Every year from mid June to the 4th of July, the Del Mar Fairgrounds are transformed into the fairgrounds for the annual San Diego County Fair. Each year has a particular theme to which the fair is geared, for example, the 2008 fair season is designated as “Summer of Sports” and there will be many vendors, activities and exhibits geared to local sports at all levels from youth to professional. For the most part the grounds are open from 10 am to 11 pm, and this is true for all of the exhibit halls, food vendors and rides/attractions.

Admission is $12 for adults and $6 for seniors ages 62 and older, as well as children ages 6 to 12; kids under 6 are free. Tickets may be purchased at the fair gates as well as a number of local merchants like Ralph’s supermarket. Tickets for the nightly concert series are sold both at the gate and via ticketmaster, it is wise to use ticketmaster for tickets if you expect a show will sell out prior to the concert date. The fair holds a “dollar day” each year, usually on a Tuesday, and fair admission is $1 for everyone when you pre-purchase a dollar day ticket at Ralph’s market. Parking is an additional fee of $9 per car and $15 for a motorhome/RV. Remember that if you want to leave the park and come back later in the day that you will need to pay for parking again upon return. Free parking is available at a number of off-site lots which require transportation to the fairgrounds via a shuttle bus.

The San Diego County Fair has something to offer everyone. For the thrill seekers there is a number of rides and carnival games with which you can test your luck. Each of the fairground exhibit halls is filled with competition entries relevant to the particular year’s theme as well at hundreds of merchants selling their wares. The halls are filled with vendors selling everything from pottery to exercise equipment, and it can be a great place to try out a new product or get a tasty sample of a food you have been meaning to try.

There are also a number of contests and competitive events going on within the halls which are on display for fair visitors. While these change slightly from year to year depending on the theme, you can expect to see contests dealing with art, beer, wine, digital arts, wood design, flower and garden show, gems, minerals, jewelry, hobby, kids’ best, photography, livestock and a number of student exhibits. There are also live competitions daily featuring singing, dancing and oratorical abilities. Check the schedule for your particular day’s visit to see what is going on.

The San Diego Fair is a foodie’s heaven, and there are way too many food stands to just stop at one. My advice, go with a group and each share a bunch of different items, that way you can really get a taste of the fair without completing stuffing yourself and preventing yourself from enjoying the rides and other attractions. My fair favorites are the funnel cake, italian sausage with peppers and australian potatoes with ranch and cheese (these are a french fry lover’s dream). For beer drinkers there is also a beer garden centrally located within the fair that offers a number of local microbrews; there are a few special days when a wristband is available for purchase and enables you to unlimited taste testing.