Here are 10 things you don't want to miss at the San Joaquin County Fair
The San Joaquin County Fair is back this weekend.
And you can expect a car show, a ukulele contest, live music, plenty of fried food and carnival rides.
“The San Joaquin County Fair is here to highlight the best of San Joaquin and ... personally I believe that we have so much to offer as a county, not just from an agricultural side, which of course, is a highlighting key piece of our county,” said Daniel Castillo, the new CEO of the San Joaquin County Fair. “But there's a lot of cultural organizations that will be participating, there's a lot of arts that are going to be highlighted here.”
“Diversity, agriculture, family,” are the words that Castillo used to describe the San Joaquin County Fair this year.
"There is absolutely going to be something for everybody," the ceo said.
This year's county fair is bringing exhibits and contests back with two new shows; tractor show on Saturday, June 3 and a truck show on Sunday.
Here are 10 things you don't want to miss from the San Joaquin County Fair this year.
Friday is "Kids Day"
On June 2, children under the age of 13 enter free before 3 p.m. as part of the "Kids Day."
The gates will open as early as 11 a.m. get there and attend the car show, "Agventure Land" or the new San Joaquin Book Fair at noon.
Download coloring page for discount
If you show up after 3 p.m. on Friday or plan on going on Saturday or Sunday, your children can still enter for free if you download, color, and bring this coloring page to the fair with you.
“There is a downloadable PDF color page on our website, where children 13 and under, if they color the page, they can get in for free," said Leslie Avansino, exhibits coordinator at San Joaquin County Fair. "So, it's very affordable to bring your children to the fair, and there's lots of activities to keep them entertained.”
Avansino said this is the first time the fair is having this option as a "fun way" to encourage families to attend and "to afford to come to the fair."
To download the coloring page visit: 2023 Fair Coloring Page.
Car show
If you love classic cars then you will want to check out the San Joaquin Impalas Car Show, sponsored by Impalas Magazine. The show is on Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., the car show awards start at 5 p.m.
Special Contests
Head over to Building 2 (the one with the ship mural) for the fair exhibits.
“We are bringing the stationary exhibits back to the community and that's what we are showcasing,” Avansino said.
On Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., you can experience a live mural contest where local student-artists will compete as they paint large wall murals.
The murals' theme will be cultural heritage.
"There is a thriving art culture here in San Joaquin and unfortunately, sometimes it's not always at the forefront of people's minds when they think of San Joaquin County," Castillo said. "But that is definitely going to be something that we are just so excited to showcase."
Aside from the live mural show you can also enjoy other special contests like the STEM Fair Contest 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Friday, the fair Bike Show on Friday, June 2, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. and the Ukulele Contest on Saturday, June 3, 2-4 p.m.
Check out the new tractor and truck shows
You do not want to miss the two new and biggest shows of the weekend, the new tractor and truck shows
The SJ Tractor & Farm Equipment Show starts at 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday in the Auto Show Zone. An award show will start at 5 p.m.
The SJ Fair Truck Show starts at 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday, June 4, in the same location with an awards ceremony at 5 p.m.
SJ book fair, visits with local authors
Do you love reading, meeting authors and free books? Then head over to the Exhibit Hall for the SJ Book Fair.
"The book fair is something that no fair has ever done before. So we're kind of unique and this is a new trial for us, to host this," Avansino said.
You will also have the chance to meet some local authors and have your books signed. The fair will be open every day during the fair.
"Each attendee will get to take home one book of their very own!" San Joaquin County Fair official said in a Facebook post.
Agventure Land
Free interactive activities for children can be found at the "Agventure Land," sponsored by the Ag Commissioner’s Office and SJC AgVenture.
"The fair is part education, part fun. So we always want to make sure that a component of this for kids is the fact that they're gonna be able to learn more about the county that they live in," Castillo said.
Stop by the carnival area
Carnival games and carnival rides are here. A pre-sale carnival ticket can be purchased for $30 if you plan on enjoying the carnival rides. But individual tickets for the rides will also be available on-site.
Carnival hours are from noon to 10:30 p.m. Friday, June 2 to Sunday, June 4.
2023 Grandstand, Delta Dirt Drags
Yes, you will need a separate ticket for this event. Head to the Grandstands at 6 p.m. for the Delta Dirt Drags Show. Pre-sale tickets for adults are $15, and tickets for children are $10.
Live music, all weekend
Let's not forget the music. There will be music for all with different genres each day. On Friday the main stage entertainment will be by Cynthia Renee & Co and Thunder Rolls – Tribute to Garth Brooks.
On Saturday, the main stage entertainment is a rock tribute with The Sticky Stones and Cougar Adams.
Sunday is "Hispanic Heritage Day," Ultimo Nivel will kick off at 4 p.m., Banda La Maxima de Modesto at 6 p.m. and Voces Del Rancho will close out the day. All are presented by Empresa Valdivia Stockton.
A Dia Del Hispano Jaripeo Baile will start at 4 p.m. A separate ticket is needed.
"We have quite a few things that are happening that are eclectic, to say the very least,” Castillo said.
Go have fun
When: 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m. (gate closes 9:30 p.m.) Friday, June 2, Saturday, June 3 and Sunday, June 4
Where: 1658 S Airport Way, Stockton
Admission: 2023 Pre-sale general admission tickets: $7 Adult, Senior and Children $5, 2023 Parking $10, 2023 Pre-sale Carnival tickets $30, 2023 Grandstand: Saturday Dirt Drags Adult $15, Children $10
Information: sanjoaquinfair.com
Record reporter Angelaydet Rocha covers community news in Stockton and San Joaquin County. She can be reached atarocha@recordnet.com or on Twitter @AngelaydetRocha. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record athttps://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.
This article originally appeared on The Record: Here are 10 things you don't want to miss at the San Joaquin County Fair
