INSIDE
PG. 2 CAL EXPO FUN FACTS
PG. 3 MUST-SEE NEW ATTRACTIONS: DINOSAURS! STEAMPUNK!
PG. 4 LIFE LESSONS FROM A GOAT
PG. 5 CHEER THE $1 BEER HORSE!
PG. 6 TAKE THE FAIR FOOD CHALLENGE
July 14-30, 2017 • CAStateFair.org
FAIR FOR Californians share their ideas, cultures and talents at the California State Fair or just 17 days each summer, Californians meet in one place to share their love for our Golden State. They bring the fruits of their labor — beer, goats and sometimes actual fruit — for judging. They bring their children to ooh and ahh at fireworks that burst color across the night sky every Friday and Saturday night. And they bring their appetites for food (farm-fresh produce and the stuff you only let yourself eat once a year). The California State Fair is that place where our ideas, cultures and talents come together. Now in its 50th summer at Cal Expo, this year’s CA State Fair will celebrate our state in exciting new ways. From colossal dinosaurs that once roamed our terrain to the short-statured weenie dogs that will delight as they race down the stretch at the Miller Lite Racetrack Grandstand — there’s something for everyone. The CA State Fair will celebrate our diverse heritage from across the globe. Where else can you see Japanese Taiko drumming and Irish reel dancers on the same Community Stage? You can also look back at the CA State Fairs of yesteryear in the Time Capsule (located in California Buildings A/B).
Californians have a desire to be the best. That’s what drives thousands of entries into competitions at the CA State Fair each year. What is the best Petite Syrah? Who makes the perfect pickle? Whose chicken rules the roost? State Fair judges will bestow a coveted blue ribbon upon those who earn it. Another thing is certain: We Californians love food. The CA State Fair serves as the ultimate food festival. You can nibble your way through the $2 Taste of the Fair from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Or learn how your wine goes from Farm to Glass in this new exhibit in the Save Mart Wine Garden. While we only celebrate for 17 days, the California State Fair ends up staying with us a whole lot longer. “Not only do I love our ability to showcase the best of California, but I enjoy the memories that we create for people that last a lifetime,” says California State Fair CEO Rick Pickering.
C AL E XP O
F U N FA C T S : C A L E X P O AT 5 0 With 1,000 acres along the American River (and a touch of Disney magic), Cal Expo opened in 1968. Fifty years later, Cal Expo is more than a fairgrounds. It serves the northern California community in times of celebration and times of need. Here are some little-known facts about Cal Expo: • Walt Disney volunteered his Disney Imagineers to help design Cal Expo, which would serve as a model for the future, much like Disney’s EPCOT Center. (This year’s cover poster by graphic designer Jason Malmberg evokes that retro-futuristic feel.) • Gov. Ronald Reagan officiated the ceremony to open Cal Expo in 1968.
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• Plans originally included two monorails, a water ski show and a summer youth camp. One monorail was built, and today it is one of the few monorails in operation. • The fairgrounds property once expanded across the Arden-Expo area until 200 acres were sold by the state. This became Arden Fair Mall, thus the name. • It’s the national pharmaceutical stockpile for northern California. In the event of a pandemic, the federal government would send pharmaceutical supplies to Cal Expo for distribution to hospitals throughout the region.
• It’s a designated natural emergency facility and recently sheltered and fed evacuees from the Oroville Dam incident. • In the event that the state Capitol would become threatened, public leaders would work from Cal Expo. • The site has 500 event-days each year (yes – more than there are days in a year!) • Cal Expo generates more than $300 million in annual economic impact to the Sacramento region. • Cal Expo is a State Agency that derives no money from the government and functions much like a private entity.
| Celebrating 50 Years at Cal Expo | A Special Advertising Supplement
#50thFairHunt
Find all the best with the #50thFairHunt! Download the California State Fair app (available for Apple and Android). Then take a picture at the nine iconic CA State Fair locations. Show your photo card at an info booth to collect your swag! Cover illustration by Jason Malmberg
Find food favorites, best kept secrets and play the #50thFairHunt on the California State Fair app, available for Apple and Android.
OLD FAVORITES
EXPERIENCES Don’t even TRY to see them all in one day! by Anne Stokes
veryone has their own California State Fair “must-do” list — eat something deep-fried, pet a sturgeon, grab a seedling from the California Forest Center, shopping. These are the things that bring you back again and again. “For our fairgoers who come every year, we have all their favorites,” says Margaret Mohr, Deputy General Manager of Marketing and Business Development with the California State Fair. This year, may we suggest some new experiences? Or maybe a few you haven’t gotten around to trying? Plan your CA State Fair bucket list with the following attractions — and don’t feel bad if you can’t see it all in a day. “We have so much for everybody, it’s really worth coming every day,” Mohr says. All attractions daily unless noted. All free with admission, except where noted.
