Sneak peek at the 2024 San Diego County Fair

Excitement is in the air as we close in on the June 12^th opening day of the 2024 San Diego County Fair.

The Fair is the largest annual event in the county, with an attendance of nearly one million. Its origin dates all the way back to 1880, when “a group of San Diegans organized an agricultural fair to bring county farmers together to share ideas, see who had the best citrus fruit, who baked the best pie, and who had the fastest horse.” These days it is still an agricultural fair, but so much more.

The theme of this year’s Fair is LET’S GO RETRO — a blast from the past celebrating the fashion, music, pop culture, styles and fun of the ‘50s, ‘60s, ‘70s (with a John Travolta, Saturday Night Fever vibe), ‘80s and ‘90s.

Recently, the press was invited to the Del Mar Fairgrounds to experience a preview taste (quite literally!) of what will be at the San Diego County Fair. There were Fair food and beverages, performances by entertainers, previews of multicultural festivals, farm animals, exhibits and displays, and more.

Be sure to bring your appetite (and best put your diet on hold) because, once again, this year’s Fair food will be too delicious to resist. Chicken Charlie will tempt you (as he did us!) with such yummy treats as a hot dog on a stick that is wrapped in funnel cake, drenched in maple syrup and sprinkled with powdered sugar. That is as sweet as it sounds, and just as messy!

Or, for something a little less sugar-coated, check out offerings at the Farmer in the Dell Coastal Farm Kitchen + Bar.

Believe it or not, until this day I had never eaten SPAM! Not any more, thanks to the SPAM STAND — and I liked it.

Try the Mexican Street Corn Pizza at Pizza and Subs…

… and for dessert Mom’s Bakeshop has delicious cookies.

Referring back to my John Travolta reference and the 70’s, you’ll see numerous disco balls hanging at the Rooftop Speakeasy (ages 21 and over).

If you really cannot decide what you want to eat, head on over to the Albertson’s/Vons/Pavilions grocery store.

Be on the lookout and have your camera ready to capture the walking Slinky.

Speaking of photography, check out the wide range of over 40 photography events and workshops at: https://www.sdfair.com/events/2024/photography-exhibit

To those of you who — like I did — entered an original photo in the international juried Exhibition of Photography competition (there was even a class for cell phone photos), good luck! We’ll be able to learn the results of the judging soon.

Scheduled events throughout the Fair include: Maritime Model Ship Building, the Great American Petting Farm, Dig for Treasure, Wood Carving and Violin Making demonstrations, Corn Shucking, Wine Tasting, Nerveless Nocks thrill show, Motu Nehenehe Polynesian Dancers, Firefighter Demolition Derby, Ballet Folklorico Tianeci, Extreme Dogs, Swifty Swine Racing Pigs, Goat Milking Demonstration, The Flying Royals trapeze artists, U-Jam Fitness, Quilting Demonstration, Home Made Make & Take, Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular, Gems & Minerals Docent Tour, That ‘70s Bird Show, A Hundred Drums, The Farm, Native American Pow Wow, Plant a Pumpkin Seed, Paul Ecke Jr. Garden Show, Horticulture Therapy by Farmer Roy, Polymer Clay Demonstration Make & Take, Stamp Collecting, The Bee Guy, Beer Talks and Brewery of the Day Craft Beer Experience, Ladybug Release and much, much more. For a more comprehensive list of the scheduled events, visit: https://www.sdfair.com/events.

As always, there will be exhilarating rides and carnival games in the Fun Zone and the Kids’ Zone.

Enjoy live music entertainment on several stages throughout the Fair…

… ticketed performances in the Toyota Summer Concert Series on the Grandstand Stage — featuring top artists, including Smokey Robinson, Ludacris and many more; and Saturdays at the Sound — featuring a different theatrical, glow-in-the-dark musical experience every Saturday night: https://www.sdfair.com/p/what-to-do/saturdays-at-the-sound.

The 20-day Fair season will run June 12 through July 7, with closures on Mondays and Tuesdays, at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. See special offers and purchase your tickets for admission, parking, rides, games and concerts in advance at: https://www.sdfair.com/p/tickets. For more information, visit https://www.sdfair.com.

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