Pear party

The California State Fair is in full swing, but those who want the small-town fair experience should head to Courtland for its 38th annual Pear Fair.

Courtland, for the uninitiated, is a little town approximately 20 miles south of Sacramento. It’s so small in fact, that there technically isn’t even an address for the Pear Fair—it’s just in Courtland. You can’t miss it. (However, the navigation-challenged, GPS-dependent people should head for Bates Elementary School, 180 Primasing Avenue.)

The small-town nature of the fair holds all the charm. There won’t be mega carnival rides or performances by the Village People; but there will be lots of pears. The event celebrates the Bartlett pear harvest and features a variety of pear-related foods: pie, smoothies, beer. However, the fair is notorious for running out of pear food items, so arriving early would be a good idea.

Plus, it’s good to know that the state fair doesn’t have a monopoly on awesome people-watching. Pear Fair-goers will probably see quirky locals dressed up like pears, participating in activities using pears and saying things like, “It’s a pear-fect day today.”

Other pear fair events include music by Jay Rolerz, Take 2 Party Band and Mariachi Los Gallos; a parade; arts and crafts booths; wine tasting; activities for children; and a 5- and 10-mile fun run through the country. The run begins at 8 a.m. at Bates Elementary School and race-day registration is $25. And yes, the first-place winners get pear-shaped trophies.