Cloverdale Rodeo & Country Fair returns May 16-19, filling the Fairgrounds with cowboys, cowgirls and a fair share of long-weekend wannbes.
It's usually good fun, with an "Original Kind of Country" theme this year and an expected 65,000-plus attendees over four days.
There are some new twists and attractions on the event schedule, where I went looking for 10 things to do and see during the 134th country fair and 77th rodeo in Cloverdale:
1. Visit the South Gate Action Zone: Expect extreme sports and live entertainment at the site including The Freestyle Skateboard Throwdown (multiple show times daily), pig races and a new street skateboard competition hosted by Hippie Mike. Speaking of action, also check out the fair's West Coast Lumberjack Show, wrestling at the Longhorn, Extreme Dogs and also Circus Express.
2. Go Lasso loungin': This large tented Lasso Lounge, located next to the main food truck area, will host live performances and rodeo livestreams, and is also the new home of Cowboy Church on Sunday morning (10 a.m. start). West Coast Duelling Pianos will be popular here, for sure.
3. Rock the Roll-A-Rama: A new “roller rodeo” experience is promised in the curling rink, where public roller skating and roller derby exhibitions (by Greater Vancouver Roller Derby Association) will happen, along with disco roller skating party at night. “Our goal is to bring people together to rediscover the joy of roller skating, the spirit of community, and, of course, have some fun," says Lucy Croysdill, Rolla Skate Club owner. Fair-goers can bring their own skates or rent a pair by donation (proceeds to Cloverdale Community Kitchen, now known as Storehouse Community Hub Society).
4. Eat so much food: Yes, there's plenty to eat. Last year, fair food vendors served up 125,000 mini doughnuts, 2,000 ears of corn, 5,000 slushies, 4.600 burgers and 5,000 lemonades. This time around, more than 40 food vendors will be located across the fairgrounds. Mo Bacon is a good pick for a pulled pork sandwich, or try the Jamaican fare of Just Jerking Around. The BBQ Rib Fest area will feature Smoke Dem Bones, Grizzly BBQ and Gators BBQ.
5. Drink up: Check out the Hops & Vine Garden, a place for six craft beer options, local wine and live music. And here's a tip: You can bring your beverage with you almost anywhere on the fairgrounds.
6. Live music overload: 50-plus bands and solo performers are booked on multiple stages including headliners Trooper (9 p.m. Saturday) and Corb Lund (9 p.m. Sunday). The CR Corral Main Outdoor Stage is also the place for Steven Lee Olsen (9 p.m. Friday) and The Headpins (7:30 p.m. Saturday). Others to see and hear are Dave Hartney, Perfectly Petty, The Pop Junkies, Emmett Jerome, Country Cuties Dance Team, Bad Moon Riders, Down n Dirty Rockabilly, Dirt Road Rebels and more.
7. See the Rodeo: 96 riders will compete during the five rodeo performances in the Stetson Bowl, in Bareback, Saddle Bronc, Bull Riding and Ladies Barrel Racing (24 contestants in each event). There's also Mutton Bustin' and some clowning around, too. With two pools, rodeo times are 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 2 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and Monday (finals).
8. Sunday breakfast hack: For 45 minutes Sunday morning (9 to 9:45 a.m.), fair entry is free for the Pancake Breakfast, and the meal itself is by donation ($5 recommended) to Cloverdale Rodeo Youth Foundation Initiative. The breakfast ends at 10:30 a.m., so get there pronto. Chaplain Rev. Mark Davis's Cowboy Church starts at 10 a.m. next door.
9. Watch the parade: Several thousand people will take in Cloverdale's annual Rodeo Parade, which starts 10 a.m. Saturday at the corner of 177B St and Highway 10, heads west to 176 Street, then north to 58 Ave. and back to 177B (It's a big square, basically). Parade-goers should expect to see floats, marching bands, dance groups, clowns, horses, dogs, vintage cars, race cars and more.
10. Check out Rodeo Reds, another new venue, an extension of Longhorn Saloon. "It's in the showbarn next door and attendees can access it via the back door between the buildings," I'm told by a fair media rep. "It'll be a 'western speakeasy' style with live performances. We expect this to be where the contestants and VIPs end up each night — a cool new feature."
Buy rodeo and fair tickets ahead of time on cloverdalerodeo.com for a link to Showpass for fair tickets — free for kids 12 and under, $16.50 general admission. A fair ticket doesn't include entry to the rodeo or Longhorn Saloon, but the reverse is true. Maybe you want a Wild Mustang VIP viewing area ticket for "the ultimate Cloverdale Rodeo experience" ($88.52), an all-day ride pass ($48.40) or a Longhorn VIP Suite for 12 ($1,557.17, or $42.22 for regular saloon admission). Lots of options to consider.
