Let’s celebrate the abundance of the Applegate Valley!
The Applegate Valley may be split across two separate counties—Jackson and Josephine—but residents feel united by their shared watershed and rural lifestyle. So, when Megan Fehrman came across the idea of “Jacksaphine County” she knew the mash-up was perfect for the local fundraiser she was involved in planning. Voilà! The idea for the Jacksaphine Count(r)y Fair was born.
Fehrman is the Co-Executive Director for A Greater Applegate (AGA), our local community building nonprofit. The organization is largely funded by grants, but AGA is looking to spark an annual event to supplement its budget with more community donations.
In that spirit, the first Jacksaphine Count(r)y will be held on September 16th from 2:00-8 p.m. in Applegate. The family-friendly event will celebrate the abundance of the Applegate Valley with live music featuring national touring musicians Jay Cobb Anderson & Taylor Kingman and local acts Pony, Cut A Rug & The Disco Queens, the Jacksaphine Band, and Geri Littlejohn. There will also be a pop-up local art gallery, games, local food and drink, a kids tent and an auction.
And not to be missed: A pie contest judged by county commissioner Dave Dotterer, local food writer Sarah Lemon, and former Mail Tribune reporter Paul Fattig—along with some other local celebrities.
The fair will be great entertainment, but it’s also to raise money to continue the organization’s mission to promote “the environmental, economic, and social vitality of the Applegate Valley.”
“Our rural community is so spread out that it can be hard to unify and advocate for ourselves,” says Fehrman. “If we want to come together to do something, it’s on us to make it happen.”
That “something” is the Applegate Valley Vision. The Vision is a 96-page document that details strategies for maintaining and improving the quality of rural life in the Applegate Valley. It’s also the culmination of dozens of listening sessions conducted throughout the Applegate Valley in 2019-2021. The Vision addresses issues related to local transportation, business, education, farming, fire safety, access to arts and more.
The Jacksaphine Count(r)y Fair will coincide with the one-year anniversary of the Applegate Vision release.
The Applegate Valley has a history of hosting fairs, events like Apple Jam and Applegate Valley Days. It also once had The Ruch Barter Fair, which stirred up some contention. Fehrman wants the Jacksaphine Count(r)y Fair to promote unity. Even the planning has brought people together with the AGA staff, board, and community volunteers all lending a hand.
“This is Place-Making at its best,” Fehrman says.
The term “Jacksaphine” was coined by Grants Pass resident Ernest Adam. His band (also called “Jacksaphine”) will be playing at the event. According to Ernest, “Everyone who lives in Jackson and Josephine is in one county: Jacksaphine. That’s the bottom line. And everyone gets along.”
Buy tickets here.
Contact information: Megan Fehrman at A Greater Applegate: 541-702-2108
