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No need to worry about that rumbling near downtown Pleasanton on Friday morning.
Those are the sounds and sights of cowboys and cowgirls herding steer to and from the fairgrounds via Main Street in the second annual cattle drive to usher in opening day of the 2018 Alameda County Fair.
The cattle drive, which drew thousands of onlookers downtown last summer, offers people a chance to hearken back to Pleasanton’s Old West roots while also connecting to its present by visiting downtown shops and restaurants and watching the parade of fair entertainment accompanying this year’s procession.
That bond — between Pleasanton’s past and present — is a main reason the annual county fair resonates so much with the community, according to Mayor Jerry Thorne.
“First and foremost, the fair is about our community heritage, and when we hear the fair is coming to town, I think it takes us all back to our own childhoods and the excitement we felt when the fair came to town,” Thorne said in an interview ahead of the 2018 fair. “It also signals that summer is really here and provides those opportunities that make for fabulous memories.”
“But apart from the emotional value we get from the fair, we also realize some local economic value when visitors come to our city and enjoy all we have to offer,” the mayor added. “And since the Alameda County Fair has received top honors from industry leaders, it appears that the secret’s out that our fair is one of the best.”
Recognized as the seventh largest fair in California and ranked among the top 50 fairs in North America, the Alameda County Fair takes over the fairgrounds at Valley and Bernal avenues every summer — operated by the nonprofit Alameda County Fair Association, without any tax funding from the government.
Pleasanton’s summer showcase, which runs on 18 days this year between today and July 8, offers a little something for everybody.
If the cattle drive is your cup of tea (or dark coffee, fireside in a metallic mug, as it were), all of opening weekend will have a Wild West theme, including rodeo events today and Saturday during which fair-goers can watch local cowgirls and cowboys show off their ranching skills with sorting, doctoring and roping.
The fair also pays respect to the Tri-Valley’s rural and agricultural heritage with regular animal displays, the junior livestock auction, pig races and more.
The fairgrounds is home to the nation’s oldest one-mile race track, which will host 15 days of live horse racing starting opening weekend and continuing June 21-24 and 28-30, July 1, 4 and 6-8. Post time is 1:45 p.m. each day, except Fridays when it’s 2:15 p.m.
Live entertainment is a hallmark of the fair.
Monster trucks, demolition derby, extreme rodeo, Keith Sayers FMX Show, RV demolition derby and K9 Kings Flying Dog Show are among the highlights set for this year in the Action Sports Arena.
And on the main stage, 2018 Big O Tires Free Concert Series will draw hundreds to the fairgrounds each night.
Kicking the series off tonight will be American classic rock band Blue Öyster Cult, known for hits like “(Don’t Fear) the Reaper” and “Burnin’ for You.”
The other opening weekend concerts are Jamaican rapper Sean Kingston known best for his debut hit “Beautiful Girls” on Saturday, and R&B/pop group and Oakland originals En Vogue known for hits “Hold On” and “My Lovin’ (You’re Never Gonna Get It)” onstage Sunday.
The rest of the concert slate features recognizable acts across music, performers like Clay Walker, LeAnn Rimes, Smash Mouth, Sir Mix-A-Lot, 38 Special and WAR, plus tribute acts covering Neil Diamond, Queen, Prince and Journey.
The concerts will run from 8-9:15 p.m. each night, with general seating free with fair admission and premium seating available for purchase. Each concert will be followed by a fireworks show.
While fireworks have become synonymous with the fair, one notable omission from this summer’s schedule is the Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular, which was canceled amid safety, security and traffic concerns. The fair will run special shorter hours on Independence Day, stopping admission at 3 p.m. and closing at 6 p.m.
Many other recognizable special events are back again, including the Snackdown FryDay competition June 22, Red, White and Brew Craft Fest on June 23, Festival Latino and Fiesta Del Charro on June 24, Sip, Savor and Wager Wine Festival on June 30 and Craft Cocktail Festival on July 7.
Another fan favorite every year — especially on those hot afternoons — are the indoor contest displays, from artworks and photographs to calligraphy and poetry to baked goods and jams to place-setting and floral arrangements and, of course, the collectibles exhibit.
Various vendors will also have items on sale in other exhibition halls and on display outdoors around the grounds.
And who could forget the fair foods, carnival games and the rides? New this year will be the cross-grounds Sky Ride, with 70-passenger gondolas that offer a bird’s eye view of the fair: $5 one-way or $8 unlimited.
The fair also offers a variety of discount days and promotions, plus fair officials have partnered with Wheels to offer the Wheels Fair Shuttle (Route 52) from the eastern Dublin-Pleasanton BART station to the fairgrounds — all day, every day, until closing (except Fourth of July).
Themed “Hello Summer!”, the 2018 Alameda County Fair is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. from June 15 to July 8, except for closure days June 18-19, June 25-26 and July 2-3, and special hours for Independence Day. For tickets and other information, visit annual.alamedacountyfair.com.
Fair Information
Open dates: June 15-17, June 20-24, June 27 to July 1, July 4-8
Hours: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily (except July 4: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.)
Gate admission: Adults (13-61) $15. Seniors (62+) and Kids (6-12) $10. Children under 6, free.
General parking: $10.
Discount Days
Opening Day, Friday: $1 rides, $1 admission until 5 p.m.
Father’s Day, this Sunday: Free admission for dads, until 5 p.m.
Kids Free Thursdays, June 21, June 28, July 5: Free admission for kids 12 and under, until 5 p.m.
Boomers Free Fridays, June 22, June 29, July 6: Free admission for ages 62 and older, until 5 p.m.
Fair Food Bite Thursdays, June 21, June 28, July 5: Food vendors offer samples for $2, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Foster Kids Clothing Drive & $1 Rides, June 20: Get one free admission with every donation of one new child’s clothing item. Benefits foster children in the Bay Area.
Feed the Need Food Drive & $1 Rides, June 27: Get one free admission for every donation of 4 nonperishable food items. Benefits Alameda County Community Food Bank.
First Responders Day, July 4: Free admission to first responders with valid ID, until 3 p.m.
Military Appreciation: Free admission with valid military or veteran ID, all day every day.
Big O Tires Concert Series
Friday: Blue Öyster Cult
Saturday: Sean Kingston
Sunday: En Vogue
Wednesday: Clay Walker
Thursday: 38 Special
Next Friday: Smash Mouth
June 23: Boys of Summer: The Music of the Eagles
June 24: Sir Mix-A-Lot
June 27: Morris Day & The Time
June 28: Con Funk Shun
June 29: Queen Nation (Queen tribute)
June 30: The Tubes
July 1: Purple Reign (Prince tribute)
July 4: NO CONCERT
July 5: LeAnn Rimes
July 6: Journey Revisited (Journey tribute)
July 7: Super Diamond (Neil Diamond tribute)
July 8: WAR
** Concerts run 8-9:15 p.m. nightly, followed by fireworks show. General seating free with fair admission.
Last year was the first year I checked out the place-setting competition.
I know. Place settings?
It was spectacular. The themes and creativity were fantastic.
They stretched this to 4 week-ends a couple of years back..I don’t know of any other Bay Area fair that goes this long. Maybe we can get a blast of 100 degree plus weather to keep the crowds down..I hate the Fair
wow, this is really fun. i like this place.
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