GRAND TERRACE - Old-fashioned community was the unofficial theme at the Grand Terrace Country Fair on Saturday, as groups from throughout the city met to sell their wares and enjoy each other's foods and company.

Thirty-two booths registered to sell or give away items from seeds to books, according to organizer Ann Petta.

Petta has had a hand in putting on the fair for the past 29 years, since her husband Tony Petta served as the city's first mayor.

She emphasized that many other people worked very hard to put together the event, from the sponsors - the Historical and Cultural Activities Committee - to local Boy Scouts.

"Grand Terrace is a community where people want to help," she said. "This is a popular event because it displays the talents (residents) have and brings this community together."

Some of those talents included cooking chili, salsa, cake, pies and jelly. Food was then judged by representatives of five Grand Terrace organizations.

Professional craft-makers - all working out of Grand Terrace homes - hawked their wares.

Also, the Foundation of Grand Terrace sold pictures from less-developed artists - "happy dogs of Grand Terrace," created by 39 children to raise money for a dog park in the city.

Those drawings, most from Grand Terrace Child's Care, were compiled into a calendar available at the fair.

The prices at most booths were great, said resident B.J. d'Escalis, but that isn't what's drawn her to the fair nearly each of the last 15 years.

"My daughter and I come because it's always fun to come to a wonderful event like this and run into your neighbors," d'Escalis said. "It's nice to see people getting together, and I hope it continues."

Another organizer, Pauline Grant, agreed the event was successful.

"We didn't have quite as many people (as last year), but all in all it went well," Grant said. "It was good to see neighbors, and the weather was beautiful. It turned out great."