NEW! THE “MANE” EVENT: HOLLYWOOD HORSES When: 7-9 p.m., shows daily Where: Horse Arena See tributes to Hollywood’s favorite horse-and-rider duos, including the Lone Ranger and Silver, and meet the stunt horses and riders from “The Walking Dead” and “Seabiscuit.”
When: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays Try a little something from vendors all over the fairgrounds while still taking it easy on your wallet AND waistline.
NEW! TASTE OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIENCE
Where: Save Mart Wine Garden “Meet the Makers” and learn how your favorite beer, wine, whiskey and spirits go from the farm to your glass.
NEW! FARM WORKERS EXHIBIT
NEW! WIENERSCHNITZEL WIENER NATIONALS
Where: California Buildings A/B This exhibit highlights the important contributions farm workers have made to our state’s history, culture and agricultural industry.
When: 1:45-6 p.m. Saturday, July 15 Where: Miller Lite Racetrack Grandstand Watch the small but mighty run between thoroughbred racing heats. Think you’ve got a winner? Enter your weenie dog before race day at www.wwnraces.com/events.
NEW! TIME CAPSULE Where: California Buildings A/B Find stories, family photos and memorabilia, and see the Disney vision of Cal Expo. You can share your memories with CA State Fair on Facebook!
NEW! EXPEDITION DINOSAUR Where: Exposition Buildings 4 and 5 Go back to the Jurassic era with moving dinosaurs in this interactive exhibit for all ages.
Margaret Mohr Deputy General Manager of Marketing and Business Development, California State Fair and Cal Expo
$2 TASTE OF THE FAIR
When: Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays Where: California Building B Cost: $20 - Wine Experience / FREE - Olive Oil Experience Gain a better appreciation for wine and olive oil with an in-depth workshop, including tastings. Get tickets at the event or online at www.CAStateFair.org.
NEW! FARM TO GLASS
“We have so much for everybody, it’s really worth coming every day.”
BEST OF CALIFORNIA BREWFEST When: 3-6 p.m. Saturday, July 22 Where: Miller Lite Racetrack Grandstand Cost: $35 in advance/$40 at the event, includes 10 tastings. VIP admission $45 in advance/$50 at the event, includes 15 tastings and early admission at 2 p.m. Enjoy CA State Fair award-winning microbrews from 30 California breweries. Get your tickets early and save at www.CAStateFair.org.
NEW! STEAMPUNK AT THE RACES When: 2 p.m. Friday, July 28 Where: Miller Lite Racetrack Grandstand Don your best steampunk fashion and meet celebrity guest judge Ave Rose! Be sure to check out steampunk-themed art and fashion at the California Buildings craft exhibition as well.
CALIFORNIA CORNHOLE ASSOCIATION STATE FAIR CHAMPIONSHIP When: 11 a.m. Saturday, July 29 Where: Miller Lite Racetrack Grandstand Cost: $25 per player in advance/$30 the day of the tournament No matter your skill, you can still play in the CCA’s State Fair Championship tournament. Two-person teams in both serious and social divisions compete for 1st through 3rd place prizes. Register at www. calcornhole.com by July 28.
With so much to see and do, a season pass for $29.99 is your best bet! Bringing the kids? Get a Family Fun Pack for $44.99, which includes four tickets, parking and a monorail ride! Visit CAStateFair.org or call 1-877-Cal-Expo.
A Special Advertising Supplement | California State Fair | CAStateFair.org |
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‘WHAT I LEARNED FROM MY
’ Ag competition teaches youth life skills by Thea Marie Rood
GOT MOO? If you ask kids where milk comes from these days, they’ll say, “the grocery store.” The California State Fair reminds us city folk where we really get milk — as well as those hamburgers and pork chops, too. Here’s what you’ll see at the Tractor Supply Co. Big Barn during the State Fair: July 14–17 Junior Market Animals and Breeding Program: Animals raised by 4-H and FFA kids are brought in Thursday night and include beef, swine, sheep and goats. July 16 Sale of Champions Presented by Tractor Supply Company: Champion market animals — 50 to 60 of them — will be sold to bidders, rewarding youth for all the time and money they invested in their animals. Don’t miss your chance to see the auctioneer in action from 6-9 p.m. July 18–21 Open Beef and Goat Exhibits: Admire all these market and breeding entries, and don’t miss the National Nigerian Dwarf Goat Show! July 22–26 Dairy Cattle and Goats: Milk your very own cow and get the answer to that milk mystery! July 27–30 Open Sheep, Swine, Llamas and Alpacas: Go nose-to-snout with a pig and see if you can tell the difference between a llama and an alpaca. Baby Barn: Meet the newest members of the four-legged family!
