Galt Festival, a backward glance and today

Each year, as summer approaches, plans are made for the Galt Community Festival, (sometimes known as the Galt Street Fair) an annual tradition in our area since the days of the Sacramento County Fair. We once housed the County Fair in Galt on the area now known as Fairsite School, Chabolla Park, and the Tony Gora Pool. It also encompassed all of the open-air market area and the land north of there to C street.

Since the County Fair was moved to Sacramento, Galt has continued to keep the country fair tradition as part of our special rural ambiance. After all, aren’t we "The City with a Country Heart"? It seems fitting, therefore, that a fair of some kind should be one of our annual events.

Here are some highlights from the 1970 Galt Festival. See any changes?

Grand Marshall for the parade was Timothy Corcoran, Consul General of Ireland, from San Francisco.

Local artists were encouraged to enter works in oil, water color, or sculpture at the Galt Library, where the art show was held under the chairmanship of head librarian, Phillip Loring.

The Grange ladies prepared a Western Breakfast from 7 to 11 a.m. Sunday morning at the Grange Hall at 5th and D St.

4H exhibits were entered by Galt Dry Creek, Alta Mesa, Franklin, Herald, John Howell, Sheldon, Wilton, Oak View, and Galt. Items exhibited included foods, sewing, vegetable gardens, electricity, wood working, and food preservation.

Flowers and flower arrangements were entered in the competition in the Produce Building on the fairgrounds. (now the site of the Chabolla Center)

Greetings from local businesses were included in the Festival Program. They included best wishes from Mar Val Food Stores, Commodore Mobile Homes, Galt Theater, Spaans Family Bakery, A & W Root Beer, Farmets & Merchants Bank, Bob McGeary Chevrolet, Glat Realgy, Dry Creek Ranch Golf Club, Diamond Nation Corp, Cherokee Bowl, Gene Kenefich Realtor, Eric Speiss Realty, Jack Guthrie Real Estate, Linclon Way Barber Shop, TheSunshine Café, Henderson Garage, Nickels Auto, Galt Bakery, Galt Chevron, Curve Service Station, Ed’s Seaside Service, Galt Pharmach, The Pizza Palace, Didde’s Plumbing & Electric, Robinson’s Feed Stores, Shopping Kart, Schauer’s Builders Supply, and Stop-N-Shop Center.

Although some businesses are no longer in existence, and some of the activities have changed, still the local country fair is a welcome event each year for those who enjoy the country atmosphere.