Southern California Exposition July 1982

The San Diego County Fair (formerly called the Del Mar Fair) is a

county fair An agricultural show is a public event exhibiting the equipment, animals, sports and recreation associated with agriculture and animal husbandry. The largest comprise a livestock show (a judged event or display in which breeding stock is exhibit ...

held every summer at the

Del Mar Fairgrounds The Del Mar Fairgrounds is a event venue in Del Mar, California. The annual San Diego County Fair is held here, which was called the Del Mar Fair from 1984 to 2001. In 1936, the Del Mar Racetrack was built by the Thoroughbred Club with foundi ...

Del Mar, California Del Mar (; Spanish for "Of the Sea") is a beach town in San Diego County, California, located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean. Established in 1885 as a seaside resort, the city incorporated in 1959. The Del Mar Horse Races are hosted on the ...

. The fair is a major draw for

San Diego County San Diego County (), officially the County of San Diego, is a county in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,298,634, making it California's second-most populous county and the f ...

residents; in recent years, attendance figures have risen above a million annually, reaching a record attendance of 1,609,481 in 2016. As of 2016, the San Diego County Fair was the largest

in the United States, and the fifth largest fair of any kind. Fair patrollers include security guards and the San Diego County Sheriff's Office.

History

The fair began in 1880 as an agricultural fair. The location moved from place to place for several years, finally settling on the Del Mar Fairgrounds when it opened in 1936. There was no fair in 1917–18 because of

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, 1942–45 because of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

, and 2020 in response to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...

. In 1954, the fair's name was changed to the ''Southern California Exposition and San Diego County Fair''. In 1970, this was shortened to the ''Southern California Exposition''. The fair was again renamed in 1984 to the ''Del Mar Fair'', which lasted until 2002 when the name ''San Diego County Fair'' was reinstated. It is sometimes still referred to as the "Del Mar Fair" by locals. After visiting farm animals at the fair in 2019, a 2-year-old boy died and three others were sickened but not hospitalized; they had contracted pathogenic E. coli, and the child had developed a kidney infection.

Fairest of the Fair

From 1936 through 2003 the fair included a beauty pageant. The winner was originally called Queen of the Fair; in 1947 the title was changed to Fairest of the Fair. The winner and her "court of lovelies" were featured at the fair and in public appearances throughout the year. In 2004 the pageant was discontinued due to high costs and legal wrangling over a disqualified entry in 2003. Most Memorable Contestant was 1979 Marlene Rosas of El Cajon, and the best known winner of the Fairest of the Fair pageant was the late 1958 winner, a La Jolla High School student named Raquel Tejada, better known as actress

Raquel Welch Jo Raquel Welch ( Tejada; September 5, 1940) is an American actress. She first won attention for her role in '' Fantastic Voyage'' (1966), after which she won a contract with 20th Century Fox. They lent her contract to the British studio Hamm ...

(1940-2023).

Don Diego

For decades the official greeter and host of the fair was Don Diego, a smiling caballero portrayed by Spanish actor Tommy Hernandez from 1947 until his death in 1984. The character was based on a real person, Don Diego Alvarado, whose family had a large land grant in the Del Mar area during the late 1800s; Alvarado was known for his grand parties and was regarded as the local symbol of a gracious host. Dressed in a huge sombrero, embroidered tunic and trousers, and boots, and toting a guitar, Hernandez promoted the fair as its goodwill ambassador. He escorted the Fairest of the Fair and other celebrities, and personally greeted ordinary fairgoers with a "¡Bienvenidos Amigos!" ("Welcome, Friends)". After Hernandez' death the fair board decided to retire the character rather than try to replace Hernandez, who they felt had been uniquely qualified for the role of Don Diego. A 16-foot bronze statue of Hernandez as Don Diego, created by artist Maher Morcos, now stands at the fair's main entrance. The fair established a scholarship fund in 1986, the Don Diego fund, in his honor. Each year the statue is dressed in garb that is appropriate to the theme of that year's fair.

Features

The fair features many musical and talent performances from artists of varying genres, from nationally known acts on the infield stage to local professionals to amateur groups. There are dozens of contests ranging from agricultural efforts to cooking to flower arranging. As with many county fairs, animal exhibits are abundant. There are also two buildings full of commercial exhibits. There are exhibits featuring San Diego County's heritage, as well as exhibits specially designed for the fair's theme, which changes annually, making the fair somewhat different each year. This year's theme is "Get Out There!". Children and students are honored in the ''Kids' Best'' and ''Student Showcase'' displays, which feature artwork created by students ranging from kindergarten through community college. School yearbooks are displayed as well as woodworking, photography, and art projects constructed by high school students. All ages can display their talents in exhibits such as ''Design in Wood'', photo and art shows, and ''Home and Hobby''. Each day features a particular city or town in San Diego County. Food also is a feature of the fair, with more than 100 food booths. There are many fair classics as well as other interesting or outrageous creations such as beef sundaes, fried Twinkies, and apple fries. Something new is added every year, such as fried cola in 2007, chocolate bacon in 2009, and fried butter in 2010. In 2015 the new Fair fare is an eclectic mix of pork and bacon to sweets and spice - and much more. 2019 saw the debut of the Buffalo Chicken

Chimichanga A chimichanga (; ) is a deep-fried burrito that is common in Tex-Mex and other Southwestern U.S. cuisine. The dish is typically prepared by filling a flour tortilla with various ingredients, most commonly rice, cheese, beans, and a meat such ...

