Ah, the California State Fair.
Where mobs and mobs of people pay outrageous parking fees and then fork over $395 at the admission gate. Actually, that’s just an estimate, projected for inflation from the 1937 figures; who knows what it is this year?
And where even more mobs of people park miles away from the fairgrounds (like at the Arden Fair Mall or the Luck Be a Lady Strip Club or the Nevada State Fair parking lot) and hike in on foot to avoid the hefty parking fees at Cal Expo’s notorious and extremely asphalty Lot C.
The California State Fair is where you can look at a goat, act like a goat, and eat deep-fried Goat-on-a-Stick.
You can ride on the Whoopsy Daisy, see who won the blue ribbon in the Hand-Shaped Paintings that Look Like a Thanksgiving Turkey Competition, and get deep-fried It’s-It-on-a-Stick.
♫♪ Come to State Fair, it’s all right there, California life as it should be ♫♪ ….anybody remember that song?
Used-to-be, the State Fair was the biggest thing in town. Mark Twain coined the terms “water slides”, “bacteria pools”, and “deep-fried Carny-Boogers-on-a-Stick” based on his personal adventures at the California State Fair.
But now, it’s barely a blip on the radar. Well, my radar, anyway.
Take for example, this shot of Exposition Boulevard (where the Main Entrance to the fair is located) this past Sunday. At 2:00pm on opening weekend.
Where the heck is all the traffic? We’re supposed to have our own little Carmageddon right here in River City when the State Fair comes to town and look at it.
Pathetic.
And do you know why it’s pathetic? Well, I’m so glad you asked.
It is simply because Cal Expo has failed to tap Nanny Goats in Panties (The Best Local Blogger – according to the KCRA A-List!) for its promotional efforts. Had they invited yours truly to some swanky, exclusive Stuff-on-a-Stick preview, I would have introduced the world (the WORLD, I say!) to the California State Fair.
I would have gushed over the fair, told everyone I know (that’s you guys) that you had to go, no matter the exorbitant $864 admission. I would have demonstrated examples of the varying levels of disgusting yet delicious deep-fried Whatevers-on-Sticks. I would have shown you the latest in slick-talking demo dudes in aprons hawking this slicer or that dicer.
And I would have shown you prize-winning goats.
But, no.
Instead, I drive forlornly past the entrance wondering if someday they will realize their very egregious mistake, and beg to make up for it.
Maybe next year they won’t forget about me. Because I’m definitely not talking about the California State Fair this year, that’s for sure.
Have you been to the California State Fair? If so, what did you see? And did you eat any deep fried anything?
I’ve been to our state fair once, many years ago. It’s a 2-hour drive and then one must navigate the city to the fair grounds, pay to park, pay to get in, pay to eat…pay, pay, pay. We have a great fair that comes to our city each fall, and we haven’t missed on in 25 years. Could that be a record? Nah.
We love the corn dogs, spiral fries and funnel cakes. It think one year they even had gator on a stick. Yes, we ate that too.
Gator on a Stick? Yum! What state are you in? Louisiana?
North Carolina, but I’ve been to Louisiana and had gator there too.
That must mean it’s been a year since I was in Sacramento. Good times.
Does that mean you’ll be back very soon???
All this talk about deep fried things on a stick is making me hungry and now I want a corn dog and funnel cake!
Mmmmmm…. Corn dogs and funnel cakes. 🙂
they clearly screwed up by NOT inviting you!
When will these people ever learn? 😉
I went to the Eastern States Exposition (the Big E!) every year as a kid: crazy expensive, crazy traffic, crazy crowds, but we used to get fried dough that was really good. I went once with my kids and have vowed to never go again.
I’ve never heard of The Big E! But I guess maybe you have be a little closer to it to have heard of it. Yeah, the crowds are what kind of keep me away from these things, too.
Nope and nope! I do go to the NM State FAir and love it. Though I must admit I bypass the fried on the stick booths! Looks dangerous to me! Ha!
Hugs
SueAnn
I know! Why do we risk our lives so much for food? 🙂
I’m not going to the CA State Fair until they hire you and pay you REAL MONEY to promote their stinking Fair 😉
xo jj
You’re closer to the Pomona Fair anyway and I hear that’s a good one.
Our family just discussing how the STATE FAIR, once upon a time, was a destination for the whole STATE. It was where you saw amazing things you’d never seen before. But who needs a fair for that when we can turn on the TV or click on the internet and see it all there? Without leaving our homes? And without paying to park?
When asked what do they think would bring people to Sacramento as a “destination”, my daughter answered, “There’s already enough people here. Why would we want more people to come here?” So maybe that’s why the California State Fair is so lame…we really don’t want anyone to come.
But there is that shiz-on-a-stick to consider…
Oh, man! Shiz on a Stick. I wish I’d thought of that.
I will not comment on the Mineral County Fair and Rodeo because the only place goats are allowed is at the rodeo. And it is not as guests. It is to be ROPED. Can you imagine such a thing?!
Goats should not be roped!
We are not animals!
What??? No beauty contests? No 4H type stuff? How ludicrous. And if you say you’re not animals, I can only take your word for it. 🙂