Placer County Nabs Awards at California State Fair

Winners of the 2013 County Exhibits Competition

Placer County’s exhibit at the California State Fair received a Gold Award and two major technical awards during an opening-day ceremony announcing the winners of the 2013 County Exhibits Competition.

The awards recognize Placer County for the best use of special effects and animation and for having the best professionally built exhibit.

This year, each participating county received a Gold Award or Silver Award for its exhibit.

The theme of Placer County’s exhibit this year is “Fun, Family, Food and Film.” The exhibit features several vignettes that use animated characters, special effects and colorful detail to give fairgoers an idea of Placer County’s scenic beauty and the many historical, recreational, arts and agricultural attractions it offers both tourists and filmmakers looking for out-of-the-ordinary backdrops for movies, television shows and commercials.  

The vignettes feature small movie cameras and animated cinematographers who shoot live digital footage of fairgoers and project it on small screens framed by movie slates and clapboards. 

“Hollywood has been attracted to Placer County since the 1920s, for the same reasons our visitors enjoy coming here,” explained Director Beverly Lewis of the Placer-Lake Tahoe Film Office in a presentation to judges.  “These films have showcased many of our unique and breathtaking locations.”

She told judges she often hears from filmmakers who return to Placer County with their families to ski, kayak, hike, take in art studio tours or attend events such as the Mountain Mandarin Festival. “Next time you’re heading up I-80 to Tahoe, I hope you can picture yourself here like so many others have before you,” she said. “Clearly, you do not have to be a movie star to enjoy yourself in Placer County!”

During her presentation, Lewis noted that “XXX,” a PG-rated action movie that is one of the most recent movies filmed in Placer County, had actor Vin Diesel in a Corvette plummeting 720 feet from the Foresthill Bridge. A mock-up of the Corvette is featured in the exhibit. She also reported that Charlie Chaplin came to Placer County in 1924 to shoot part of his film “The Gold Rush!” at Sugar Bowl.

Each year, many of California’s counties create exhibits for display in the State Fair’s California Building, which also is known as Building A.  Placer County sponsors an exhibit to promote its many recreational, historical and other attractions to fair visitors.

This year’ exhibit is a joint project by the Placer County Office of Economic Development, Placer County Visitors Bureau and Richard Bay, a professional exhibit builder.

The California State Fair is scheduled to run through Sunday, July 28 at Cal Expo in Sacramento.