The Caruthers District Fair is in full swing

CARUTHERS, Calif. (KFSN) -- Fried food, fun and rides are bringing thousands of people to one small Fresno County town.

Action News headed to the Caruthers District Fair to take a look at how there's a homestyle touch to the town's biggest event.

Teriyaki chicken is frying up at the Caruthers Full Gospel Assembly of God booth at the Caruthers District Fair.

The chicken is known for being the right combination of being sweet and crunchy.

"The teriyaki chicken is pretty famous and they've been doing that for 45 years. It's a secret recipe, they won't even give it to me," said church pastor Grant Pattillo.

During the fair, church workers will fry up thousands of pounds of chicken and make around 40,000 dollars from sales.

The money they'll reinvest in their ministries.

About a dozen different food booths are run by churches and non-profit organizations in the community who make homemade food you can't find every day.

The small town feel is what brings many people in.

"That's one of the attractions of people. It's old Home week, it's Americana at its best. I think it's something people yearn for," said the Caruthers District Fair President, Gary Wenter.

President Gary Wenter says the fair Started in 1923 as a celebration of harvest and this year is in its 89th year as a free admission fair, the largest in the state.

Agriculture is the backbone of the fair and the livestock pavilion is always bustling with kids showing their animals.

The fair is a community event and it runs in some people's blood like Kennedi Ronlake, this year's queen.

She sold the most raffle tickets for a car to win the crown.

"I sold 15,110 tickets. I was motivated because my aunt and my two cousins have won before and the first Fair queen ever was my great great aunt," said Kennedi Ronlake.

Kennedi gets to keep a portion of her sales and the rest goes back to the fair. Entrepreneurial lessons that are taught young.

Over at the food booths, handmade pieces of pie are displayed proudly.

From the lessons to the food, the fair is showing its sweet touch is something you can't replicate anywhere else.