Monterey County Fair at Monterey County Fairgrounds

When: Thursday, August 30, 2012, noon to 8 p.m.
Where: Monterey County Fairgrounds, Monterey
Cost: Free - $25
Age limit: Not available
Categories: Outdoor, Parlor games, Children, Community, Culinary, Country, Folk, Jam, Rock, World, Dance performance

Wednesday's swarm of special kids day events was the official start of this year's Fair, but the line-up for the remainder of this Labor Day weekend will make it look like child's play. There are just too many components to cover here...but I'll try. Every day you'll find the guilty pleasures of the carnival rides and games, livestock shows, wine and ag displays, cowboys, hypnotists, performers on several stages and venues, cowboy boot camp, a kids circus, live music galore, and the irresistible aromatic allure of fair food. Be on the lookout for special events. Thursday is Seniors' Day and $1 Day, Foghat's on the Garden stage at 7:30pm, and the world's largest strawberry shortcake will be built (then eaten). On Friday, military appreciation day, Fan Valen cover band (covering guess who?) goes on 7:30pm, Mozzo Kush kills it at 9pm, and a beer garden pours suds 5:30-7:30pm. Saturday rolls out the Chris Gardner Band at 7:30pm, a free rodeo at 6pm, and a whole slew of performers on the Community stage. Sunday, dubbed "Fiesta Day," ushers in a Spanish-speaking bands all day ($25/adult and $5/child 6-12 for Fiesta del Charro). And Monday, Labor Day, is "Picnic Day," part of which includes, apparently, a yogurt eating contest, which seems against the idea of yogurt, but only at the Fair. Shuttles buses get you there fair and square from Shoreline Community Church and Monterey Peninsula College. And it's not just about fun—many nonprofits benefit from the 75,000 annual attendees on the 22 acres—actually, it is about fun. [WR]

Noon-10pm Thu; noon-11pm Fri-Sun; noon-10pm Mon. Monterey County Fairgrounds, 2004 Fairgrounds Road, Monterey. $$9/adult 13-64; $8/senior 65+; $5/child 6-12; free/child 5 and under; $25/Carnival wristband; $1/admission, parking at Shoreline Community Church, carnival ticket on Thu; free/military on Fri. 372-1000, 372-5863, www.MontereyCountyFair.com.

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