THE CAL CAM FAIR ASSOCIATION WAS EST IN 1922

Newspapers articles cite that the Cal Cam Fair was founded in 1922-23 in Lake Charles and that it moved to Sulphur in 1924 by Dr. Alvan LaFargue. In 1924 he formed the Cal Cam Fair Board and his wife, Florestine Richard LaFarge, was the board secretary. He served as Cal Cam Board President for many years. In addition, he was the founding president of the Louisiana Association of Fairs and Festivals (LAFF) in 1932. He served as president of LAFF from 1932-34 and again in 1949.

The original Cal Cam Fair Board consisted of 6 members with 2 officers until 1939 when it increased to 11 members with 5 officers. Some long-term board members have been Margarite Johnson, Wilridge Doucet, Lillian Karr and Bubba Domingue. The late Jan Nelson was the Fair Board secretary for many years as well and probably knows more about the fair as any other person around.

The Fair has had several homes throughout the years. When it first moved to Sulphur it was held on the main street of the city, Huntington. For the next five years, the fair was held in tents that moved to various locations throughout the city. The first permanent site for the fair was the rodeo arena on Willow Street where the fair was held yearly except for 1941 and 1942. The building on the fairgrounds was used to house German prisoners in World II, which prompted the cancellation of the fair. Once the fair moved off this location the building was donated to Sulphur High School for its FFA programs and later this site became the Sulphur 9 th grade Campus. The second permanent home was found in 1949 on Highway 27 which is the location many people think of when they hear “Cal Cam Fair”. The fair spent 64 years on Highway 27 before the maintenance required on all the buildings prompted the board to make the difficult decision to move the fair to it’s third, and hopefully final, permanent spot at the West Cal Arena in 2014. This was the fair’s 90th anniversary in West Calcasieu.

The original bi-parish fair was designed with farmers in mind. Area farmers had booths displaying crops and various farming implements were exhibited. Livestock and local products such as jams, jellies, and clothing were also on display.

Students in the bi parish area can compete in poster and essay contests for cash prizes. Winners advance to the state level competition held at the Louisiana Association of Fairs and Festivals (LAFF). Cal Cam gives scholarships out to the showmanship winners in the livestock competition in each of the four divisions-swine, sheep, goat and cattle.

Miss Cal Cam Queen also receives a scholarship at the end of her reign. Our Miss Queen is awarded a trip to the Queen of Queens pageant which is held at the Louisiana Association of Fairs and Festivals in Baton Rouge each year. The Miss Cal Cam Queen elected in odd numbered years is also awarded a trip to Washington, DC to attend the Mardi Gras Ball in the early spring after her election. Covid caused the cancellation of the 2022 ball that 2021 queen would have attended so the organizers changed attendance to even number year queens to allow the 2021 queens to attend the 2023 ball. From 2023 on, reigning queens will attend the ball if it is an odd numbered year in the spring.

The fair added a bullfight to the lineup of entertainment in 2018 and it is back by popular demand for Saturday night of the fair each year.

In 2019 the “Cal Cam's Got Talent” contest was added, which is a signing competition featuring local talent. 2022 will see the addition of junior level steer riding. As always, area 4H and FFA students can exhibit hogs, sheep, goats, and cattle at the fair. Various bands are always slated to entertain the crowd at least one night, as are local gospel singers.

New to the arena, in 2025 local cheer and dance teams were invited to perform.