Mother Lode Fair Attendance Up, Livestock Auction Results

Published Jul 7, 2026 3:20 pm

Rodeo attendance at 2026 Mother Lode Fair - Photo by Jason Banks

Sonora, CA — The Mother Lode Fair saw a bump in attendance this year, according to the initial figures compiled by Fair CEO Kim Helmbold.

She says around 13,000 people passed through the gates between Thursday and Sunday, up by about 2,000 from last year. This year’s event fell on the Independence Day holiday weekend, and there were special exhibits recognizing longtime local leaders and Veterans. The temperatures were also milder than in some recent years. In addition, there was a rodeo this year, which drew a strong crowd on Friday evening. Other grandstand events drawing notable crowds were the truck and tractor pulls (Saturday) and the Destruction Derby (Sunday). New this year, the fair opened earlier in the day, at 9 am, allowing more flexibility for people to attend.

The Junior Livestock Auction receipts, while still strong, were down from 2025. Saturday’s auction raised $857,058, compared to over $900,000 last year.

Other highlights included Joy Hattendorf being the youth winner of Friday’s Hometown Voice competition on the main stage, and Jorge Wario winning the adult competition. Hattendorf performed an acapella version of “House of the Rising Sun,” and Wario sang “Feeling Good.”

Click here to view an earlier story showcasing the Veterans exhibit.

This year’s theme was “Heritage, Honor, and Hometown Fun.”

Click on the image box to view several photos of this year’s fair.