Fair season debuts in Cloverdale

&‘&‘On your mark, get set, crawl!" said the announcer from the stage at the Citrus Fair in Cloverdale.

And so began the "Diaper Derby," where four wee babes set out in a crawling contest, squirming from the arms of one loving parent to another or, in some cases, peacefully staying put.

The competition took place Saturday at the 120th annual Cloverdale Citrus Fair, a local gathering that drew thousands of friends and neighbors to enjoy rides and exhibits made out of citrus and almonds on a springlike day.

At first, Drew Chau Cook, 11 months, lingered playfully while another contestant took a commanding lead. But then, inspiration struck.

"He got distracted in the beginning," said Cook's father, Robert Pham Cook, 40 of Cloverdale. "But once he got going he was quick."

Cook, who had no special training for the competition, won a trophy and a pack of diapers for his first place win. His father, who was raised in Cloverdale, has been coming to the Citrus Fair all his life. "We have deep roots here," he said.

Bonnie Wlodarczyk, CEO of the fair, estimated the event would draw 15,000 attendees through the Presidents Day holiday.

"It's fabulous. People are having a lot of fun with it," Wlodarczyk said.

In the tea room, Hilda Swartz, 77 of Santa Rosa, who manages the Sonoma Valley Certified Farmers Market, presided over the Gourmet Chef Show she organized while David Lagro of Dave's Seafood whipped up savory salmon cakes.

"I always make sure he brings a couple extra for me to have for dinner, because I very rarely get a bite here," Swartz said.

Nearby, vintners from Valdez Family Winery of Cloverdale and other regional wineries poured glasses of wine to taste.

Thousands of children and adults turned out Saturday to enjoy the parade, wearing feathered masks and beaded necklaces. Veterans rode classic motorcycles and cars down Cloverdale Boulevard, and a tow truck driver threw packages of candy to the crowd.

Taking in the fair from the comfort of his car, Bob Skelton, 90 recalled the first time he attended the Cloverdale Citrus Fair in 1947, when the Marine Corps veteran was taking photographs for the Redwood Empire Association.

"In the early days, they had much more elaborate displays at the Citrus Fair, and everything had to be done with oranges," said Skelton, who is a board member at the Cloverdale Historical Society. "It really was a joke, because they never had that much citrus."

"Oh, you've got to see the mule," said his wife, Judy, 74 as it strode by pulling two riders on a carriage. "You'll never see a mule like that."

A few paces away, their son, Clay Skelton, 59, took in the parade with his wife and his dog, Annie Oakley, a Brittany puppy named after the famous sharpshooter.

As dozens of horses paraded by, stomping as if performing a dance, the pup barked and jumped, Mardi Gras beads swaying around her collar.

"It's nice to see everyone out, your friends and the locals in the community," Clay Skelton said. "This is where the redwoods meet the grapes."

The fair runs through Monday.