SEE VIDEO OF THE 2008 WINNER GUS HERE World's Ugliest Dog Contest 

From chef demonstrations to destruction derbies, from wine tasting to wrestling to the World's Ugliest Dog Contest the Sonoma-Marin Fair in Petaluma offers all sorts of events for all types of tastes. But the signature event of the Sonoma-Marin Fair has got to be the World’s Ugliest Dog Contest. It started off as a lark and it grew into a…well, it grew into a big lark. It’s still the zany, silly un-dog show it always was. It’s just that nowadays, the national media covers the small-town event and competitors travel from across the United States for a chance at the prize. Obviously, the $1,000 purse is not what motivates this competition. Instead, it’s simply the glory of proving that your pooch is the ugliest beast in the world. And you know how that is…when they’re that ugly they’re cute.

The rest of the celebration is your usual county fair with the requisite agricultural displays and competitions, carnival rides, entertainment and fair food. Being in wine country, it does have a greater emphasis on food and wine. And this year (2008) there’s going to be a Petaluma Celebrity Feud in which generations of Petalumans will compete in a mock game show and answer questions about Petaluma's history. In general, this event is geared toward locals rather than tourists. But, personally, I like going to hometown fairs like this when I’m a tourist, because they give you a great insight into the community. And, if you visit the Sonoma-Marin Fair you might just get a glimpse of the sense of pride—and wackiness—that locals here hold dear.