Great Escape: A Global Adventure Awaits at the L.A. County Fair

You know it’s Labor Day weekend when the Los Angeles County Fair opens in Pomona. It's the largest county fair in the nation, and it's celebrating its 89th anniversary this year.

Food is a renowned part of the fair—and if it's deep-fried, on-a-stick, covered in chocolate or smothered in powdered sugar, it's there. Bet you didn't think fruit can be fried. Well, it can at the L.A. County Fair. For vegetarians and gluten-free followers, there are some tasty choices as well.

This year is bigger than ever with an eclectic list of events that represents a global marketplace with 23 days of fun for all ages. Enjoy world-class concerts; educational, diverse and interactive exhibits; unique shopping; horse racing; a carnival; and those home-grown delights: arts, crafts and agriculture. Four ongoing cultural festivals with individual "villages" will feature contemporary and historical expressions of Latin American, Basque, Celtic and Asian cultures that are fun and educational.  

Music from the End of Summer Concert Series is part of the nightly grandstand entertainment—an eclectic concert lineup and three nights of monster trucks, high-flying FMX competition and a wild demolition derby. Highlights will include OneRepublic, En Vogue & Salt-N-Pepa, Xtreme Muzik The Tour starring Big & Rich and Gretchen Wilson, Gloria Trevi, the Beach Boys and Earth, Wind & Fire.

Kids will love the FairView Farms, showcasing animals of all types and sizes, a petting zoo, a milking parlor, sheep shearing and an urban farm. Surrounded by Science: The Science of Everyday Life, an interactive exhibit, will combine facts with fun. The Shark Encounter exhibit will feature a tank filled with live sharks. The Jurassic Planet exhibit, with shows, fossils and a paleontologist, focuses on dinosaurs that once roamed the earth.

Other highlights include Esmeralda’s Traveling Circus; Pets Ahoy, an animal high seas adventure; Mojo’s Jungle; Western Days & Rodeo Nights; and Wilderness Ridge with lumberjack camp and show, big bear expedition and Smokey Bear & Friends. 

The Los Angeles County Fair opens this weekend at the Pomona Fairplex. Opening weekend hours are 10 a.m. to midnight Saturday and Sunday, and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday. After opening weekend, hours are: Wednesdays-Fridays, opening at noon; Saturdays and  Sundays, opening at 10 a.m. Closing on Wednesdays and Sundays at 10 p.m.; closing Thursdays at 11 p.m.; closing Fridays and Saturdays at midnight. Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Live thoroughbred horse racing at Fairplex Park runs Sept. 9-25, dark Mondays and Tuesdays.

Please visit lacountyfair.com for admission prices and special low-cost and free promotions.