The countdown is on for one of Stanislaus County’s most anticipated summer traditions as the County Fair returns July 10-19, welcoming families, friends, and visitors for 10 days of entertainment, agriculture, fair food, carnival rides, live music, and community pride.
The fairgrounds in Turlock were abuzz with activity all last week going into this week.
“We have tents going up, beer trailers being put into place, the Health Department is out here doing inspections, golf carts are being delivered and we’re also preparing for the Fourth of July celebration, which is here tomorrow night, in the middle of everything else,” said Fair CEO Kim Williams on Thursday.
It takes months of work and dozens of dedicated employees and volunteers to prepare the fairgrounds for the county fair, which draws over 200,000 visitors each year.
According to Williams, there will be record numbers of livestock exhibitor entries, specifically turkeys and beef cattle. And exhibits overall — which includes everything from floriculture to ag mechanics and livestock — are up about 4,000 entries this year.
Brenda Trantham, who is in charge of the Farm Bureau Exhibition Building, was busy Thursday with her team judging exhibits and getting all the displays organized. On Thursday, they were judging jams and jellies in the morning and then educational display boards. The Exhibition Building is a busy place during the fair. It not only is home to the numerous displays of art work, fruits and vegetable entries and Ag in the Classroom chicken statues, but it also plays host to the special contests like ugliest decorated cake, watermelon eating, cookie decorating, milk chugging and pie eating.
In the Floriculture building, superintendent Candy Silveria and her team were working hard getting flowers planted, displays arranged and helping the various youth exhibitors get their entries into place. She said every year there are new designs
“This year, we have upcycle, down cycle and celebrating 250 years,” said Silveria.
While Trantham and Silveria were busy getting their respective exhibition areas ready for fairgoers, fair time operations manager Steve Torres spent Thursday moving from area to area making sure everything was running smoothly. This will be Torres’ 27th year working at the fair and second as fair time operations manager.
“Things are looking good, we’re on schedule. Each day we progress,” said Torres.
Fairgoers may take advantage of a variety of discounts and special promotions and save before they arrive by purchasing pre-sale admission tickets and unlimited carnival wristbands online. Buying in advance is the easiest way to lock in the lowest prices and skip paying full price at the gate. Once inside, the savings continue with $5 Fair Bites, available daily from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Participating concessionaires will offer a smaller-sized portion of one of their most popular menu items for just $5, making it easy to sample more of the Fair’s famous food without stretching your budget.
The Fair also features several special discount days throughout the Fair, offering reduced admission or special promotions for guests. Be sure to check the daily schedule before your visit to find the day that works best for you.
Included in the price of admission are the nightly concerts as part of the Black Oak Casino Resort Concert Series, strolling entertainment, agricultural exhibits, livestock barns, interactive displays, community stages, family-friendly attractions, educational exhibits, contests.
The fairgrounds and buildings are open weekdays at 4 p.m. and open 12 noon on Saturdays and Sundays. Buildings close nightly at 11 p.m. while the fair goes until 12 midnight.
Clint Black on stage Friday
Country music legend Clint Black will perform at the Fair on Friday, July 10. The Grammy, CMA, and ACM Award-winning artist will take the Modelo Variety Free Stage at 8:30 p.m. as part of the Black Oak Casino Resort Concert Series.
Black has one of the most storied careers in modern music. He surged to superstardom in 1989, reaching number one with five consecutive singles from his triple-platinum debut, “Killin’ Time.” He followed that with the triple-platinum “Put Yourself in My Shoes,” and then a string of platinum and gold albums throughout the ‘90s. Perhaps most impressively, Clint wrote or co-wrote every one of his more than three dozen chart hits, including “A Better Man,” “Killin’ Time,” “When My Ship Comes In,” “A Good Run of Bad Luck,” “Summer’s Comin’,” “Like the Rain,” and “Nothin’ But the Taillights,” part of a catalog that produced 22 number one singles and made him one of the most successful singer/songwriters of the modern era.
