GRASS VALLEY, Calif., August 12, 2026 – A pocket-sized fair guide, “Blue Ribbons and Fair Traditions,” says it all. This year’s theme came from more than 400 community suggestions on social media.
“We really saw how many traditions the community has at the fair,” said Nevada County Fairgrounds CEO Andrew Trygg. This year’s fair is expected to attract 100,000 visitors, Wednesday, Aug. 12 – Sun. Aug. 16.
Shortly before the gates opened to the public on Opening Day of the Nevada County Fair, local dignitaries arrived for breakfast.
Families sat on log benches awaiting the Opening Ceremony, enjoying sandwiches and coffee while NID board members mingled with City Mayors, County Supervisors and other officials.
Sourcing local ingredients and supporting local farms was an important factor in planning this year’s meal, said Rose Robertson, Co-owner of Comedor, the restaurant based in Grass Valley that catered the gathering. The breakfast featured coffee roasted by Outer Heaven Espresso, ham from Fowler Ranch and 270 eggs from Back to Basics Farm. Comedor’s baker Mael Sherman made all the English muffins from scratch.
“We take a lot of pride in sourcing local food, and we source from some really awesome farms. The more local it is, the more in season it is, which adds to the flavor,” said Robertson. YubaNet is a proud sponsor of the Opening Ceremony breakfast and Nevada County Fair.
Dressed in a denim dress and sparkly pink boots, Christi Colombo was excited to sing the “Star Spangled Banner” during opening ceremonies, her fourth year singing at the fair. She grew up in Las Vegas and has a soft spot for the Nevada County Fair since moving here a few years back.
“It’s so sweet. It’s so local and has such a small town vibe,” said Colombo. Besides her career as an entertainer and theater director, she’s a mom of two and raises dairy cows. Her daughter, age 8, was getting ready to perform the same day on the dance pad at the fairgrounds with Gold Country Gymnastics.
A steady beat from the Nevada Union High School marching band signaled the beginning of the ceremony, and all eyes turned to Andrew Trygg as he made his way up to the stage.
“Welcome to California’s most beautiful fairgrounds,” he said as he introduced the Nevada County Sheriff’s Honor Guard on behalf of Sheriff Shannan Moon to “present the colors.”
Audience members lowered their hats to their hearts as Colombo sang, “America the Beautiful.”
“It just sends chills down our spines every time,” said Trygg.
Throughout the event, Trygg thanked the 63 community partners who made the fair possible and announced annual awards for youth, volunteers, this year’s Fair Family and the Nevada County Fair Hall of Fame Award to Tom Browning, President of the Nevada County Fair Board.
Browning is a 6th-generation Nevada County resident who started showing livestock at age 10. He first joined the fair board two decades ago.
“I wanted to represent youth and the kids who are going to be our future,” he said. Today his grandchildren, eighth-generation Nevada County residents, are carrying on his agricultural legacy by showing animals at the fair.
As the public lined up at Gate 1 full of anticipation for a day of rides, animals, fair food and more, a bugle began to play. The Boy Scouts and Eagle Scouts from Troop 24 saluted the American flag as it rose and fluttered above the crowd. People placed hands over hearts as Colombo sang the National Anthem and three planes flew in unison overhead.
About the Award Winners
This year’s Nevada County Fair Family of the Year recipients are the Meredith Tellam-Harvey Family. Each year, a family is recognized for outstanding contributions to the fair and the community, highlighting dedication, volunteerism and involvement. Meredith, a lifelong Nevada County resident who loves to take her grandchildren to the fair on “grandma day,” was joined on the stage with a dozen members of her family, including two babies in arms and Aunt Shirley, a familiar face at Humpty Dumpty restaurant for the past 50 years.
John Fisher is the 2026 recipient of the Western Fairs Association Blue Ribbon Award.
The youth recipients of the Nevada County Fairgrounds Foundation’s 2026 Scholarship Program are: Dakota Graham, Owen Mello and James Strong. Three scholarships are awarded annually to “outstanding graduating seniors who have demonstrated dedication to agriculture, education and community involvement through the Nevada County Fair.”
Dakota Graham, a graduate of Bear River High School and has exhibited cattle at the fair for the past nine years. She plans to attend Sierra College for two years before transferring to Iowa State University where she intends to major in Agricultural Education.
Owen Mello, a recent graduate of Nevada Union High School has been involved with FFA for many years. This fall, he will attend Montana State University, where he plans to major in Agricultural Education.
James Strong is a graduate of Bear River High School and this fall will attend Montana State University City College, where he plans to major in Welding and Fabrication.