While standing in line for a gyro on Monday at the Marin County Fair, Craig Bandalin spontaneously hollered, “It’s electrifying!”
It’s a lyric from one of the more famous songs in the movie “Grease,” but Bandalin, a Novato resident, said it captures the spirit of this year’s fair.
“There are people that come here to get the spirit and the energy,” Bandalin said. “We’re here sharing in that electrification.”
“Electrifying!” — the official theme of the fair this year — is intended to celebrate everything electric and solar. The fair offers electric and illuminated art installations, a solar-powered carousel and stage and an interactive informational booth about electric vehicles.
The theme is exemplified by the “Electrified Forest,” an immersive lights and found-objects display at the Exhibition Hall.
Designed by Bay Area artist Paulino Deleal, the illuminated installation uses 1,500 pounds of e-waste to loosely represent the Cypress Tree Tunnel in Point Reyes. The centerpiece is a so-called “apple tree” consisting of wires, cords and cables topped with the hanging innards of iPhones.
“We love it. This fair feels like the fair,” said Gabriella Calicchio, the county official who oversees the fair. “This is the heart and soul of the community.”
This year also marks the return of a full slate of indoor and outdoor events following years of limited offerings because of COVID-19. The county held online fairs in 2020 and 2021 and then an outdoor-only fair last summer.
Amy and David Barrios of Mill Valley viewed a colorful fine arts wall dedicated to pieces inspired by this year’s theme.
“We like that it’s coming back more to normal,” said David Barrios.
“This is our favorite part,” Amy Barrios said, referring to the art.
Jennifer Lipson of San Rafael, a paid fair staffer and exhibit monitor in the fine arts room, had her own art up on the walls. Her pieces were created before she knew about the fair’s theme, but she noted a coincidental connection: a phone and wires in her modern still lifes.
“It’s so great to be back in person,” Lipson said. “It’s like being a community again. Now that we’ve all experienced the virtual version, really it can’t compare to the experience of in-person.”
At the entrance, an illuminated and ultra-sized lettering installation spelled “electrifying.” Just down the walkway and into the fair is the “EV Discovery” tent with solar phone chargers, an electric Harley Davidson motorcycle, an electric vehicle charging station and electric bicycles from Pedego.
As temperatures crept up, more and more guests hovered by the Ford F-150 Lightning, which was powering a massive electric fan.
A nearby poster sponsored by the county extolled the benefits of bidirectional charging, indicating that some vehicles like the F-150 lightning can power appliances and even homes when clean power is needed.
“This is a game changer,” Sue Saunders, a San Anselmo resident, said about the truck.
Others were there for more traditional fair offerings.
Martin Martinez, a 13-year-old from Daly City, said his family visits the fair annually. He said the “Freak Out,” a rotating pendulum swing ride, is his go-to attraction.
“We like to have fun,” he said. “We’ve always just come here.”
One children’s ride, “The Choo Choo Train,” runs on three electric batteries behind the seat of operator Scott Clifford. About 450 to 500 people ride the train a day, he said.
“Electrifying, you think more of Thor, Zeus, thunderstorms,” said Clifford, a resident of Crystal River, Florida. “But if we had a big sign to put on up top, more people might know.”