Carousel

My favorite ride when I was little was the carousel. Even now I still love them!

Especailly when I can take my camera and play! CJ and Katie didn't want to go near the merry-go-round. They know me too well, and would have had to wait while mom took more pictures.

So, I wanted to share some old pictures with you, since I'm not quite ready to be done with the Fair.

Until next year...

We had such a great time taking you to the fair with us. I hope you had fun too!

The crowds I can do without, but it is still a great way to spend a day!

We'll have to do this again next year!

Katie and CJ can't wait!

You want fries with that?

How about a Zucchini Weeni? It's on a stick! We saw hot dogs and pizza on sticks too.

No, that doesn't sound too good? OK, how about fried avocado? It isn't on a stick though.

OK, maybe some freshly fried potato chips.

We also could have tried fried Snickers, smores, and frog legs. I heard someone was offering chocolate coveres dill pickles too, but we never did see that.

If you want something grilled instead of fried, there were turkey legs.

For dessert Katie had a mountain of bananas covered in caramel and nuts. It was tasty!

CJ had a pineapple on a stick. It was good too, and not fried!

Music Mania

The Fair has been known by three names during its history: The San Diego County Fair from 1880 to 1953 and from 2002 to present, the Southern California Exposition and San Diego County Fair from 1954 to 1969, the Southern California Exposition from 1970 to 1982, and the Del Mar Fair from 1983 through 2001. These names are sometimes reflected in the theme.

The theme this year is Music Mania.

Stages were all over, usually with a band playing.

The headliners of the day were the B-52's.

Here they are doing "Roam", one of my favorite songs they do.

Wildlife at the fair

No, there weren't any elephant conformation classes or pachyderm side saddle competitions, but we did find a couple of elephants on the racetrack.

The next Kentucky Derby winner:

OK, maybe not. But they did go around in a circle on the infield.

And right as we were walking into the grandstand to go see the band, this critter walks right in front of us. He must have been looking for the Zoo and turned right at Del Mar instead of heading down the 5 a bit more.

Livestock

In 1880, a group of San Diegans organized an agricultural fair to bring county farmers together to share ideas, see who had the best citrus fruit, who baked the best pie, and who had the fastest horse. After that first fair, the county fair was held annually with a few exceptions in various county locations until 1936, when it moved to its present Del Mar home.

Showing livestock is still a big part of the fair.

We found all kinds of critters there.

This is the strangest looking bunny I've ever seen!

We even saw Guinea Pigs. Isn't that the cutest face?

Katie got to pet a steer.

The only animal we didn't see many of were horses, although I did manage to find a few. This one was giving pony rides. Katie decided to skip the ponies though.

Games, games and more games

CJ and Katie loved the carnival games.

There were plenty of them! We just had to take our pick of how to win a prize. And of course every player wins!

The darts are always fun. Easy too.

Yea! Katie won!

So did CJ!
Now on to another game.

The ball had to land in an orange, red or purple goblet to get a prize.

They got a few in those, but most of them went in the white ones.

Pick your prize!