Despite temperatures spiking to 108 degrees and an Excessive Heat Warning from the National Weather Service in place when the gates to the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds in Turlock officially opened to the general public, it was a determined crowd that made it out to the opening day of the 106th Stanislaus County Fair on Friday afternoon, July 5.
To keep the Fourth of July spirit going, the first 1,000 kids received red, white and blue glow necklaces and all active and former military members were admitted free of charge. The patriotic theme continued Saturday when the first 1,000 kids received temporary red, white and blue Stanley mascot tattoos.
Usually, families begin forming a line at each of the entries more than an hour before gates officially open on the first day of festivities. But on Friday, the first few visitors elected to not brave the heat and arrived just a couple minutes before the grand opening. By the time the sun started setting, the walkways were fairly packed with visitors.
Temperatures continued sizzling in the 100s until about 8:30 p.m. on Friday and did not drop out of the 90s until just before the grounds closed at midnight.
Mavrik Estacio, who will be a freshman at Turlock High later this year, has showed animals at two prior fairs. This year, he plans to show three heifers and a bull, and was providing his cattle more water and giving them more frequent cold showers to help them stay cool and healthy.
“This is the hottest year, by far,” Estacio said. “Any time they get hot, I just take them out and go rinse them. We’ve had a few rinses already to help them stay cool. I’ve also been giving them more water so they stay hydrated, which is super important.”
To help individuals combat the heat as the fair continues this week, there are additional cooling sections with fans and misters placed throughout the premises and a number of refreshments for sale.
This year, the grounds are hosting 41 concession stands offering a variety of food and cold drinks. New vendors serving up cold treats are Suds & Floats, Aguas Frescas and Vic’s Churros and Ice Cream.
Staff is predicting the fair to draw approximately 240,000 visitors this year, a slight drop-off from the 270,000 that walked the fairgrounds last year.
In addition to Friday’s opening day giveaway, visitors were treated to a performance from country music star David Lee Murphy— who performed hit songs like “Dust on the Bottle,” “Party Crowd” and “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright” — at the Modelo Variety Free Stage, tractor pulls at the FoodMaxx Arena and a drone show, tabbed as the “Patriotic Sky Spectacular.”
The Stanislaus County Fair was awarded a grant from the Valley Air District to introduce an innovative and environmentally friendly alternative to fireworks. The drones graced the sky over the fairgrounds over the weekend as well. Saturday was the second day of the Patriotic Sky Spectacular while Sunday’s was a multicultural sky show.
The legendary Southern rock band 38 Special, with their signature blend of gritty guitar riffs, powerhouse vocals, and timeless hits, will rock the stage on July 10.
Country music sensation Scotty McCreery will be performing on July 11.
Brace yourselves for an unforgettable rock experience as “Great White” takes the stage on July 12.
The Stanislaus County Fair is honored to host All Time Low, a band that has captivated audiences worldwide with their unforgettable performances. The band will take the stage July 13.
Get ready for an electrifying fusion of traditional Mexican music and modern flair as La Septima Banda goes on stage July 14.
The FoodMaxx Arena will showcase a variety of action-packed events including the Monster Trucks July 10 and 11, Destruction Derby July 12, Ranch Rodeo July 13 and Hispanic Rodeo July 14.
On weekdays, the fairgrounds will open to the general public at 4 p.m.; on weekends, the gates open at noon. Grounds close each day at midnight. The ticket office will also be open every day from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, head to www.stancofair.com.
“We have a really great fair this year,” said CEO Kim Williams. “We’re excited to have everyone over and hope they all enjoy what we have in store this year.”
