‘Growing up green'

Glenn County will be well represented when the California State Fair opens Thursday.

Terri Barr and designers at Salvagno's in Orland are once again going for gold with a spectacular exhibit that showcases all what Glenn County has to offer.

It is an especially delightful representation of local youth and the young at heart, officials said.

This year's theme is "Growing up Green" and depicts most of the activities children can do when raised in Glenn County's rural environment.

"We really marketed Glenn County as a place to move to and raise a family," Barr said.

In doing so, the exhibit promotes camping in the Mendocino National Forest, swimming at Black Butte Lake and wildlife viewing at the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge.

Children made from completely recycled materials — which pixie faces formed from used stockings — are showcased in organizations like 4-H, and highlights Glenn County "green" environment — in more ways than one, Barr said.

"Just about everything in the exhibit is salvaged material," she said. "We even take a part the previous year's exhibit and reuse it."

Salvagno's is a multi-award-winning event designer, and Barr has taken home mostly gold for Glenn County's exhibits, including the coveted Craftsmanship Award and gold last year.

Last year's massive exhibit not only captured the area's vast agriculture operations, but included a touching tribute to the 100-year-history of the Orland Fire Department.

Salvagno's has constructed all but two exhibit is the past dozen years.

Local artist Beth Bjorklund was a designer. The 2010 exhibit was done by John Quierolo.

Construction of the county exhibit costs around $6,000 a year, officials said, which typically includes advertising funding from Willows, Orland and Glenn County Board of Supervisors, and prize money from the state.

The county will use the exhibit to promote the area's agricultural riches and encourage tourism to various wildlife and recreational facilities in Glenn County.

Barr this year highlighted vintage boutiques and thrift stores, Farmers Markets and community events in Willows and Orland's downtowns, and included products and artifacts collected from local growers, farmers and businesses.

Salvagno's event coordinator Sara Van Tol has worked on each of the exhibits the past eight, but believes this year's exhibit just might be her favorite.

"I like this one because it has so many aspects," she said.

Barr said her favorite was Glenn County's exhibit a few years ago, which featured the large clock.

"I always start visualizing the next year's exhibit the day after the fair is over," laughed Barr, although she doesn't start building until the following summer.

Volunteers will man the exhibit and answer questions about the county and its cities throughout the fair.

Barr and her staff will make several trips to Sacramento for the exhibit's maintenance.

The California State Fair runs July 12-29 with livestock exhibits, fair food, magnificent midway and kids park, daily horse-racing, Stilt Circus, monster truck rides, freestyle motocross and live entertainment.

Although the California Counties building and the livestock barns are popular spots at the State Fair, other big draws include Aerospace Adventures, California Automobile Museum, Kangaroo Joey's Big Adventure and Insect Encounters.

Contact Susan Meeker at 458-2121 or smeeker@tcnpress.com.