Vacation Ferndale!

Ferndale's County Fair

This is the biggest event in Ferndale, lasting a full ten days, and offering the widest variety of fun and activities.  Whether you are a kid, a farmer, a horse-racing enthusiast, a teen (for the most daring rides), an animal lover, or just anyone, you will find all kinds of activities to entertain you.

You will see all kinds of animals, from cows to fluffy chickens, rabbits, all breeds of beautiful goats and sheep, all vying for that blue ribbon.

There is a wide variety of handcrafts, all beautifully displayed, plus delectable baked goods and preserves.

The horse races are renowned, and you can try your luck at choosing the winner.

And, then, there's the carnival, with all the rides, and booths where you can test your skill and win a stuffed animal or a goldfish.

This is something all kids should experience - they are in heaven.  But, the adults love it too with the races, music performances, food booths and so much more.

So, come to the Fair in August 7-17, 2008.  For more information go to:  www.vacationferndale.com/Thefair.html        

Fourth of July in Ferndale

The Fourth of July brings many festivities to Ferndale, including a barbecue, a parade down Main Street, and, best of all, a magnificent fireworks display that is held at the Fairgrounds.  The Bear River Casino puts on the display which is free to community.

At Morningstar Vacation Rental you have a front row seat.  The fireworks display is only a half block away, and you don't even have to leave the property to enjoy the spectacle.

www.vacationferndale.com.   

Ferndale's Farmers Market

Here in Ferndale, we have our own Farmers Market during the summer months.  At the market you can buy wonderful fresh produce, all grown locally.

There are booths that sell plants and flowers, and the growers are more than willing to chat and offer all kinds of helpful advice about their plants and how to use them in your garden.

For a really special treat, and one that is unique, you can watch a demonstration of hand spinning given by Jamie Cohoon of She Spins for Ewe.  She spins beautiful yarns out of all kinds of fibers, including angora, wool and silk, and can even spin yarns of dog and cat hair.

Here is a small example of the beautiful yarn she spins and sells.  There are many others.

So, don't miss our market on Saturday mornings on Main Street.  You are sure to find something to take home with you, and you'll really enjoy chatting to the local vendors.

www.vacationferndale.com.

Dog Show

Dog enthusiasts are very lucky in that Ferndale hosts two AKC dogs shows.  The first one in June is the conformation, obedience and rally show held at the Fairgrounds.  People come from far and wide to this important show, and the representation of breeds is excellent.  It is hosted by our local kennel club, the Lost Coast Kennel Club.  Three weeks later, in July, comes the agility trial, also an AKC event, hosted by Lost Coast Kennel Club.  In Ferndale we are blessed with cool weather this time of year, so the participants don't have to contend with 100 degree temperatures. 

You don't have to be a participant to enjoy walking around and looking at all the wonderful breeds, all groomed and primped for the big event.  The owners and handlers are very friendly, and will let you photograph their dogs and tell you all about the breed they love the most.  There are refreshment booths, and vendors with everything your dog could need.  It's a great outing for the family.

Many of the local bed and breakfast inns allow you to bring your dog with you, and pets are always welcome at the Morningstar Vacation Rental, where they can play in the half-acre back yard, all securely fenced for dogs.  www.vacationferndale.com. 

Kinetic Sculpture Race

The Memorial Day weekend in Ferndale sees one of the craziest events of the year.  The Kinetic Sculpture Race is for human-powered vehicles, and runs from Arcata, through Eureka, across the Humboldt Bay and through the sand dunes, ending down Main Street in Ferndale.

The artistic creativity and engineering ingenuity that goes into these bicycle-powered creations knows no bounds.  The machines have to be able to traverse not just paved roads, but be able to navigate the waters of the Humboldt Bay, then labor through the deep sand of the dunes west of Eureka, seen here below.

Each vehicle is accompanied by its support group, and the whole cavalcade is accompanied by hundreds of spectators, some of whom go the whole way with the team they support.  Below is the start in the Arcata Plaza.

Hundreds of people gather for the finish down Main Street in Ferndale to welcome the exhausted teams of competitors and congratulate the winner.  The creativity of the teams and their athletic abilities make them all winners!!

So, come to Ferndale in May to enjoy this wild and crazy event.  You won't find another like it.  Bring your children and your pets, and stay with us at Morningstar:  www.vacationferndale.com. 

The Victorian Village

In these stressful times, where lives are rushed and demands are many, it can be difficult to imagine that there still exists a different way of living.  Ferndale, California not only harkens back to an era that was more relaxed, an era where work and community were one, but shows that this can continue today.  For Ferndale is not just a pretty face, with its renowned historic Victorian architecture, it is a working village centered around dairy farming, farmed the way it used to be by families who have lived here for generations, who care about their farms and their community.

The architecture of Ferndale is pure Victorian, not just on Main Street, where you can see the most elaborate examples of Victorian gingerbread, but the entire  area is Victorian, including the working farmhouses. And, Ferndale residents take great pride in their homes and farms, set in this lovely valley with the Eel River running through.  You couldn't find a more beautiful setting, the river winding its way through the valley, the King Range rising to the south, and the long sweep of the Centerville Beach defining the western limits of the valley.

Soaking up the beauty of the area isn't the only thing to do in Ferndale. The village offers a wide variety of activities, some centered around the County Fairgrounds, where you can attend the County Fair in August, or watch demonstration by blacksmiths at the Blacksmiths Convention.  The Lost Coast Kennel Club hosts two dogs shows, one conformation and obedience, and another agility trial.  The town boasts a repertory theater, and at Christmas there is the famous tree lighting ceremony, with the lighting of the tallest living Christmas tree.  The renowned Ferndale Community Choir gives performances at Christmas and Easter that shouldn't be missed.   For a complete listing of local activities, go to:  www.humboldt1.com/chamber/events.htm

In addition to the events in town and at the Fairgrounds, you can hike on the Centerville Beach, a short drive from downtown.  There you can take your dog, and hike all day, if you wish.  The redwoods are not far away, and a short drive will bring you to the Avenue of the Giants, where you can see the biggest trees on earth.  Hiking trails abound in Humboldt Redwoods State Park, and you can swim at Swimmers Delight on the Van Duzen River on Highway 36.

Go north to Eureka, where you will find a wide variety of restaurants.  You can visit the Clarke Museum there and see one of the most magnificent displays of Yurok baskets anywhere.  Some of the most beautiful beaches in the world can be found north of Ferndale - Moonstone Beach, Agate Beach, Big Lagoon and Clam Beach.  Dogs are welcome at most beaches.

Whether you love the outdoors, or want the amenities and cultural events of the town, you will find it all in Ferndale.  To make your vacation complete, stay at the Morningstar Vacation Rental in Ferndale, www.vacationferndale.com.  This lovely farmhouse, with its beautiful gardens, will welcome you and your family.  You can even bring your dog.