Check out this year's San Bernardino County Fair entertainment lineup

The San Bernardino County Fair will return in May and June with a new Grandstand Entertainment Series, which includes singers making their first High Desert appearance.

Celebrating its 76th year, the fair rolls into Victorville on Memorial Day weekend, May 27 to 29, and again on June 2 to 4, with live music, carnival rides, food, games, vendors, animals, exhibits and plenty of surprises.

Dirt and Concert Series

The SBC Fair Dirt Series kicks off May 27 with Monster Truck Mayhem, where the trucks will compete with box jumps and transitions.

During the Demolition Derby on May 28, vehicles will crash and smash as they battle for dominance in the locally produced event that has grown in popularity over the years for both fans and drivers. Entries are being accepted for vehicles to compete in the open-class derby.

The Bull Riding event on May 29 will include cowboys and cowgirls of all ages hanging on as they mutton bust and bull ride to the sound of cheering fans.

Each Dirt Series event requires a separate ticket purchase apart from fair admission.

The three-day Sunland Ford Concert Series will feature Mexican singer Ana Bárbara and country singer Michael Ray, whose shows also require a separate ticket purchase.

The Night of Faith Concert with Crowder is free with fair admission.

Ana Bárbara

This year’s main stage concert series lineup kicks off on June 2 with iconic singer Ana Bárbara, who took home an Icon Award during this month’s 30th annual BMI Latin Awards in Los Angeles.

Born Altagracia Ugalde Motta, Bárbara is the first regional Mexican female songwriter BMI has granted an award, recognizing her nearly three-decade-long career in the music industry, according to Variety.

Bárbara's music style is often categorized as ranchera, which includes elements of Latin pop and Norteño, regional music from northern Mexico.

As a teen, Bárbara was a beauty queen before reaching stardom as a singer. In 1988, she became “Miss San Luis Potosí,” going on to represent her state in the Miss Universe-sponsored Miss Mexico beauty contest.

She first skyrocketed to celebrity status in Mexico in the mid-'90s and was quickly crowned "La Reina Grupera," for dominating the grupero movement, a genre of regional Mexican music.

Bárbara released her self-titled debut album in 1994 and has since created music in genres spanning from grupero to pop and mariachi, amassing 11 studio albums.

Bárbara's hit singles include “Reza y Reza,” “Lo Busqué,” “Fruta Prohibida” and “Quise Olvidar.”

She also earned a Latin Grammy for best groupero album and a Grammy nomination for best Mexican/Mexican-American album.

In 1994, she signed with Televisa’s musical company, Fonovisa. Under the Fonovisa label, she launched her first CD, the self-titled “Ana Bárbara.” Her song, “Sacúdeme” (“Shake Me”), became a hit in Mexico.

Her popularity peaked with albums such as La Trampa (1995) and Ay, Amor (1996) and hits like "No Se Que Voy a Hacer," "Me Asusta Pero Me Gusta," and "Ya No Te Creo Nada," according to All Music.

Bárbara reached international fame after the death of Mexican-American singer Selena in 1995.

Michael Ray

Ray, who will perform on June 3, recently mentioned his SBC Fair appearance as he announced a batch of tour dates for 2023, which began in February and runs through the summer.

"I want y'all to come out to see us this year, hear some NEW MUSIC and know that my band and I are gonna take great care of that time because it means so much to us!! See y’all very soon!!" Ray said.

In addition to the tour, Ray has been working on new music with producer Michael Knox. The country singer released his last full-length album, Amos, in June 2018.

He followed up the album with a seven-track EP called Higher Education in August 2021, according to Taste of Country.

Most recently, the singer says he's been reflecting on life and spending time with family.

“My romance with the business of music was starting to take its toll on me,” Ray said in a press release. “Things really come into focus when you take the time to live a little life. I feel like the music that we’ve been writing has real intention and is focused on the next chapter."

Ray said he’s recently discovered, especially in spending time with his family, that there’s a lot of life you miss when you’ve got your head down, doubling down on work.

A Florida native, Ray was first introduced to music though his grandfather, a local country and gospel musician, who taught him how to play guitar. His grandfather also gave Ray his first performance experience, letting him tag along for shows at various assisted-living homes and community centers.

He was also inspired by classic country artists such as Porter Wagoner, Merle Haggard, and Waylon Jennings.

By his teens, Ray expanded his music taste by listening to more modern artists like Garth Brooks, while dabbling in rock and hip-hop.

By the time Ray graduated high school in 2006, he had decided to pursue his passion for country music.

Ray skipped the Nashville scene and formed a band and began playing a constant grind of shows all around Southern Florida.