See CAStateFair.org and the app for times.
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| Celebrating 50 Years at Cal Expo
or three weeks each summer of his youth, Jake Carlson showed livestock at the California State Fair, but it took many months of hard work to get there. Carlson got up at 4:30 a.m. each morning to care for his dairy goats before heading off to school — and each day he came home to more of the same. “There are afterschool events, or weekends — your friends want to do something, but I’d say, ‘Well, I have to be home by 6 to milk the goats. They can’t milk themselves,’” he recalls. He also occasionally “pushed the limit” and could hear the unhappy goats “yelling” from the road: “It’s a huge life lesson.” Beginning at age 8, Carlson raised chickens, rabbits, pigs and lambs, first in the 4-H program and then with Future Farmers of America. The experience taught him more than how to milk a goat — he learned things like time management, responsibility, public speaking, ag marketing, budgeting, judging and record-keeping. “Honestly, if I was to list out all the life skills I learned, we’d be here forever,” he says with a laugh. “It’s really immeasurable.” His months of effort would pay off at the CA State Fair, where he won ribbons for
“You build skills you wouldn’t get from regular high school classes.” Jake Carlson Former Youth Ag Exhibitor
“Supreme Champion Doe” and “Reserve Champion Udder.” He also won a $5,000 scholarship for the Champion Challenge Skill-a-Thon. For Carlson, the experience has turned into a career path. He is studying to become a veterinarian at Kansas State University. His sister, who also participated in the ag program, is a junior at Fresno State, planning to pursue a law degree and work as an ag lobbyist. Whether participants pursue a career in agriculture or not, the youth livestock competition is an educational experience for all, one that has continued for 50 years at Cal Expo. Carlson encourages more young people to give it a try. “A lot of (our) generation is wrapped up in phones and computers,” says Carlson. “But if you’re not sure what you want to do, you may find it in the hands-on ag programs. You build skills you wouldn’t get from regular high school classes.”
MAKE IT A DAY
“There is nothing more exciting than the horse races we hold during the Fair.” Juliana Gomes Operations Coordinator for California Authority of Racing Fairs
Never experienced live thoroughbred horse racing? The State Fair has you covered! by Corey Rodda
ou don’t have to head to the Kentucky Derby to experience a day at the races. The best way to sample the electric rush of horse racing is during the California State Fair, when fairgoers get free admission to the Miller Lite Racetrack Grandstand. “When the grandstand is packed and patrons are rushing the fence as horses come down the stretch — there is nothing more exciting than the horse races we hold during the Fair,” says Juliana Gomes, Operations Coordinator for California Authority of Racing Fairs. While the grandstand holds harness racing from October through April, the California State Fair will give fairgoers a chance to see live horse racing. Thoroughbreds, Arabians, quarter horses and mules will gallop for glory every Thursday through Sunday during the CA State Fair. Horse racing is a tradition that’s been around since the CA State Fair was established in 1854 and for 50
years at Cal Expo, so if you still haven’t experienced it, now’s the best time. Assemble your squad, pick a winner, grab a mint julep and let the fun begin! If you want to get real close to the action, bring a sports chair and find a spot at the apron right next to the racetrack. General seating is free here. Or purchase grandstand seating — you can even sponsor a race to reserve a box seat for you and five of your friends. If A/C is more your style, arrive early to snag free, glass-side seats at the grandstand’s indoor satellite wagering facility, where you can bet on races from California and out-of-state tracks. (Likewise, Cal Expo streams its races via satellite to 300 wagering establishments as far reaching as South America.) After you’ve picked a winning trifecta, treat your group to a meal at the Turf Club located above the wagering facility. One of the CA State Fair’s best kept secrets, the Turf Club serves up a delectable buffet, offering diners the thrill of horse racing against the backdrop of an upscale restaurant. After your feast, saddle up to one of the many exquisite horse murals throughout the grandstand to add some class to your Instagram feed (don’t forget to don your fabulous hat!). And then, quench your thirst with one of many beer promotions — if a specific horse comes in first place, everybody wins with $1 beers!
