As inland California sweltered in a triple-digit heat wave, folks on the coast glistened in above-average but still tolerable temperatures. But another wave hit Santa Cruz: surging traffic headed over Highway 17 toward the beaches. It’s not the heat, it’s the humanity.
This week, if you look at the five-day forecast on California Local’s Santa Cruz County Weather overview, temperatures are dropping back to a civilized 74 degrees—just in time for the Santa Cruz County Fair, billed this year as “a country fair with ocean air.” Running from Sept. 14-18, this annual event should ensure a steady flow of traffic heading south down Highway 1. If you’re going, check out the road conditions on our Santa Cruz County Traffic & Transportation overview.
Aside from cover bands, cotton candy and carnival rides, there are many pleasures to be found at the county fair—an American tradition that celebrates the spectrum of human endeavor, from the practical to the artistic. But at its heart, the county fair is tied to agriculture and animal husbandry, with copious displays of hens and rabbits, ripened tomatoes and enormous gourds, splashy dahlias and unblemished roses. It’s sheer delight for anyone who loves plants and animals.