He slowly built a loyal following, a fan base that widened considerably after a Lakeland DJ put his music into regular rotation.

Ray was soon headlining the Orlando House of Blues and selling out shows all over Florida. By 2010, he was playing to audiences across the nation.

In 2012, he appeared on the CW talent competition "The Next." Ray was an audience favorite on the show and ultimately took home the top prize.

After the show, Ray signed a publishing deal with Warner/Chappell, and in 2014 released the hit single "Kiss You in the Morning."

His full-length major-label debut, Michael Ray, followed in 2015 on Warner Music Nashville. The set made it to No. 4 on the Country Albums chart, and spawned two more singles with "Real Men Love Jesus" and "Think a Little Less."

Over the next several years, Ray toured extensively before returning to the studio alongside producer Scott Hendricks, Blake Shelton, Brooks & Dunn and Trace Adkins.

In 2018, Ray delivered his album, Amos, which included the Top 20 country single "Get to You." Amos debuted at No. 5 on Billboard's Country Albums charts during its June release.

"One That Got Away" became Ray’s second Country Airplay Top Ten hit, reaching number three. "Her World or Mine" closed out Amos' chart run in 2019, reaching 22 on the Country Airplay Billboard.

The non-LP single "Whiskey and Rain" followed in 2020. It would wind up anchoring Higher Education, the EP Ray released in August 2021.

Crowder

David Crowder is a Texas-based Contemporary Christian Music singer/songwriter known for his wide-ranging fusion of pop, rock, folk, electronic, bluegrass, and hip-hop.

Crowder rose to success in the early 2000s as the leader of the worship group David Crowder Band. Over the next decade, his band racked up numerous Dove Awards for their inspirational rock sound.

They released popular albums like Illuminate in 2003, Remedy in 2007 and Give Us Rest in 2012.

In 2012, he rebranded as Crowder, with the singer launching a successful solo career with 2014's Top Ten-charting Neon Steeple.

He reached the top of the Christian album charts and had his first Billboard Hot Christian Songs number one with "Good God Almighty" from his fourth long-player, 2021's Milk & Honey.

Crowder stepped into the music industry when he realized that over half of his fellow students at Christian-based Baylor University in Texas were not going to church.

He began actively recruiting students for worship services and started writing songs to draw in more young people. He eventually started releasing the songs, leading to his debut album, 2002's Can You Hear Us?

The album was released under the name David Crowder Band, as Crowder was joined by guitarists Jack Parker and Jason Solley, drummer Jeremy Bush, bassist Mike Dodson, and electric violinist Mike Hogan.

Illuminate, appeared in the fall of 2003 and was followed a year later by The Lime CD, which comprised two earlier live releases, The Green CD and The Yellow CD.

Sunsets & Sushi appeared in early 2005 before the band's next studio album, the bluegrass-tinged A Collision, which was issued that year.

Remedy was released in 2007, followed by Church Music in 2009. Their third straight Christian No. 1, climbed to number 11 on the Billboard 200.

A four-song EP, Summer Happiness, featuring acoustic versions of songs from Church Music, appeared in 2010.

In 2012, Crowder released Give Us Rest; Or, A Requiem Mass in C (The Happiest of All Keys) which was Crowder Band's sixth and final studio album. It went all the way to No. 2 on the U.S. album chart.

In 2014, Crowder's solo debut, Neon Steeple, arrived under the moniker Crowder. The album brought continued chart success, topping the Christian chart and reaching No. 9 on the Billboard Top 200 as well as earning a Grammy nomination for his song "Come as You Are."

He followed up in September 2016 with American Prodigal, another Christian number one; it peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard 200.

Collaborating with Tauren Wells, Crowder landed a hit with the non-album single "All My Hope" in 2017.

He released "I Know a Ghost" in 2018, which pulled from electronic, bluegrass, and hip-hop influences. A Top Christian Album No. 2, guests on that set included Wells and Mandisa.

Maverick City Music joined him on a pair of tracks from his fourth Crowder full-length and third Christian No. 1, Milk & Honey. Released in 2021, it included the hit "Good God Almighty," his first single to top the Hot Christian Songs chart.

Exhibit entries and tickets

The online entry deadline for fair competitive exhibits and contests for all ages is April 16. A sampling of the categories includes a home brew contest, food, home arts, collections, craft and photography.

Fair hours are 2 to 10 p.m. each day at the SBC Fairgrounds, 14800 Seventh Street in Victorville.

Prices for fair general admission, and each entertainment series event, start at $5. Premium seating and admission are available.

For tickets and more information, visit sbcfair.com.

Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at 760-951-6227 or RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCru

This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Check out this year's San Bernardino County Fair entertainment lineup