First county fair in 3 years opens Wednesday

Tom Kisken, Ventura County Star
·5 min read

Baby pigs. Deep-fried Oreos. A spinning roller coaster. Dueling cheeseburger chefs.

The Ventura County Fair will unveil these and other four-legged critters, oddities and amusements in a 12-day run that starts Wednesday, ending a long COVID-19 hiatus. Masks will be available but not required.

New attractions include a craft beer booth that untaps local brews amid display gardens, a Crazy Mouse roller coaster and a spinning, oscillating disc of a ride called Moonraker.

The first fair in three years will bring back longtime favorites like pygmy goats, a livestock auction and free-with-admission grandstand acts that include three days of rodeo. It will offer baked good displays, a comic books booth and arrays of exhibits and contests that involve pigs that do tricks and Gruyere-smothered patties.

Some traditions will be missing. The once nightly fireworks show has been scuttled to save money and protect the beach and waterfront, said Barbara Quaid, the fairgrounds CEO who will step down after the fair.

The annual Blessings of Marriage celebration has been cut too. Long-wed couples renewed their vows at the Seniors Day event. Quaid said participation diminished before the pandemic.

But the program and the wedding cake still attracted many couples, some married for more than 60 years, said event host Al Perez of the MarriageWell nonprofit in Ventura.

More: New law bans gun shows at Ventura County Fairgrounds; opponents promise court challenge

"I definitely was disappointed. It’s been a very popular event over there," Perez said. "Hopefully, we'll do it next year."

Here's what else to know about this year's fair:

When can I go?

The fairgrounds, at 10 W. Harbor Blvd. in Ventura, open at 1 p.m. on most days and at noon on opening day and weekends. Buildings generally close at 10 p.m. with concessions shutting down an hour later. The fair runs through Aug. 14.

What does it cost?

  • $15 at the gate for people age 13 to 64

  • $10, age 6 to 12

  • $10, age 65 to 99

  • Free for anyone 100 and older

Prices have risen. Most adults paid $12 at the last fair in 2019. Discounted presale tickets are available online and at the fair’s box office.

When are the discount days?

  • Wednesday: Dollar Day; $1 admission until 5 p.m.

  • Thursday: Feed the Need Day; get a free return ticket when you bring five cans of food for FOODShare and pay for admission before 5 p.m.

  • Friday: Youth Day; all fair visitors 12 and younger are admitted free all day.

  • Aug. 9: Seniors and Persons with Disabilities Day; people age 65 are admitted free as are disabled people and a companion.

  • Aug. 11: Military Appreciation Day: All military personnel with a current military ID are admitted free.

Are there other deals?

Visitors will be admitted free if they present ticket stubs from this year’s Santa Barbara Fair and Expo, Orange County Fair or San Diego County Fair.

What about wristbands?

Carnival wristbands can be bought for $40 on four days — Thursday, Aug. 8, Aug. 9 and Aug. 11— bringing unlimited rides until 7 p.m. on the day of purchase. Admission is not included. The bands can also be bought online.

Where can I park?

Parking at the fairgrounds cost $20. People can also park and use free shuttle service from several different Ventura sites:

  • Lot E at the Ventura County Government Center, 800 S. Victoria Ave.

  • Pacific View Mall, behind the former Sears store, 3301 E. Main St., Ventura

  • Ventura Community Park, Telephone Road and Ramelli Ave.

  • Ventura High School, 2 North Catalina St.

  • San Buenaventura State Beach, 901 San Pedro St. (Fee charged.)

Who's performing in the grandstand?

  • Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.: Martina McBride

  • Thursday, 7:30 p.m.: KC & The Sunshine Band

  • Friday, 7:30 p.m.: The All-American Rejects

  • Saturday, 7:30 p.m.: Blue Oyster Cult

  • Sunday, 3 p.m.: La Arrolladora Banda Limon, Los Parras and Jesus Ojeda.

  • Aug. 8, 7:30 p.m.: The Beach Boys

  • Aug. 9, 7:30 p.m.: Clay Walker

  • Aug. 10, 7:30 p.m.: Cheap Trick

  • Aug. 12: 7 p.m.: Rodeo

  • Aug. 13, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.: Rodeo

  • Aug. 14, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.: Rodeo

What else is happening?

Highlights include a Bounty of the County wine and dessert pairing contest and tasting, daily racing pig shows, kids' tractor pulls at Uncle Leo's Barn, a political candidates forum on agricultural issues Friday, hypnosis performances and a draft horse and carriage show. A daily listing of events is at https://venturacountyfair.org/fair/daily-schedule/.

What can I eat?

Anything and everything. Options include fresh roasted corn, turkey legs, funnel cake buried in strawberries, fresh donut ice cream sundaes, pizza on a stick, bags of cookie bits, veggie tacos and vegan Mexican food.

What about the craft beer?

Local brews on tap at the new craft beer booth include pours from Topa Topa, Made West, Tarantula Hill, Institution Brewing and Captain Fatty's.

What are other changes?

The grandstand will be dark on Aug. 11 and the traditional matinee concert on Seniors Day has been canceled. The fair's 11 a.m. opening has been pushed back, too.

Quaid said the changes are driven by a reduced workforce, money and the need to provide crews more time to prepare the grandstand for concerts and the rodeo.

Are there any COVID restrictions?

Fair officials said they'll follow state and local guidelines, meaning masks are recommended indoors and in crowds but visitors can make their own choices.

People won't have to show proof of vaccination or negative tests. But fair officials and state public health leaders recommend people who aren't fully vaccinated get swabbed before coming to the grounds.

Can exhibits still be entered?

Deadlines for entries in most departments have passed. All entries had to be made online and the numbers have fallen. Quaid said other fairs have experienced similar drops but have also seen more people attend their events.

What if I have more questions?

For more information, go to https://venturacountyfair.org/fair/.

Tom Kisken covers health care and other news for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at tom.kisken@vcstar.com or 805-437-0255.

SUPPORT LOCAL JOURNALISM: To see more stories like this, subscribe here.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: First Ventura County Fair in three years opens Wednesday