12/13/2025
Wow! We are honored. Thank you everyone for your kind words. We couldn't do it without our crew(s) throughout the years.
Red and White Concessions Honored with 2026 Barham Award presented by Hot Dog on a Stick
The Western Fairs Association has announced Red & White Concessions—owned and operated by longtime fair favorites Dean and Liesel Williams—as the 2026 recipient of the prestigious Barham Award. The honor, established in recognition of Hot Dog on a Stick founder Dave Barham, celebrates innovation, leadership, and exceptional service in the fair industry. Few embody those values more completely than this Northern California power couple.
For nearly four decades, Dean and Liesel have defined what it means to be a true family-owned business. Their iconic red-and-white stands—famed for all-beef hand-dipped corn dogs, fresh-squeezed lemonade, and the beloved whipped fruit drinks once served from their vintage Orange Treat stand—have become must-visit stops for fairgoers across the West Coast. On any given day, you’ll find a member of the Williams family working the booth; if it’s not Dean or Liesel at the fryer, one of their eight children is lending a hand.
Fairgoers return year after year not only for the food, but for the warmth and tradition that define the Red & White experience. “They are what fairs should want more of, and the best of what the concession business should be,” one nominator wrote. Dean Williams’ imprint on the fair world spans more than 50 years. Dean worked summers in the 1960s for Alan Sheets in the original Orange Treet stand, crafting the iconic whipped fruit drinks that once dotted fairs across the state. Eventually, he purchased the stand and launched Red & White Concessions, bringing fresh, quality food and exceptional service to generations of fairgoers.
Liesel, who also grew up in the fair circuit, met Dean at the Amador County Fair in the 1980s. Friends first, they eventually built a life and a thriving business together, one that today operates multiple stands and travels to more than 25 fairs each year between Fresno and the California/Oregon border.
“Dean and Liesel have found the recipe for love and success,” one colleague wrote. “Their commitment to quality and their generosity toward others make them truly deserving of this honor.” Their dedication to fairs, to their community, and to the Western Fairs Association has made them role models throughout the industry.
As Red & White Concessions is named the awardee of the 2026 Barham Award presented by Hot Dog on a Stick, the fair community celebrates not only a business, but a family whose legacy has shaped the culture, flavor, and heart of fairs across the West for nearly half a century.
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You can celebrate their well deserved accomplishments at the WFA Industry Awards Dinner January 21st at the Western Fairs Association Convention & Trade Show in Reno, NV. Full details & tickets at the link in our bio.
