Athletic dogs and novel tasty treats are some of the newest attractions at this year’s Stanislaus County Fair, which remains open through the weekend.

Furry fun

High-flying Frisbee dogs perform at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. daily near the eastern entrance to the fair, just west of the CenCal Center Stage.

Show host J.D. Platt of Bend, Ore., said he has been around animals all his life. Platt has been directing performing-dog shows for 12 years. He has more than a dozen dogs, mostly animal-herding breeds, and said each has a different way of catching the flying disc, running obstacle courses and showing off for the audience.

His dogs have been featured on NBC Sports, “The Ellen Degeneres Show” and the reality show “America’s Top Dog.”

Platt’s first dog, Galaxy, is still part of the show at 12 years old, even if she’s a bit slower than the rest.

Platt’s touring partner, Josh Matzukas, who has been featured separately on Degeneres’ show, said he adores his dogs.

“My favorite part is the bond created between the dog and me,” Matzukas said. “It is beyond words.”

Other animals are featured at the fair, too.

Near the western entrance, the 4-H Farmyard Experience allows fairgoers to see how farm produce is made in Stanislaus County. The exhibit highlights dairy products, eggs, honey and wine, among other commodities.

A beehive display with live bees shows children how the insects produce honey, while a presentation shows hatching eggs teaches young visitors about farm life.

The farmyard exhibit also includes a petting zoo with pigs and piglets, cows and calves, chickens, rabbits and baby goats. Some fairgoers even get the chance to milk a goat.

Edible entertainment

Fairgoers looking for new tastes to experience are in luck.

The Chocolate Factory, run by Mike Monaghan of Turlock, is new to the fair this year and offers fresh fruits dipped in chocolate, cheesecake on a stick and even chocolate-dipped bacon. It can be found near the center of the fair, along with other food vendors.

Monaghan was surprised by the popularity of the chocolate bacon.

“We sold 15 pounds of bacon on the first day,” he said. “We’re definitely a specialty dessert, but we’re doing pretty good.”

Freshly made, high-end crepes are being sold for the first time at the Stanislaus County Fair, just east of the “Imagine the Food” exhibit.

Mike and Alena Gaba Chabi prepare the ultrathin pancakes to enfold breakfast and lunch fillings and make tempting desserts, including a cinnamon crepe.

“We recently visited Paris, where crepes are popular,” Alena Gaba Chabi said. “Our crepes compare favorably, and we’re proud to offer fresh crepes.”

The fair, which runs through Sunday, July 22, is open from 5 p.m. to midnight weekdays and from noon to midnight Saturday and Sunday at 900 N. Broadway, in Turlock.

• News reporter Nick Rappley can be reached at 892-6187, ext. 31, or nick@pattersonirrigator.com.