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• Photo by Mark Larson

It's time for Arcata's most colorful and well-attended community event — the North Country Fair, happening Sept. 15 and 16 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the Arcata Plaza (free). The theme for the event, now in its 45th year, is Resilience — "a nod to the current political environment and our unified strength to carry on." Forty-five years meets the 45th president. Carry on, indeed. Love is coming to us all.

Regardless of your political inclinations, a celebration is a celebration and none is better than the one the Same Old People have put on for more than four decades. The North Country Fair celebrates the fall equinox and diversity of the community. With its plentiful arts, crafts, food and information booths, kids activities, plush lawn performance area, three music and entertainment stages and two parades, the bounty is everywhere. And who doesn't love a parade? Don your feathers, scales, horns or fur (or all of the above) for the All Species Parade, striding around the plaza Saturday at 1 p.m. On Sunday, Samba da Alegria leads the always exciting, attendee-favorite Samba Parade at 1 p.m.

The festival is a zero-waste event. Organizers ask that you bring a reusable cup/bottle for your drinks (free raffle tickets are offered as incentives) and keep in mind that no water bottles are sold by any of the vendors. And while the event celebrates all species, our four-legged friends fare better away from the excitement. Please leave your pets at home.