Getting Ready for the Fair

After months of preparation, volunteers with the Crescenta Valley Chamber of Commerce are gearing up for its annual Hometown Country Fair on Saturday.

As president of the Chamber, I’ve been working with these folks for a long time. Kudos to my vice president and Fair chairman Robert Manciero who has undertaken a mammoth job, board member Mary O’Keefe who has worked closely with the County of Los Angeles to ensure we have the correct insurance for all those involved (among them are vendors, food trucks, information booths, inflatable providers and musicians) who will be at CV Park on Saturday, Dwight Sityar, who has secured dozens of classic and vintage vehicles, and many more folks who will be working this event.

Unlike last year when it rained – hard – for the first part of the day, this year’s forecast has cooler temperatures under partly cloudy skies. I’ve been affiliated with the Chamber for more than a decade and I think I have been at every single Fair. Early on I remember when the Fair was held in September and it was roasting. Another year, there were monsoonal rains resulting in our being evacuated – quickly – from the Park.

But April (keeping in mind those early years) seems to be the ideal time of year to have a Fair.

The Fair is from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will feature emergency responders, inflatable toys, live music from the CV High School jazz band and (drumroll, please) the Mary Dyer Band, food trucks and more! There’ll be some beautiful merchandise to buy, courtesy of an assortment of vendors, including Faced bykna (https://www.bykna.com/services), and guests will get the chance to learn about our local organizations, like the Historical Society of the Crescenta Valley (https://www.cvhistory.org/). 

The Crescenta Valley Water District (CVWD), which is celebrating its 75th year, will be on hand as one of the Fair’s major sponsors. They’ll share some of the history of the CVWD and be on hand to answer questions from guests.

And for the first time, the Hometown Country Fair will have a 5K run. It takes place at 2:30 p.m. Learn more at https://www.crescentavalleychamber.org/#!event/2026/4/25/crescenta-valley-hometown-5k. There will also be a doggie “stroll” at 1 p.m. Bring your pups – they’ll have fun! I think Supervisor Kathryn Barger will be on hand for the doggie stroll, too!

Guests will also enjoy a pie-eating contest, petting zoo, face painting and more! The best part is that it’s free to attend, so mark your calendars now! I look forward to seeing you on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Crescenta Valley Park, 3901 Dunsmore Ave. in La Crescenta.