STRAIGHT FROM THE HORSE’S MOUTH • Horses were a vital mode of transportation during the Gold Rush era in California, and later a source of entertainment in the form of horse racing. The CA State Fair helped establish breeding standards to create stronger and faster horses, which is why horses remain a part of the CA State Fair today. • In the 1880s, Rancho Del Paso, which spread all the way from what is now the Sacramento International Airport to Elk Grove, was the largest thoroughbred breeding ground in the world. • California exported so many race horses to Europe that by the end of the 19th century, the British government limited the import of livestock. • Horses in California were the “stars” of what may be considered the first “movie”: In 1886, photographer Eadweard Muybridge was hired by Leland Stanford to prove that horses’ legs all leave the ground at the same time when they gallop. At what is now Stanford University, Muybridge set up a row of cameras with trip wires, which triggered a picture when a horse ran by them. His “motion pictures” revealed that Stanford was right! • Part of the CA State Fair’s equestrian exhibit this year is a tribute to Hollywood horses — including the horse actor from “Seabiscuit.”
California State Fair | CAStateFair.org |
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FOODIES The State Fair is California’s largest food festival — let’s dig in!
“When you bring farmers and chefs together — and that is what we’ve been doing at the Fair for many years — innovation happens.” Michael Marks Save Mart California Kitchen Cooking Theatre Host
TOP 10 C A N ’ T- M I S S F O O D S by Corey Rodda
hen you pair our abundance in agriculture with the best chefs, bakers, brewers and winemakers, it’s no surprise that California is the best state for foodies. For proof, just look to the farm-to-fork (or glass) attractions at the California State Fair. “When you bring farmers and chefs together — and that is what we’ve been doing at the Fair for many years — innovation happens,” says Michael Marks, the host of Save Mart California Kitchen Cooking Theatre at the Fair. A lot of that innovation is a result of competition. Blue ribbon hopefuls come to the CA State Fair to compete, but ultimately end up swapping techniques to improve their creations. The same occurs when wine judges come together. They share their passion for certain varieties and their tips for tasting. Mark Chandler, the Head Judge for the CA State Fair’s wine competition, says that the competition is responsible for popularizing varieties of wine like Tempranillo, which has blown Fair Judges away for the past two years. Chandler wants the CA State Fair’s wine competition to reflect changing wine trends. He’s focusing more on consumer tastes and moving away from winemakers as judges in favor of wine journalists, marketers and
6 California State Fair
| Celebrating 50 Years at Cal Expo
sommeliers. He’s also increased the ranks of female and millennial judges. “Most of the wine in this country is purchased by women — 60 percent,” Chandler says. “The millennials are a major demographic that is embracing wine in a big way. I wanted the judges to be representative of the consumer pool.” If you have more beer in your fridge than wine, head to the CA State Fair’s Best of California Brewfest on July 22. Sample the winning beers from the Commercial Craft Beer Competition, which has grown to be the third largest craft beer competition in the country with more than 1,488 entries this year. The CA State Fair also an hosts extra virgin olive oil competition. Learn more about our state’s EVOO prowess at the Olive Oil Experience (visitors will receive The Guide to the Best of California Magazine that lists the Gold winners for wine, beer, olive oil and cheese — a great guide to all the best in our state!). Official State Fair Chef Keith Breedlove brings all these flavors together during cooking demonstrations with ingredients straight from The Farm. There is food-related educational programing every hour — check the California State Fair app for times and guest chefs — so you can pick up some tips for your home cooking.
Where else can you enjoy farm-fresh produce alongside deep-fried funnel cakes? Or appreciate fine wines — in slushie form? Here are our picks for 10 not-to-miss food experiences at this year’s California State Fair — can you eat them all?
1. BACON-WRAPPED CORN ON THE COB 2. DEEP FRIED NACHOS 3. CHURRO SUNDAE 4. VEGGIE BURGER 5. BOBA DRINKS 6. MAC & CHEESE STUFFED BACON BURGER 7. PORK CHOP ON A STICK 8. BARBECUE PULLED PORK BOWL 9. VEGGIE DOG ON A STICK 10. DOLE WHIP
Enjoy a variety of exhibits — fine arts, crafts, photography and more — at the California State Fair. Photo by Anne Stokes
Arts & culture shine in showcases, stages and exhibits
by Anne Stokes
rom fine art to agriculture, CA State Fair exhibits showcase the best of what our Golden State has to offer. “We hope that they get a little slice of what’s offered in California,” says Rachelle Weir, California State Fair programs manager. “We like to highlight the ‘best of’ — a good sampling of what’s popular, what’s new and exciting.”