Black has sold over 20 million records, earned more than a dozen gold and platinum awards in the U.S. and Canada including a GRAMMY, landed nearly two dozen major awards and nominations, earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Common Kings on July 11
Mi Banda El Mexicano De German Roman is an iconic regional Mexican band famous for popularizing the quebradita dance style and technobanda genre. Founded by drummer and singer Germán Román, the band continues to tour and play classic dance hits like “No Bailes de Caballito” and “Ramito de Violetas.”
Diamond Rio on July 13
Country group Diamond Rio is bringing their legendary harmonies and chart-topping hits to the fair at 8:30 p.m. on Monday, July 13.
Originating as The Tennessee River Boys in the 1980s, the band evolved into Diamond Rio in 1989. The following year, they signed with Arista Nashville, and in 1991, with the release of “Meet in The Middle,” became the first country music group in history to reach No. 1 with a debut single. The band is also known for their multi-week chart-topper “How Your Love Makes Me Feel,” crossover hit “One More Day,” as well as timeless hits “Beautiful Mess,” “Unbelievable,” “I Believe,” and many more.
Diamond Rio has charted 20 Top 10 singles, 15 Top 5 singles, and seven No. 1 singles.
Twist on Taylor July 14
Taylor Swift fans will enjoy Twist on Taylor, a tribute ensemble based in Southern California and Las Vegas and led by Sara Jessica Rhodes that will perform on Tuesday, July 14. The band is dedicated to providing an engaging Taylor Swift experience to its audience without the exorbitant ticket price costs.
3OH!3
3OH!3 is set to perform on Wednesday, July 15 with their brand-new single, “Hit me Harder.”
It’s been nearly two decades since 3OH!3 crashed the top of the pop charts, but their spirit remains as unflinching as ever. What started as a DIY project quickly catapulted Sean Foreman and Nathaniel Motte’s dorm-room demos into a cultural phenomenon, sound tracking both Warped Tour and Top 40 radio takeovers with a blend of hip-hop bravado, tongue-in-cheek chaos and hooks more ascendant than their Boulder, Colorado hometown.
That legacy has only grown with time as a new wave of fans and artists continue to champion platinum-certified anthems like “DONTTRUSTME,” “STARSTRUKK,” and “My First Kiss” worldwide at events like Emo Nite, while Motte and Foreman bring their high-octane live show to Coachella, Reading & Leeds, and Warped Tour, where mosh pits and singalongs serve as a reminder that 3OH!3’s impact isn’t frozen in time, but constantly evolving.
Ashanti on July 16
Ashanti’s music style is rooted in Contemporary R&B and Hip-Hop Soul. Often dubbed the “Princess of Hip-Hop & R&B,” her signature sound flawlessly merged smooth, melodic vocal hooks with gritty, hard-hitting rap beats.
Ashanti Shequoiya Douglas is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Born and raised on Long Island, Ashanti started performing and writing songs as a youth. She was discovered by record producer Irv Gotti and signed with Murder Inc. Records in 2002. Her self-titled debut album, featuring the hit song “Foolish” broke records for first-week sales by a female artist in the US.
Mayday Parade July 17
Mayday Parade, a band who in the midst of celebrating 20 years with a three-part album, will be performing at the Stanislaus County Fair in Turlock on July 17.
With more than 1.43 billion streams, gold and platinum certifications, and a catalog that helped shape a generation of emo, pop-punk, and alternative fans, Mayday Parade continue to evolve while remaining true to the songwriting, ambition and connection that have sustained them for two decades.
Ying Yang Twins July 18
The Ying Yang Twins are an American hip hop duo consisting of Kaine and D-Roc. Despite the name, the duo are not twins, brothers, or even related. They debuted in 2000 and rose to mainstream popularity in 2003 collaborating with Britney Spears on her album In the Zone and with Lil Jon on “Get Low.”
Banda Carnaval July 19
‘Banda Carnaval’ is a Mexican Latin Grammy-nominated banda from Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico. The group was named after «El Carnaval de Mazatlán» which is the biggest event that takes place every year in their hometown of Mazatlán. It was formed by Jesús Tirado Castañeda in 2001.
All concerts on the Modelo Variety Free Stage are a part of the Black Oak Casino & Resort Concert Series, will begin nightly at 8:30 p.m., and are free with paid Fair admission.
– Kristina Hacker contributed to this report.
