Marin County Fair San Rafael, California

Division 33 Class 2 Theme Program GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE – CELEBRATING 75 YEARS

Our annual goal is to develop a fair theme and to create special programs, exhibits, and décor celebrating this theme. We want to tell an educational and entertaining story for fairgoers, and to invite and work with community agencies to bring the theme alive at the Fair. Our goal is to showcase the creativity and imagination of Marinites -- on stages, in exhibits and through competitions and contests. The Fair’s theme showcased one of the world’s most recognized icons, the Golden Gate Bridge – and was the kick-off celebration for the Bridge’s 75th Anniversary. The FAIR POSTER Marin County Fair is all about participation and sharing talents in the community’s most popular celebration. Creativity is encouraged and imagination is celebrated!

Following you will find some examples of what we did to integrate the Golden Gate Bridge – Celebrating 75 Years theme in the 2011 edition of the Marin County Fair.

Fair Art

Fair staff worked with Mez Design of Sausalito to create the Golden Gate Bridge themed artwork. The artwork featured the Golden Gate Bridge, fireworks, Marin County hills, and a Ferris wheel. This Fair art was used in over thirty ways, including the poster, print ads, presentation folders, name badges, website, awards, passes, programs, fairgrounds signage, Exhibitors’ Guide and Magazine covers, and various fair publications.

CELEBRATING THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE - ENTERTAINMENT + EDUCATION

Golden Gate Pavilion A 6,000 square foot Golden Gate Pavilion showcasing this engineering marvel was housed within the Exhibit Hall.

Golden Gate Bridge – The Story of an American Landmark – Showcase Theatre Historical films and documentaries, including the Building of the Golden Gate Bridge – The Story of an American Landmark, gave fairgoers an inside look at how Bethlehem Steel Corporation provided the steel for the iconic Bridge. The films were screened twice daily in the Showcase Theatre.

Meet the Golden Gate Bridge Workers Each afternoon fairgoers were able to meet bridge workers and learn more about what it is like to be an integral part of this magnificent structure.

The Golden Gate Bridge Transportation District Bus Stop This exhibit celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Bridge District’s Bus and Ferry fleet. Vintage buses, a clean diesel bus and a hybrid bus were all on display. Bridge patrol cars, maintenance vehicles, and an educational display about the Bridge’s alternative fuel program were included. Artist George Sumner painted the Golden Gate Bridge on a bus to celebrate the anniversary. Docents were on hand to answer questions about the Golden Gate Transit system.

Bridging the Pacific Origami Exhibit In celebration of the theme, the Fair presented a new exhibit ‘Bridging the Pacific,’ a collection of amazing origami models from Asia and the USA. A five-foot long origami Golden Gate Bridge was created especially for the exhibit.

Competitive Exhibits Program

Exhibits are the “heart and soul” of the county fair. The Marin County Fair features over 13,000 exhibits and over 5,400 participants. Recycled walls, energy efficient lighting, and reusable table skirting were all used in exhibit display. In addition to incorporating the theme in all of the existing exhibit departments, Fair staff created the following special Golden Gate Bridge themed competitions --

• Build a Bridge • Bus and Ferry Art • Golden Gate Decorated Kites • Golden Gate Pennants • Golden Gate Bridge Videos • Golden Gate Bridge Snapshots • Origami Bridges

• Golden Gate Bridge Regatta • Decorated Golden Gate Bridge Cookies • Golden Gate Bridge Haiku Poetry • Golden Gate Bridge Quilts • Golden Gate 1 K Fun Run • Bridging Cuisines • Bridging Fabrics

Master Gardeners Sustainability – Our Bridge to the Future The Marin Master Gardeners presented four beautiful demonstration gardens illustrating sustainable gardening practices - bridging the future, which included Golden Gate Bridge art.

Golden Gate Bridge Fine Art and Photography Over 225 Golden Gate Bridge themed entries in Adult Fine Art and Photography were showcased.

Results ~

Celebrating our 2011 Golden Gate Bridge’s 75th Anniversary theme, fairgoers of all ages delighted in the many fantastic Bridge-Related events.

The exciting and engaging theme was incorporated throughout the Fair’s design elements, publicity and marketing materials, collateral materials, special events, contests and competitive exhibits. Examples of many of these are presented in this report.

Both adult and junior exhibitors showcased their award-winning Golden Gate Bridge themed entries.

Through the Golden Gate Bridge theme the Fair showcased Marin's many diverse talents and products in an innovative way that captured the interest and the imagination of young and old alike.

The Marin County Fair once again “raised the bar” for ways a fair can celebrate a world icon. GOLDEN GATE PAVILION SPECIAL FOOD CONTESTS FLORAL ARTS GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE ART & PHOTOGRAPHY ART CHAIRS FAMILY ART ON THE SPOT COMPETIITON

SPECIAL FAIR FLYERS MAGAZINE FEATURES

FAIR STATIONERY

OFFICIAL FAIR PROGRAM

MAGAZINE COVER

PRINT ADVERTISEMENTS

STAFF BADGES

PARKING AND ADMISSION CREDENTIALS EXHIBITORS’ GUIDE COVER