Pleasanton bids another farewell to the Alameda County Fair

Pleasanton’s annual Alameda County Fair is coming to a close.

Attendees were able to enjoy a variety of different performers at this year’s fairgrounds, from Blue Oyster Cult, Sean Kingston, En Vogue, Clay Walker, .38 Special, to Smash Mouth, hip-hop icon Sir Mix-A-Lot and Morris Day & The Time.

But it’s not over! In the last few days of the fair, guests can still look forward to performances by Journey Revisited, Super Diamond and War as well as daily events such as pig races, Chinese Acrobats of Hebei, horse races, motocross performances, rides, shopping and more. A demolition derby will be held at 7 p.m. Saturday and an RV demolition derby will be at 7 p.m. Sunday.

Two new rides were added to the fair this year: A ski lift that runs over the length of the fair so riders can observe and people-watch from above, and a new heart-stopping ride called Turbo. Fireball, an older ride popular with young adults, has now been remodeled and changed its name to Freak Out.

There will also be a Craft Cocktail Show for cocktail lovers on Saturday from 2 to 5 p.m., with check-in starting at 1 p.m. Patrons interested in attending must be 21 years or older, and the event will take place in the Infield at the Race Track.

Onlookers can catch grounds entertainment within the fairgrounds too. Street Drum Corps will showcase their high-energy percussive beats, the petting zoo will continue operations for animal fans, and, in keeping with the Wild West theme, there will be “cowboy crafts,” a Saddle, Bridle, & Grooming Station, and Cowboy Boot Camp with hands-on activities like cow-milking and gold panning for kids.