Being almost 20 years, countless hits and a heavily publicized meltdown removed from her early days as the pop princess nearly every girl in America wanted to be, it's easy to forget that Britney Spears would have once performed in venues smaller than a stadium.

But like The Beatles at The Cavern Club, Spears had to start somewhere. And on July 27, 1999, just as her "Baby One More Time" star was reaching its crest, that somewhere was the Washington County Fair.

Spears was about halfway into her first headlining tour, presumably booked before she turned everyone under the age of 18 into a fanatic with her signature vocal fry and too-cool scrunchies. "(You Drive Me) Crazy" had just hit the charts, and controversy over her revealing first Rolling Stone cover was still hot.

About 5,000 fans shelled out $24 and waited in line for five hours to see Spears at the fair, according to a review of the show written by Devan Lund for The Oregonian. No shortage of them were "Britney look-alikes, decked out in pink halter tops, tight jeans, crimped hair and body glitter," Lund wrote. What style.

After getting the crowd going with "(You Drive Me) Crazy," Spears tipped her proverbial rhinestone-encrusted hat to her pop forebears, diving into Madonna's "Material Girl" and Janet Jackson cuts "Black Cat" and "Nasty." And of course, she closed the set with "Baby One More Time," sealing her place in the hearts of probably every person at that concert.

"I know that Spears is the center of a lot of speculation and ridicule because she is in the pop music genre," Lund wrote. "But I think she's going to drive us all 'Crazy' for a long time to come."

Spears is now regularly packing large-theater shows in Las Vegas, a long way from the Washington County Fair. But no level of superstardom can ever take away July 27, 1999.

The Washington County Fair comes to Hillsboro's Washington County Fairgrounds, 837 N.E. 34th Ave., July 28-31. Hours are 10 a.m.-11:59 p.m., and admission is free. Britney Spears isn't performing this year, but comedian Gabriel Iglesias and rising country star Brett Eldredge are. For more information on the fair's rides, rodeos, food and livestock, visit bigfairfun.com.

--Dillon Pilorget | dpilorget@oregonian.com

503-294-5927 | @dillonpilorget