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Free Pancakes at Monterey County Fair

There may be no such thing as a free lunch, cowboy, but nobody said anything about breakfast.

The first 500 Monterey County Fair attendees on opening day this Wednesday, Aug. 31, get not only a free "tough enough to wear pink" bandana (in support of cancer research) and free entry to the 22-acre expanse of amusement and farm animals, they get a free plate of pancakes and sausage.

Please steady your steed. There's more.

That same morning at 11:30am, 50 longhorn cattle will be herded from Garden Road's Gate 1 to Gate 6. Opening ceremonies follow in the arena at noon.

It's all happening under the umbrella of what organizers are calling "Cattle Drive for a Cure." Those reporting for pancakes after the first 500 have their $5 for the plate donated to the Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System's Comprehensive Cancer Center.

It's not the only head-turning deal Monterey County Fair is lavishing on locals.

Blue Oyster Cult—sing it with me, "Don't fear the reaper…"—performs 8pm Thursday, Sept. 1, for free with fair admission ($8; $4 for children).

WAR performs 8pm Friday, Sept. 2, also free with admission. Call 372-5863 for more info on either show.

And the pancakes aren't the only head-turning food element in the mix, either.

New this year: Monterey County Ice Cream and Cupcake Eating Contest on Military Day (Friday, Sept. 2 at 4pm at the Community Stage) starring ice cream from the Ice Cream Shoppe/Beatles & Rock Museum in Pacific Grove and cupcakes from Mrs. Delish’s Cupcake Boutique in New Monterey.

Also on that Friday, the first Beer Stampede rumbles around in the Beer Garden Area adjacent to the Payton Garden Stage to benefit the Monterey County Fair Heritage Foundation. Tickets are $20 in advance for a selection of local and regional brews.

Then there's the avalanche of other ever-so-dietetic offerings. But rather than fatten you up on funnel cake, caramel apples, kettle korn and corn dogs, I'd rather plug the 75th Anniversary Monterey County Fair Cookbook online at www.montereycountyfair.com that features the community’s favorite delicious recipes for $15. That comes out to about $2 per decade worth of righteous recipes.