Whether you grew up on a farm and you can ride a horse like Hopalong Cassidy, or you don’t know the difference between a Clydesdale and a Shetland pony, San Diego County Fair’s “Where the West is Fun” promises a wide variety of fun and food that is guaranteed to appeal to all visitors.
Presented by Albertsons and Vons, the fair will run from 4 p.m. on June 2 through July 4, with countless entertainment options, delicious and unique food creations, engaging craft areas, contests and exhibits. For a distinctly western feel, this year’s fair will include a speakeasy decorated as an opium den. To get in, hunt down a Jade Peacock card at one of the three bars on the fairgrounds and follow instructions from there, says the speakeasy bartender Tracy Brighouse.
But anyone who has ever been to the San Diego County Fair knows that eating is just as important as drinking, if not more so.
Tasti Burgers and Tasti Chips are back with their newest burger, the Maui Cowboy: A delicious combination of all-natural beef and spam (to add a Hawaiian flair, says owner Lori Southerlend), with veggies, jalapeños and chipotle mayo to add an extra kick to this cowboy burger.
Reno’s Fish and Chips and Pignotti’s Pasta are trying out some new things this year as well. Both are family businesses owned by Ken McKnight, his wife Cathy and their son Taylor. Reno’s Fish and Chips will be featuring octopus on a stick, which McKnight assures customers has been gutted and cleaned. McKnight credits the idea of octopus on a stick to Cathy. According to McKnight, this latest seafood addition has been receiving positive feedback.
“It looks kind of weird,” McKnight says, but adds, “It’s [about] how it tastes, and everyone seems to like it.” In addition to octopus on a stick, Reno’s will still be serving their classic fish and chips, shark tacos and shrimp tacos.
The Pignotti’s Pasta stand is switching things up by adding fried ravioli to their menu, the first time the business has ever sold fried food. Customers can choose between cheese ravioli on a stick or buffalo chicken on a stick, with marinara, alfredo or ranch sauce.
In addition to keeping visitors well-fed, the fair’s Whole Life Festival will occur on July 1 to promote healthy lifestyles and natural living.
Included in this festival is The Expert in Life Program, which according to volunteer staff member Pam Reed, includes lessons on the art of deep meditation and self-empowerment, taught by Erhard Vogel, Ph.D., one of the most highly-acclaimed meditation teachers in the world, according to the Nataraja Meditation and Yoga Center. Also included is the San Diego-based company Organifi, which is best known for selling their green juice made of 11 different gently dehydrated superfoods that supplies the body with a natural energy and contributes to good health all throughout the body, says Kori-ann Kobayashi, director of events and expo. As always, the fair welcomes everyone with open arms with various multicultural festivals. The Asian Festival will be composed of cultures from China, India, Hawaii and more. The new addition to the Asian Festival is an Asian art exhibit at 17 Hands Restaurant and Bar, along with Sake flights at the Paddock Tavern.
The Mariachi Festival takes place on June 11, newly featuring tequila sampling and a piñata for the public to take a swing at. Another trek through the fair starts off with the Flower Show in O’Brien Hall, one of the fair’s most eye-catching exhibits. Here you’ll find yourself in Pauline’s Prairie Home, based on The “Little House on the Prairie” series, put together by Flower Show coordinator Betty Patterson-del Sol. The hall will exhibit flowers, floral arrangement and specimen contests. There will even be Ikebana floral design for the Asian Fair on June 3, and the master from Japan will be giving a demonstration on the outdoor stage on June 4 to instruct guests on the art of flower arrangements.
A sensory garden is a new addition to the O’Brien flower exhibit this year, allowing guests a hands-on experience with the plants.
“You can feel it, you can rub it, you can smash it, you can see how those flower act,” says Patterson-del Sol.
If you’re in the VIP section on Father’s Day June 18, you can stop at the Charity Wings Art and Craft Center to make beer box visors and other beer bottle crafts with your son or daughter. If you’re not in the VIP section, check out some of the other crafts.
Food, drink, music, exhibits, festivals and competitions are just the start of what this year’s San Diego Fair has to offer. For more information, visit sdfair.com. San Diego County Fair Where: Del Mar Fairgrounds.
When: 4 p.m. on June 2 through July 4.
Info: sdfair.com