Dashing around clutching yellow colored pamphlets, the children at Riverbank's Kids Health & Safety Fair seemed more set on getting their "passports" stamped for a chance at winning a bicycle than in actually looking at the exhibits.
But there were an extraordinary variety of interesting booths and things to see at Wednesday's second annual fair held in conjunction with the Farmer's Market at Community Center Park.
There was Sheriff's Deputy Scott Criswell of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team showing overawed Boy Scouts a 12 gauge shotgun, M-4 assault rifle and .308 caliber sniper's gun as used by the emergency response team.
Nearby Barry Ballance of the bomb squad was showing off some grenades, bombs and shells and explaining why a modern, spherical grenade explodes with far more lethal effect than the pineapple-shaped grenade of World War II.
Riverbank motorbike cop Gary Vernon was hauling small children onto the broad saddle of his bike and startling everyone around by having the kids turn on the flashing lights and braying sirens.
Deputy Lloyd Mackinnon and his police dog named Fons entertained the crowd by running down "the bad guy" Ballance and having Fons "tear off his arm" (actually a protective but removable sleeve).
But there were an extraordinary variety of interesting booths and things to see at Wednesday's second annual fair held in conjunction with the Farmer's Market at Community Center Park.
There was Sheriff's Deputy Scott Criswell of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team showing overawed Boy Scouts a 12 gauge shotgun, M-4 assault rifle and .308 caliber sniper's gun as used by the emergency response team.
Nearby Barry Ballance of the bomb squad was showing off some grenades, bombs and shells and explaining why a modern, spherical grenade explodes with far more lethal effect than the pineapple-shaped grenade of World War II.
Riverbank motorbike cop Gary Vernon was hauling small children onto the broad saddle of his bike and startling everyone around by having the kids turn on the flashing lights and braying sirens.
Deputy Lloyd Mackinnon and his police dog named Fons entertained the crowd by running down "the bad guy" Ballance and having Fons "tear off his arm" (actually a protective but removable sleeve).
