Tag: Big Fun

I haven’t been to The State Fair yet, but I think my two girls will go crazy for the livestock stuff so I think we’re going to make it this year, eventually. I have to ask, however: is it just me or does attendance seem way down? Where is the traffic snarl backing up from Expo to the WX? Over the weekend I was able to drive in to the Arden Fair parking lot and grab a sweet spot outside Nordys and get out with no delay. Last night we drove past the fairgrounds at 6:30, prime fair dining time, and the lot seemed about half full.

I know my evidence is entirely anecdotal, but those are 3 major indicators that the Fair is in town and they are non-factors thus far. What gives? Discuss.

As you know the downtown outdoor ice skating rink is up and running. Usually it’s packed with kids after school hours. Today at lunchtime it was practically empty. That is except for a business man in a full-on suit & tie, leisurely doing laps on his lunch hour, with his hands casually behind his back and that slow-motion relaxed pace that people who can ice skate use. “That guy is cool,” I said to myself. And now you can say it too.

So the State Fair is over. The CoolDMZ clan didn’t get a chance to go, though we were thinking about it this fine Labor Day weekend. To see what you missed, or to help jog your memory if you had too many deep fried delicacies and blacked out, check out these Big Fun ’05 tagged Flickr photos that I found via Get in the Sac.

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The California State Fair experienced its first fireworks show Friday evening of ’05. Unfortunately, this show wasn’t of the “…skyrockets in flight, afternoon delight” variety. No, the CSF (again, the acronym thing, not good) just wouldn’t be the same without some good old fashioned gunplay. According to News10.net, “as many as nine shots from a .22 caliber handgun” were fired as two groups of teens, “engaged in some kind of altercation with another group.” And to top it all off the suspect (who was arrested) is only 17! And to top it all off even more, “authorities said the alleged gunman threw the handgun away just before he was grabbed by officers on Heritage Lane.” Super, great, grand. Just what we need as folks make their way to the fair from offsite parking. No word yet on whether the gun was retrieved.

Graswich has a great tidbit today from one of his readers…

Jacquelin Siegel wonders why the California State Fair is embracing all things Hawaiian, from Hawaiian shirts to Hawaiian surf legends. “That is really sending the wrong message,” Jacquelin said. Fair officials say they tried to limit the Hawaiian references. On the bright side, the fair isn’t embracing all things Texan.

Genius. Can’t wait to avoid that crap. But what’s up with the Texas dig, Bob? I heard it’s unwise to mess.

Please allow me to switch gears for a moment and do away with this WNV chatter. Who wants to talk California State Fair? According to our dear friends at News10.net this year’s fair has been extended another week! That’s 3, count them, 3 weeks to savor your favorite deep fried chocolate treat, to try out that great utility knife that can simply cut through anything, and to enjoy your favorite band of yesteryear. While I could go on and on about this “celebration of all things Californian” let me leave you this excerpt (also from the News10.net article):

“Parking is $7, though carpools of four or more are $6.“

That’s right, our beloved environmentally friendly, always pushing the envelope, never to be outdone, city (could be a state order, I’ll admit) is offering a whopping dollar discount for loading up your SUV with your friends and family and heading out to the fair! Now that’s something to celebrate!