L.A. County Fair Debuts In Pomona
POMONA (KNX 1070) — Fried food fans will be flocking to the Pomona Fairplex this weekend for the start of the 88th edition of the Los Angeles County Fair. New attractions this year include a circus complete with aerial shows, and even a fire-eater. Attendees will also find an educational and slightly creepy exhibit of preserved human specimens. However, you might want to see that before trying out the deep-fried treats such as a bacon-wrapped Oreo cookie and zucchini weenies.
KNX 1070 Talks To LA County Fair Spokeswoman
Our Body: The Universe Within will be on display with more than 30 human specimens and organs showing the inner workings of the human body — the first time the exhibit will be shown outside a museum setting. Esmeralda's
Traveling Circus includes an aerial show, elephant parade,unique animals, including Hercules the Giant Horse, listed at 6 feet 6 inches high and weighing more than 3,000 pounds, the giant steer White Mountain and the miniature horse Tiny Time; Gypsy Camp with unusual sights, sword swallowers and fire eaters.
L.A. in Ice is a display of ice sculptures of the Hollywood sign, Santa Monica Pier, images of Los Angeles' sports teams and more. The sculptures will be presented in a freezer where temperatures will range between 15 and 20
degrees. Jackets and blankets will be available to keep guests warm. Western Days and Rodeo Nights includes a variety of events involving horses and cattle.
This year's additions to the list of the fair's deep fried food offerings are peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and Klondike bars, joining such perennials as the zucchini weenie -- a hot dog placed in a hollowed-out zucchini, then covered in batter and deep fried -- and deep fried frogs legs.
Also new is the chocolate-dipped, bacon-wrapped Oreo cookie.
More than 250 food vendors will be serving more than 1,000 items. An array of food trucks, including the Grilled Cheese Truck and the Vietnamese Sandwich Truck will also be at the fair.
The fair's End of Summer Concert Series begins Sunday with performances by Teena Marie, Heatwave and Lenny Williams.
Other concert performers are Lifehouse, Carolina Liar and Alana Grace (Monday); Rick Springfield (Sept. 10); Gretchen Wilson (Sept. 11); Darius Rucker (Sept. 12); Creedence Clearwater Revisited (Sept. 16); Tower of Power
and Average White Band (Sept. 17); Selena Gomez and The Scene (Sept. 18); Mariachi USA Fiesta (Sept. 19); Boyz II Men and En Vogue (Sept. 23); War (Sept. 24); 70s Soul Jam featuring The Stylistics & Friends (Sept. 25); the Happy
Together Tour -- 25th Anniversary starring The Turtles, featuring Flo & Eddie; The Grass Roots, featuring Rob Grill, Mickey Dolenz, the lead singer of The Monkees, The Buckinghams; and Mark Lindsay, former lead singer of Paul Revere &The Raiders (Sept. 26); Daryl Hall & John Oates (Oct. 1); Bad Company (Oct. 2);and 3OH!3 and OK Go (Oct. 3).
Horse racing will be held Thursday through Sept. 27, except for Tuesdays and Sept. 13 and Sept. 20.
The fair is continuing its opening weekend discounts. Admission will be $1 for people entering between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. through Monday.
Also during the opening weekend, the cost of 22-ounce soft drinks will be reduced to $1 from 1-4 p.m. while carnival rides, games and select food items will be priced at $1 from 4-7 p.m.
Admission prices are unchanged from last year. The weekday price is $12, $9 for adults age 60 and over and $7 for children ages 6 to 12. On weekends, the admission price is $17, $14 for adults age 60 and over and $12 for children ages 6 to 12. Children ages 5 and under are free throughout the fair. The admission price for adults age 60 and over is reduced to $6 on Wednesdays.
The price of a season pass remains at $24.95.
An additional fee is required for concerts and Our Body: The Universe Within.
The fair runs through Oct. 3. It will be closed Mondays and Tuesdays following Labor Day weekend.
The Sept. 4 opening is the earliest in the fair's history, a day earlier than each of the past two years.
The nation's largest county fair evolved from a commercial-industrial show first held along the Southern Pacific railroad siding in downtown Pomona in 1921. It proved so successful, the businessmen who produced it held the first Los Angeles County Fair in October 1922.
The fair has been held annually at Fairplex since 1922, except from 1942- 47, when the facility was being used by the U.S. Army, including as a prisoner of war camp for German and Italian soldiers and a relocation camp for Japanese-Americans.
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