83rd annual Bosque Farms Fair set for this weekend

BOSQUE FARMS — It’s August so you know what that means — the Bosque Farms Community Fair is coming your way this weekend, Aug. 5 and 6, and it will be a “toadaly” great time.

Festivities kick off at 3:30 p.m., Friday, Aug. 5, with an ice cream social at Cowboy Hall, 1040 Arena Road, followed by a hot dog fundraiser by the Bosque Farms Fire Department at 5 p.m..

The infamous toad races will be hopping off at 6:30 p.m.

Stick around until 7:30 p.m. and watch Kyle Fakhoury demonstrate the unique bond between sheep dog and herder, as his dogs move a flock with the power of the border collie “eye.”

Saturday will begin bright and early with the line up for the parade — Bosque Farms: Rooted in Our Community — starting at 7:30 a.m. at the corner of South Bosque Loop and Margaret Drive.

At 8:30 a.m., the parade will make its way north of West Bosque Loop, then east on North Bosque Loop, before ending at the Bosque Farms Rodeo Arena on Arena Road.

The parade’s grand marshals this year will be the Zamora family, owners of Benny’s, home of the eponymous and beloved Benny Burger. The restaurant was established 50 years ago by Benny Zamora Sr. when it was called Kountry Kitchen and served fried chicken.

A name and menu change brought the Benny Burger and the deep-fried burrito to the village, and Benny Zamora Jr. took the helm in 1994, with his son, Daniel Pio, waiting in the wings.

Over the years, the little home-town eatery has supported the community through donations to both Los Lunas and Valencia high schools, local Little League teams, the Bosque Farms Rodeo, FFA chapters and CHS cheerleading, to name a few.

The youngsters can dig for coins in the money pit at the fair, and new this year is pinto bean count. A jar of beans will be in the fair building and children 5 to 12 years old can make a guess of how many are in the jar for a prize.

Fair board member Ronita Wood said this year, 4-H exhibits are back, giving local youth a chance to “practice” showing their rabbits and chickens.

Wood said while the Bosque Farms Fair showing won’t qualify a participant for the New Mexico State Fair — that happens through the Valencia County Fair — it will be a great warm up for the county competition.

New Mexico Raptors, a Peralta nonprofit, will have a booth at the fair, where Laura McCann, who has federal and state permits to house non-releaseable birds for education purposes, will show fairgoers various raptors.

The 23rd annual car show will be on display from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 6, which is open to all cars, trucks, motorcycles and clubs for a $10 donation per vehicle.

“This is one of the oldest community fairs left in the country. It’s just a good place to come visit and meet your neighbors,” Wood said. “It’s very low key. There are lots of games for kids. It’s just a good family event.”

The fair overall isn’t a huge money maker for the organizers, she said.

“We make just enough to put it on next year, so we really appreciate the sponsors who advertise in our fair book. This is a good tradition to keep.”