Living in Ventura provides opportunities for fun every day, with great local beaches, ample parks and recreational opportunities, and hotspots like the Ventura Harbor and historic Downtown. Special events all year long shine another spotlight on the city, and one of the very favorites is going on for the next week. Grab the kids and your sense of adventure and head on over to the Ventura County Fair through August 13.
Dating back to 1875, the fair brings together those who already have the pleasure of living in Ventura as well as visitors from all around the world to witness everything from “carnival rides and corn dogs, to farm animals and exhibits to entertainment and good old family fun” at the “Country Fair with Ocean Air,” they said. Here are the can’t miss activities and events at the 142nd Ventura County Fair.
A variety of exhibits
Here, you’ll find gems and minerals, great art and photography, and a fair favorite: Uncle Leo’s Barn. Intended as a place where children can learn about agriculture and connect with Ventura’s agricultural history, Uncle Leo’s Barn offers the Stories of Ventura County Contest on Tuesday, August 8 at 2pm and a Kid’s Pedal Tractor Pull daily at 4pm.
Rodeo shows
“Four rodeo shows are scheduled, including two on August 12 and two August 13,” said the Ventura County Star. “Visitors can also marvel at an array of gardens in the floriculture section or take part in pie-eating and cooking contests.”
Live music
Great live music from a variety of well-known and top artists is a hallmark of the fair and a top reason visitors and those who are already living in Ventura often attend the fair on multiple days. Some highlights of musical acts featured over the next week include:
- Country music singer Billy Currington, August 7
- The Spinners, August 8
- Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds, August 8
- Rock band Shinedown, August 9
- Comedian Gabriel Iglesias, August 10
- Country legend Wynonna Judd and her band, The Big Noise, August 11
Farm animals in the Livestock Center
Visit this area of the fair and you just might see “someone walking a cow, or blow-drying a sheep, or grooming a pig,” said the fair.
Fair food
It wouldn’t be the fair without an abundance of tasty eats, and, this year, there are some “crazy new foods” to tempt you,” said the Star’s Lisa McKinnon in her review of this year’s fair food. “All the usual deep-fried suspects were there (hello, battered-covered Oreos), joined this year by two novelty acts at the Teriyaki Rice Bowl booth in the main food court. We’re talking deep-fried pineapple on a stick and deep-fried watermelon on a stick ($10), each served with a maraschino cherry, powdered sugar and/or a ruffle of whipped cream on top.”
More can’t-miss items include “crushed Hot Cheetos and Doritos Cool Ranch and Nacho Cheese tortilla chips as optional toppings for corn served on the cob,” pork belly tacos and bacon-wrapped turkey legs from the Farmer’s Market Grill, and Strahan’s Belgian waffles on a stick from Lemoine Creperie.
McKinnon also recommends the “beer tasting presented at 11am on August 12 by the Ventura Cattlemen’s Association” and the Bounty of the County on August 10, featuring “teams of local wineries and restaurants competing for your votes for best wine, best food and best wine-food pairing. The first-come, first-served sampling is open to tasters ages 21 and older, so bring your ID.”
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