Entertainment & Events

The 2012 San Diego County Fair kicks off summer

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The San Diego County Fair is approaching and this summer promises to be full of new attractions, great artists, and of course the trademark deliciously bizarre food.  The theme chosen for this year is “Out of this World” and the fairgrounds are sure to be decked out in extraterrestrial and space decor that will transport you to a planet packed with fun and fried food.

The fair starts on Friday, June 8 and lasts until the Fourth of July.  This quintessential summer activity has been a part of San Diego for years and continues to be a huge draw for vendors, performers, and tourists.  Last year the San Diego County Fair  set a new attendance record with 1,412,113 people attending the fair in the few weeks it was open.  This averaged out to about 64,187 people per day and these people feasted on the food at the venue.  For that particular record breaking fair, The San Diego County Fair released these numbers for the amount of orders of fried food people made:

  • Deep-Fried Kool Aid — 100,000 sold
  • Deep-Fried Oreos — 40,000 sold
  • Deep-Fried Klondike Bars — 10,000 sold
  • Deep-Fried Brownies — 15,000 sold
  • Deep-Fried Twinkies — 14,000 sold
  • Deep-Fried Avocados — 20,000 sold
  • Deep-Fried Frog Legs — 20,000 sold
  • Deep-Fried Girl Scout Cookies — 1,000 boxes used

This year the fair will be adding a few new additions to the food of the fair and while some will provide a relatively healthier option, others keep with the artery clogging success of fried food.  On the healthier track the fair will be offering Pineapple Express food  with Maui Chicken Sliders, Pineapple House Shrimp over rice, and many other options.  They too will offer something crispy with the menu item of deep fried pineapple with coconut topping.  The infamous Chicken Charlie’s, home of the Crispy Creme Chicken Sandwich and deep-fried girl scout cookies, will be adding fried cereal, fried pork chops, and fried peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to their selection.  At other vendors there will also be Cookie Dough on a Stick, Red Velvet Funnel Cake, and Beach Fries (french fries drizzled with yogurt fish taco sauce and topped with fresh-made salsa).  For a full list of what new attractions and delicious new entrees the fair will be offering click here.  It will definitely get your mouth watering!

But it wasn’t always about the fried stuff.  In 1880 the fair started as a small group of San Diegans who organized an agricultural fair that allowed farmers to share ideas, have a little friendly competition, and show-off their best horses.  It was in 1936 that the fair moved to its present day location and despite some changes, at the core of this huge event is the pride in San Diego and locally produced food and items.
With the growth of The San Diego County Fair  top performers have been able to rock out on the many different stages.  This year big name artists such as Demi Lovato, Train, Switchfoot, Cobra Starship, Lonestar, Jeff Dunham, and Matisyahu will be performing.
For the more adventurous attendees one of the new attractions will be a 400 foot zip line.  Brave participants will climb up a 40 ft platform to take an exhilarating ride across the Infield Lake.  If that doesn’t tempt you there are more than 80 other kinds of rides available in Fun Zone and Kiddieland that will bring out the thrill-seeker in anyone.
Besides the heart-stopping rides there are plenty of more leisurely activities to enjoy at the fair.  For the over 21 there is going to be both wine and beer festivals going on.  The San Diego County Wine Festival continues the Fair’s tradition of supporting and showcasing the locals.  With viticulture emerging as a part of San Diego the festival will show off some local wine selections.  The beer festival spreads its wings a little farther than our fine city.  The San Diego International Beer Festival exhibits local breweries as well as beer from around the world with more than 300 beers.  People who purchase a ticket to this event will gain unlimited one-ounce samples of the beers and a souvenir taste cup.
Check out the San Diego County Fair website for more information on these events and be sure to stop by to enjoy one of San Diego’s greatest summer traditions.

 

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