‘We are beyond excited.’ Big Fresno Fair is back after a quiet year. What to expect
The Big Fresno Fair will return in full force this year as vaccinations have made public gatherings safer again.
The 2021 fair will take place Oct. 6 to 17, and will feature the carnival rides, junk food and entertainment that visitors would expect from the typical fair.
Last year’s fair was a muted version because of the pandemic, only allowing people to enter the fairgrounds in a car to buy some of their favorite food items in a drive-thru.
Announcements of who will play the Table Mountain Concert Series in the Paul Paul Theater are still to come, according to Stacy Rianda, a deputy manager for the fair.
“We are beyond excited to be able to welcome people back to the fairgrounds this October to enjoy the longstanding tradition of The Big Fresno Fair with all of its attractions,” she said.
Entry and horse race tickets go on sale July 15 for members of the fair’s BFF Club. Officials say signing up for the club is free at FresnoFair.com/BFFClub.
The news comes as fair officials around the state are making decisions on what to do this year amid uncertainty about the rate of vaccinations against COVID-19.
California health officials continue to encourage more people to get vaccinated and protected from the potentially deadly virus. The more transmittable Delta variant has also had health officials concerned, according to Dr. Tomás J. Aragón, California Department of Public Health director.
“Although California’s vaccination rates are among the highest in the country, we must stay vigilant against COVID-19 and its variants,” he said Friday in a news release. “That means motivating the remaining Californians to get vaccinated, and encouraging our friends and families, too.”
The Merced County Fair was canceled for the second year in a row last month. Officials said the ongoing uncertainty was too much of a concern to bring people to the Merced County Fairgrounds.
But, they have scheduled the Merced Summer Carnival, which is ongoing and ends Sunday, July 11, at the Merced County Fairgrounds. Attendees can expect carnival rides, games, fair food and more.
The Stanislaus County Fair will open Friday morning. No carnival rides or concerts are on the schedule, but the fair will be open on the weekends for three weeks.
The arena will roar with motor sports, and food booths will serve up VFW burgers and other favorites.
“You don’t get the (usual) attractions, but you get to have the kids experience the fair with their projects,” said Sarah Barcellos of Newman. Her daughter Marlayna and son Raylen both have 4-H cattle entries.
The 2020 fair in Turlock was canceled last year except for some livestock events and food sales.
Closer to the coast, tickets are on sale for the California Mid-State Fair that runs July 21 through Aug. 1 at the Paso Robles Event Center.
Acts lined up to perform at the Paso Robles fair include rocker Bret Michaels, pop star-turned-TikTok sensation Jason Derulo and country acts Dwight Yoakam, Big & Rich and Little Big Town.
Modesto Bee reporter John Holland contributed to this report.
