Erik Estrada, star of the 70s television show, CHiPs, won’t be attending the Henry County Fall Artisan & Mercantile Market this weekend at the Cambridge Fairgrounds.
Estrada and Larry Wilcox, the iconic duo from the series that aired on NBC from 1977-1982, were scheduled to host several events throughout the weekend, including autograph signing and a breakfast on Sunday, but Estrada announced that health issues have restricted his traveling for several weeks. Estrada apologized for canceling and has agreed to appear at the Henry County Spring Artisan and Mercantile Market in April of next year.
In his place will be Robert Pine, who played Sgt. Joseph Getraer on the show. He will join Wilcox for a bowling event as well as the breakfast event.
The Henry County Fall Artisan & Mercantile Market will be September 30-Oct. 1 at the Henry County Fairgrounds in Cambridge. Wilcox will be at the fairgrounds Saturday 9am-4pm and Sunday 10am-2:30pm for autographs and photo opportunities. On both days, the event will have more than 80 vendors showcasing a variety of their products – antiques, vintage goods, handmade items, clothing boutiques, accessories, and direct sales consultants. There will be many food trucks, face painters, a caricature artist, and a balloon artist for additional entertainment.
Saturday, Sept. 30 at the fairgrounds, the replica cars from the nostalgic ‘70s movie American Graffiti will be showcased, courtesy of Jim and Neil Larson. There will also be a large car cruise-in and first responder demonstrations. Saturday evening, Wilcox and Pine will be bowling with fans at Arcadia Family Fun Center in Geneseo at 6pm. Tickets for this event can still be purchased on Eventbrite.com, or in person at Arcadia Family Fun Center.
Sunday morning, October 1, the day will start with the breakfast event with Wilcox and Pine at the fairgrounds from 8am-10am with breakfast being served by the Henry Co Pork Producers, followed by a question-and-answer segment about their time on CHiPs. Tickets are still available through Eventbrite.com or locally from a member of the FFA. Following breakfast, the Artisan & Mercantile Market starts back up at 10am with special events for children. There will be a petting zoo, pony rides, and a bounce house, courtesy of the Village of Cambridge.
Hours for the Henry Co Artisan & Mercantile Market are Saturday 9am-4pm and Sunday 10am-4pm (rain or shine). There is an entry fee of $5 per person, with kids under 10 free. Proceeds from the bowling and breakfast events with Erik Estrada and Larry Wilcox, as well as a portion of the proceeds from the show, will benefit the building fund for the Cambridge Ag Education Complex.
