Murphy
Vidette Associate Editor
This article first appeared in 2002
It's not complicated: you will want to go to this concert-and
this fair.
Carolyn Dawn Johnson, one of the hottest new stars on the country
music scene, will be performing at a free concert to open this
summer's Grays Harbor County Fair in Elma, which runs from Wednesday,
August 7 through Sunday, August 11. This year's theme is "This
Fair's For Ewe."
The outdoor concert, to be held at 7 p.m. on the Les Schwab stage,
will kick off the 2002 Fair on August 7. Anyone who enters the
fair that evening is invited to the concert at no additional
charge. The Fair dedication takes place that evening at 6 p.m.
on the Grays Harbor Grange Supply Stage.
Johnson's critically acclaimed debut album "Room With a
View" debuted last summer in the top-10. Tracks from the
album include "Complicated" and "I Don't Want
You To Go," both of which have reached the Billboard Charts
top-10.
In addition to her success as a singer, Johnson, 31, has also
achieved success as a songwriter. Among others, she penned Chely
Wright's #1 hit "Single White Female" in 1999.
The Canadian native was recently named top new female vocalist
at the Academy of Country Music Awards. Johnson has performed
with or been an opener for singers such as Reba McEntire, Martina
McBride, Kenny Chesney, Trisha Yearwood, and Alan Jackson.
Rod Easton, chairman of the Grays Harbor County Fair Board, started
the idea of bringing Johnson to Elma. "We started working
on this in early November," Easton noted.
Fairgrounds Manager Debbie Adolphsen is pleased to have Johnson
coming. "We had been trying to get an indoor concert, but
that has been a hard sell in recent years," Adolphsen said.
"We needed to do something different. We decided to get
as high a quality act as we could, and to try to get someone
at an outdoor concert. I think Rod made a good choice."
Though there have not been big concerts in the last couple of
Fairs, there have been notable country stars such as Clint Black,
Toby Keith, Tim McGraw, and Sawyer Brown in past years coming
just as they were hitting it big. "That shows you've got
to come to Elma to be big," Adolphsen joked.
There are two stages set aside for entertainment, which is continuous
throughout the five days of activities. Just a handful of the
entertainment options are the Teri Daneker Dancers, J.P. Patches
and Gertrude, Jest In Time Clown Theatre, Tony Wintrip, the Fabulous
Roadstars Jazz Band, Edgar Winter, and Memphis Rain. Scheduled
to perform a total of 12 times during the parade is Sourdough
Slim, described by one California newspaper as "the most
entertaining cowboy singer-yodeler-accordionist extant."
Promotional material for Sourdough-real name Rick Crowder-touts
that he has performed at Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center for
the Performing Arts, and The Lincoln Center.
Other activities include the Golden Wedding Game, ICW Wrestling,
a Bull Blast bull riding event, a Mr. Potato Head contest, and
a Saturday night of racing at the Grays Harbor Raceway Park.
One new activity is an OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry)
hands-on exhibit. "I saw it in Yakima, and the building
was filled with families," Adolphsen said. "The exhibit
travels throughout the Northwest. There are a dozen or more tables
with experiments, puzzles, and interactive displays."
A vast array of display and informational booths will be set
up over the five day period. As usual, there is a wide ranging
variety of 4-H exhibits.
A youth livestock auction featuring animals raised by 4-H and
FFA youth takes place Saturday. Money raised support youth.
Admission is $6 for adults per day, $5 for seniors, and $4 for
children ages 6-15. Children under 6 get in free. Youth admission
is half-price on Thursday. Season passes and a season parking
pass are available at a reduced rate.
The fair opens at 10 a.m. every day. It is open until 10 p.m.
on Wednesday and Thursday, 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and
6 p.m. on Sunday. Approximately 50,000 people are expected to
attend over the five days.
For ticket information, call the fair at (360) 482-2651.
|
