Around Del Norte: 20 feet to a new life

As theme deadline nears, a look back at past county fairs

Diana Tomasini at the Witches’ Hut, where she cut hair until hanging up her shears. Del Norte Triplicate / Laura Wiens

A hairstylist at various Crescent City locations since about the time Nixon resigned in the Watergate scandal, Diana is leaving the Witches’ Hut that she’s run at the back of Tomasini’s Enoteca for seven years and moving across the floor to run The Enchanted Florist inside the same building at 960 Third St.

“I always tell everybody I’ll see you on the other side,” Diana said.

That’s no deep philosophical statement, but recognition that the flower shop is within sight of the door leading to the barber chairs. Now flowers will be her full-time gig.

Diana’s daughter, Sacha, and Sacha’s husband, Zachary, run the restaurant well-known for its lunch and dinner fare, as well as its Trivia Night and live music.

The Witches’ Hut will live on, but Diana did her last haircutting Thursday. “I’m getting old,” she said in a bit of an exaggeration. “I stood on cement for a lot of years.”

Some pretty fair themes

In case you didn’t catch the little item in the March 2 Triplicate, the deadline is fast approaching for submitting ideas of the theme of this year’s 120th Del Norte County Fair. 

All theme suggestions need to be received by Friday at the fair office, 421 U.S. Hwy. 101 North, Crescent City, or by e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it   The submitter of the winning entry will receive four carnival wrist bands and four admissions.

In a burst of investigative journalism, I researched the fair themes from some recent years:

2012: Boots, Buckles and Barrels of Fun

2011: Over the Bridge and Through the Redwoods to the Del Norte County Fair

2009: Cowboy Boots and Country Roots

2008: Blue Jean Living and Country Giving

2007: Year of the Child

2006: Lighting the Way to the Del Norte County Fair

2005: We Have a Good Thing Growing

2004: Leap to the Future

2003: Wild Rivers

2002: Rock around the Stock

1998: Fair By the Sea

1997: Tales of Yesteryear

1994: A Fair to Remember

1986: We are the World

The first fair was held in Smith River in 1893. This year’s event will be Aug. 1-4 at the Del Norte County Fairgrounds.

So pony up those theme ideas, pardners! 

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 What’s going on with you or your local organization? The Around Del Norte column will share your news with Triplicate readers. E-mail your information and photos to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or send them by traditional mail to Laura Wiens, Neighbors Editor, Triplicate Newsroom, 312 H St., Crescent City, CA 95531.