Get your Fair fix this weekend

Why should Iowa have all the fun? This Labor Day weekend marks the start of the 89^th Los Angeles County Fair, where daily pig races are only a small part of the festivities.

From Saturday, September 3, until Sunday, October 2, Wednesdays through Sundays, the Fairplex in Pomona will be replete with nearly every imaginable diversion. “Grandstand Concerts” will feature well-known musical acts like En Vogue with Salt-N-Pepa, Earth, Wind & Fire, the Doobie Brothers and this Monday (when the fair is open for Labor Day), The Beach Boys. But there’s more than just music at the main stage. Fairgoers can also witness large-scale mariachi singing and dancing, a monster truck rally or a demolition derby.

There will be plenty of fun away from the main stage, too. Educational presentations include a marine exhibition with live sharks and other sea creatures, a flower and garden pavilion and paleontologists with fossils. A lumberjack show, bears, trapeze artists, and, yes, fast-moving pigs, are also part of the entertainment.

Within the larger fair this year are four cultural festivals: Latin American, Basque, Celtic and Asian culture will be featured on individual weekends, bringing music, dance, and art from around the world.

And, of course, no county fair would be complete without oodles of food, ranging from the über-healthy to the cringe-inducing-and-artery-clogging. We’re talking deep-fried Kool-Aid, sushi, giant turkey legs, fruit smoothies and maple bacon doughnuts. You only live once, but additional health insurance is not included with the price of admission–so consume at your own risk.

Fair organizers have a lot planned, so check out their website for more details and schedules of festivities. Directions, admission prices, and other important information can all be found online. Tickets for the Grandstand Concerts must be purchased separately from fair admission. Metrolink will be providing rides to the fair from Union Station, so save on parking and gas by leaving your car behind.

Posted 8/30/11