RIO LINDA, CA (MPG) - If you’re looking for some free family fun on Saturday, September 16^th, look no further than the 10^th annual Rio Linda Elverta Country Faire. The fair has become a beloved tradition for many and continues to draw more visitors every year. In 2012, the Rio Linda Elverta Historical Society hosted a community-wide celebration in honor of Rio Linda’s centennial year. Over 1,500 people came, and they asked for the event to become a regular thing. Thus, the Rio Linda Elverta Country Faire was born in October 2013.

According to Cheryl Cook, Vendor Coordinator for the event, it has only gotten “bigger and better every year [since].”

Attendance at the fair is now estimated to be well over 5,000 people. Visitors come from all over Rio Linda, Elverta, North Highlands, Del Paso Heights, and the greater Sacramento region.  

Putting on the fair is no small feat. Keeping the Fun Zone free for all and paying for the entertainment, permits and rental fees, and necessary amenities runs around $40,000. To cover those costs, the Rio Linda Elverta Country Faire & Expo Planning Committee, which has met every month since January on the fourth Monday, is busy fundraising the entire year before the event, including hosting their own fireworks booth. It is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, strictly run by volunteers.

Charlea Moore, CEO, RLE Country Faire, says that “This is the premier event in Rio Linda.”

And it’s easy to see why, with a full menu of events, entertainment, and food for visitors of all ages to enjoy. The watermelon eating contest (at Klip Joint), horseshoe tournament, and pig races both start at 10:00 (with the “Catch a Greased Pig” contest occurring between heats), and from 11:00-5:00 free hay rides to the Fun Zone will be available. The Fun Zone will officially kick off with a shot from a pirate cannon at 11:00. Tractors will be on display throughout the day, and live animal showmanship events will take place from 9:00-4:30. Exposition exhibits will feature art, baking, and needlework as well. This year the Lions Club of Rio Linda will also be hosting free appointments with an optometrist at their Vision Van, parked near the Community Center.

Throughout the event, the 60+ vendors will be lined up along Front Street, selling everything from typical arts and crafts to one-of-a-kind jewelry, needlework, and carvings. This year’s fair will even feature a chainsaw carving exhibit. Bacon Mania, Happy Cow, and Richeese Burgers are just a few of the food trucks that will line up along Food Truck Alley on 7^th Street. The kids’ Fun Zone will feature face painting, bounce houses, taekwondo demonstrations and a rock climbing wall.

Breakfast and dinner are both available for $5.00 at the Community Center. Breakfast will be served from 8:00-11:00, and will be a pancake breakfast benefitting the Rio Linda Future Farmers of America. Dinner will be hosted by Girl Scouts Troop 1565 from 5:00-7:00, and you’ll be served spaghetti, green salad, and garlic bread.

In the evening, there will be a Barn Dance with live music from 6:00-9:00, as well as a beer garden at Rio Pub. While the adults get their boogie on, the younger attendees can enjoy a movie at the Community Center to end the night.

Everyone is invited to enjoy the free family fun at this year’s Rio Linda Elverta Country Faire from 8:00-9:00 on September 16^th at Depot Park, located at 6730 Front Street in Rio Linda.