The Butte County Fair was once home to the Sportsman Expo, highlighted in this commemorative poster from 1992. The poster is displayed near taxidermy animals at the museum, reflecting the waterfowl and larger game featured in the expo.

 

GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) - The Gridley Museum is hosting a temporary display featuring images and memorabilia from the Butte County Fair throughout the years.

In its newsletter, “Museum Musings,” the museum features an excerpt from the Oroville Mercury dated Sept. 13, 1946, describing the opening of the Butte County Fair.

“Thousands of spectators lined the sidewalks last night to watch the opening parade of horses, floats and features at the Butte County Fair, which began Thursday morning,” a portion of the excerpt reads.

Newspaper articles displayed as part of the Gridley Museum’s temporary Butte County Fair exhibit offer a glimpse into the fair’s history, including when Gridley was selected to host the event and the year the fair was nearly canceled.

Throughout the 79-year history of the Butte County Fair, various events have fallen away from its schedule, including a local parade held in Gridley on opening day.

The Gridley Museum currently has commemorative posters on display, a hallmark of the fair for years, with each depicting that year’s fair theme. Newspaper articles also highlight significant moments in the fair’s history.

The museum archives also include a selection of fair pamphlets and a variety of images from the fair over the years.

The Gridley Museum is located at 601 Kentucky St., Gridley, and is open Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

A bright, Western-themed image highlights the Butte County Fair’s 2006 theme, “County Traditions.”