. From Wasabi Bacon Bombs to Sriracha Corn Dogs, Deep-fried Slimfast Bars, and a Fireball Donut, there is a lot to eat and see at the San Diego County Fair. The

Fourth of July Independence Day (colloquially the Fourth of July) is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the Declaration of Independence, which was ratified by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, establishing the United States ...

brings events celebrating the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

' independence, including a parade and a large fireworks display in the evening. With an average daily attendance of more than 60,000 in 2014, it is the fourth largest fair in North America, and California's largest ever, surpassed in attendance only by the

State Fair of Texas The State Fair of Texas is an annual state fair held in Dallas at historic Fair Park. The fair has taken place every year since 1886 except for varying periods during World War I and World War II as well as 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It ...

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, also called RodeoHouston or abbreviated HLSR, is the largest livestock exhibition and rodeo in the world. It includes one of the richest regular-season professional rodeo events. It has been held at NRG Sta ...

, and the

Minnesota State Fair The Minnesota State Fair is the state fair of the U.S. state of Minnesota. Also known by its slogan, "The Great Minnesota Get-Together", it is the largest state fair in the United States by average daily attendance and the second-largest state f ...

Date and location

The fair is generally held from the last weekend in May (early June otherwise) through the Fourth of July weekend, and is closed Mondays/Tuesdays in June. The fair is held at the

in Del Mar, California, off the Via De La Valle exit (Exit 36) on the

Interstate 5 Interstate 5 (I-5) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the West Coast of the United States, running largely parallel to the Pacific coast of the contiguous U.S. from Mexico to Canada. It travels through the states of Californi ...

Freeway. The address is 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar, CA 92014.

Pacific Surfliner The ''Pacific Surfliner'' is a passenger train service serving the communities on the coast of Southern California between San Diego and San Luis Obispo. The service carried 2,924,117 passengers during fiscal year 2016, a 3.4% increase from F ...

and

Coaster Coaster (stylized as COASTER) is a commuter rail service in the central and northern coastal regions of San Diego County, California, United States operated by the North County Transit District (NCTD). The commuter rail line features eight s ...

stop at the nearby

Solana Beach station Solana Beach station, also known as the Solana Beach Transit Center, is a train station on Amtrak California's ''Pacific Surfliner'' passenger train and on North County Transit District's COASTER commuter rail route located in Solana Beach, Cali ...

on regular schedules, and they usually increase service during the events of the fair (NCTD uses their "Fair Tripper" ticket packages for discounts and Amtrak increases capacity). There are plans in the future to build a special events platform on the west side of the Del Mar Fairgrounds to provide easier access to events held there, such as the fair.

Parking

The Del Mar Fairgrounds charges $17 for parking in their main lots during the San Diego Fair. There are multiple free and reduced fee options for parking during the fair that includes free shuttle service to help combat traffic and parking problems. * Torrey Pines High School, 3710 Del Mar Heights Rd., Del Mar Saturdays and Sundays * MiraCosta College's San Elijo Campus, 3333 Manchester Ave., Cardiff Saturdays and Sundays * Del Mar Horsepark (just east of the fair), 14550 El Camino Real, Del Mar everyday fair is open ($5) San Diego Fair Parking

Themes

Since 1998 the San Diego County Fair has adopted a theme. * 1998 - Discover California * 1999 - The Rush is On (California Sesquicentennial) * 2000 - California Dreamin' * 2001 - Endless Summer - Endless Fun (Surfing) * 2002 -

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...

* 2003 - Commotion by the Ocean * 2004 - Seussentennial Celebration * 2005 - Cinema Summer * 2006 - Ride the Tide to Fun * 2007 - Salute to Heroes * 2008 - Summer of Sports * 2009 - Music Mania * 2010 - Taste the Fun * 2011 - Race to The Fair * 2012 - Out of This World * 2013 - Game On! * 2014 - The FAB Fair * 2015 - A Fair to Remember * 2016 - Mad About the Fair * 2017 - Where the West is Fun * 2018 - How Sweet it is * 2019 - OzSome! * 2020 - (No 2020 Fair in response to the

) * 2021 - Home Grown Fun * 2022 - Heroes ReUnite! * 2023 - Get Out There! In 2003, Spanish versions of the theme were created to spearhead marketing campaigns for the Hispanic community in San Diego County plus Baja California: * 2003 - Una Feria a Todo Mar * 2004 - (No Spanish version adopted) * 2005 - De Película * 2006 - Va Llena de Diversión * 2007 - Homenaje a los Héroes * 2008 - Verano Deportivo * 2009 - Explosión Musical * 2010 - ¡Pruébala! * 2011 - Arráncate a la Feria * 2012 - La Feria de las Galaxias * 2013 - ¡Juega! * 2014 - Una Feria Fabulosa * 2015 - La Feria del Recuerdo * 2016 - Locos por la Feria * 2017 - La Gran Feria del Oeste * 2018 - La Más Dulce de las Ferias * 2019 - ¡fabulOZa! * 2020 - (No 2020 Fair in response to the

) * 2021 - (No Spanish version adopted) * 2022 - Héroes ¡Reúnanse! * 2023 - ¡Explórala!

References

External links

San Diego County Fair websiteDel Mar Fairgrounds website
{{coord, 32.975, -117.260, region:US-CA_type:landmark, display=title Festivals in San Diego Fairs in California Del Mar, California Annual fairs Annual events in California Tourist attractions in San Diego County, California