|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Time for the final installment of my (unintentional) trilogy on A&E happenings in the Tri-Valley this summer.
After writing back-to-back about the season’s schedule of shows at the Bankhead Theater in Livermore and Firehouse Arts Center in Pleasanton, it just made sense for me to continue down the track and recap my experience at the area’s most prominent attraction of each summer: the Alameda County Fair.
Our family visited the Pleasanton fairgrounds last Sunday, late afternoon into early evening, for what is a tradition since I started at the Weekly — provided international travel or a global pandemic didn’t get in the way.
We’ve taken our son each of the three summers he’s been alive, and he gets more and more into it every year.
Just amazing how he could just run and run on the blacktop despite temperatures into the 90s. Fortunately, our game plan was successful in only exposing us to a little heat before the cooling breeze led to pretty comfortable weather at the end (well, as comfortable as a Tri-Valley summer evening can be).
After visiting with a friend from our neighborhood who has a henna art booth at the fair and working on a warm pretzel, sugary strawberry lemonade and Dole whip, we sought refuge from the sun in several of the exhibition halls.
I always love looking at the collectibles display, like my wife with the table setting competition and come to find out, our son with the Little Critters room. We also enjoyed the new shaded area and fountain at the outdoor intersection of where the smaller exhibition halls meet. Nice touch.
As the stomachs beckoned, attention turned to the food booths — where corn dog, tacos, pizza, gyro and French fries helped satisfy our extended group. I’d already had my beer for the day by that point.
But before our little guy sat down at the metal picnic table near the race track, the staircase to the concourse caught his eye and off he climbed (with me by his side).
We stumbled upon the motorbike jumping exhibition and he was hooked. He ran up to the fence for a close look, even tried to enter an open gate, before we settled in the chairs for viewing. It was the first time I’d heard him cheer of his own volition. He really got into it … for about 10 minutes anyway.
After his slice (no cheese, like dad), he rode his first Ferris wheel, the little train and the spinning kangaroos and played a couple of games. He had so much fun – except when told he was too short to get on bigger rides; he did not like that. All part of learning and growing up.
All that put us close to three hours with bedtime approaching, so out we went. Not before dad scored a funnel cake to go though.
A pretty typical fair trip for us.
There are two more weekends left for people to visit the fair. It’s open from this Friday to Sunday, and then next Wednesday through Sunday (which is closing day, July 7).
Horse racing is happening every one of those days except for Wednesday (July 3). The fair has special, shorter operating hours for Independence Day on Thursday, but the races will be part of the offerings on the holiday. Post time is 1:45 p.m.
Tribute acts will own the stage this weekend: Revisiting Creedence on Friday, Lady Winehouse on Saturday and Spice Wannabe on Sunday. Then it’s X Ambassadors on Wednesday; no concert on Thursday.
The Movies on the Lawn for the next five days are “Lilo & Stitch” (a Francis Walsh favorite) on Friday, “Abominable” on Saturday, “Up” on Sunday, “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” on Wednesday and “The Lego Movie” on Thursday.
No fireworks for the Fourth at the fair, of course, but they will be popping off this Friday night. They offer nightly drone light shows otherwise.
As for special events, the Wine Fest is Saturday, Blues at the Fair is Sunday and the final $1 Rides Until 5 p.m. day is next Wednesday.
That’s on top of the familiar offerings across the historic fairgrounds in central Pleasanton, steps from downtown.
Eight more days to get that fair fix, or be stuck waiting until 2025.
Look forward to reading about highlights about the closing weekend in next week’s paper. Or check out the details online at annual.alamedacountyfair.com.
Editor’s note: Jeremy Walsh is the editorial director for the Embarcadero Media Foundation’s East Bay Division. His “What a Week” column is a recurring feature in the Pleasanton Weekly, Livermore Vine and DanvilleSanRamon.com.
