Country Fair continues tradition

The 27th annual Country Fair in Sisters, a community fundraiser project of Church of the Transfiguration, delighted hundreds of attendees Saturday in near perfect weather. The cool, sunny day motivated fairgoers to gobble up old-fashioned goodies ranging from jams, preserves, and jellies to cookies and pies to pulled pork and chili.

"And, of course, their amazing Marionberry cobbler," said Mary Gillespie from Cloverdale, a regular fair-goer.

She comes primarily for the books, the hundreds donated for the event and which patrons haul out in large bundles, even one pulling a wagon stuffed with "a year's worth of reading."

"But it's the cobbler that gets me here even before the doors open," said Paige Lawrence from Camp Sherman. Church members, dozens in all, run the entire affair baking and cooking and canning, making up gift baskets, and setting up tents, games, and music.

Some two dozen baskets were raffled off. The assortment appealed to every taste and fashion from fine wines to Lancôme cosmetics. From home accessories to sporting swag. The baskets were arrayed indoors while everything else transpired in the abundant shade of the church lawns.

Photo by Bill Bartlett

Families enjoyed the downhome fun of the Sisters Country Fair.

Intermittent music played in the background, alternating between DJ Rodger Gabrielson, and the five-piece Jazz Folks ensemble. The vibe from the music and the crowd was mellow as folks sauntered among the cornucopia of tasty and fun activities.

Rigs from area fire departments were on hand for kids of all ages who could get a hands-on demonstration of the equipment.

Various games and live animal presentations for children dotted the closed off parking lot. Horses, full size and miniature, were a kids' favorite, especially Duncan, a 14-year-old wild mustang rescue from the Ochoco National Forest. Just the day before Duncan, on a trail ride, had fallen through a bridge, a dilapidated structure not obvious to the rider.

Both horse and rider escaped without injury.

"It's the pulled pork for us," said Jim and Gloria Naylor. "It's just that good," Jim said as he settled in on his third slider.

Photo by Bill Bartlett

Animals are the favorite attraction at the Country Fair.

There was a fly-tying demonstration, with onlookers and the curious chatting away as Roger Fairfield and Chuck Christopher explained techniques.

As much fun as it all was, there is a serious side to the event. All the income is given back to the community in a series of grants. After this year's tally it will be some $350,000 that Country Fair has raised and disbursed to a wide range of community needs.