EXPO CENTER Expedition Dinosaur: Life-size, life-like animatronic dinosaurs with realistic movements and sound will fascinate visitors — an event 165 million years in the making!
“We want to show that Sacramento is a fun place to be — it’s got lot’s of things going on.” Susan Stauffer Creative services director, Visit Sacramento
Whale Tail Exhibit: Play video games, climb a tree and learn how to be a good environmental steward! Meet rescued otters named Drip and Drop, a bald eagle, a raccoon and a host of other critters in Expo Center building 2. Fur & Feathers: Bring your peeps to see state champion rabbits, chickens and turkeys. You may even get to pet a rabbit or see a baby chick hatch! Amateur Photography: Appreciate the composition of more than 1,000 adult and youth entries in this showcase. California Crafts: Admire the handmade fruits of crafters’ labor, including quilts, woodworking, ceramics and stained glass pieces. California Fine Art: Whether it’s sculpture, painting or photography that speaks to you, come see the winners at one of the state’s most prestigious juried art shows.
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Student Showcase: From fine art to science projects, check out the approximately 600 projects submitted by students ages 5 through 18.
COMMUNITY STAGES Enjoy a diverse cultural variety of performances, from African dance and drums to Zumba. Listen to country, jazz, Latin and rock bands and dance along with Folklórico, Irish reel, and traditional Japanese dance companies at the following stages: • PG&E Center Stage • Promenade Stage • Hussong’s Cantina • Honky Tonk Stage • Heineken Blues & Brews
CALIFORNIA STATE FAIR KAISER PERMANENTE FARM PRESENTED BY SAVE MART See where your fruits and vegetables come from (and pet a sturgeon while you’re there). The 3.5-acre farm provides the produce for many of the CA State Fair’s cooking competitions and demonstrations.
C O U N T I E S E X H I B I T S — T R AV E L T H E S TAT E U N D E R O N E R O O F ! How do you contain an entire county in a 16-by-16-foot space? Richard Bay knows.
“I think it’s really valuable for the Fair to have these representations of the counties,” Bay says.
Since 1973, the award-winning exhibit designer and builder (all seven of his exhibits won gold last year!) has been helping counties across the state showcase the best of what they have to offer, from tourism to agriculture.
Susan Stauffer agrees. As creative services director for Visit Sacramento, she’s worked with Bay to create innovative exhibits that highlight Sacramento County.
Starting in January, Bay meets with county tourism offices to develop concepts and themes which he uses to create scale models. Construction begins in May and takes about two months to complete.
“It’s a great place to show what you have,” Stauffer says, adding that this year’s exhibit will feature Sacramento’s flourishing arts scene. “We want to show that Sacramento is a fun place to be — it’s got lot’s of things going on.”
California State Fair | CAStateFair.org |
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Be Part of The California State Fair is your gateway to family fun
ummer just wouldn’t be summer without the California State Fair! Experience the best of the Golden State — 17 days of California history, exciting sights and sounds of the midway, delicious food and drink, rides and live entertainment. No matter when you decide to visit, you will have a blast. But if you want to save some money, too, check out one of these days: Wells Fargo $2 Rides for All and Kids Free Tuesdays: Children 12 and under get in for free, and rides are $2 each for everyone on Tuesdays! $2 Taste of the Fair (Wednesdays and Thursdays): From 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. enjoy food samplings with special $2 menu items. Senior Savings Fridays: Seniors 62 and better get $8 admission every Friday and ride free on the Grand Carousel or Giant Wheel. What a deal!
Military & Veteran Appreciation Day (July 20): Presented by BloodSource, every veteran and military member with proper ID gets free admission — a small thanks for their service.
T o y o t a C o nc e r t Series on the G o l d e n 1 S ta g e
July 14-30, 2017
“Heaven is a Place on Earth” at the 2017 Toyota Concert Series on the Golden 1 Stage! Whether you want to be an “All Star” with Smash Mouth (July 22) or just “Live the Glamorous Life” with Sheila E. (July 14), you’ll get FREE admission (with CA State Fair admission) to nightly shows at 8 p.m. Or snag “Two Tickets to Paradise” and a sit up front with Gold Circle Reserved Seating for as low as $15 (now Eddie Money would applaud that).
• July 14 – Sheila E. • July 15 – John Michael Montgomery • July 16 – Ozomatli
First Responders Appreciation Day (July 27): First responders and law enforcement with proper ID get free admission — a thank-you from all Californians, presented by BloodSource.
• July 17 – Lita Ford
NEW! FastPass: Purchase a FastPass and use the FastPass lanes to avoid long ride lines! A limited quantity is sold each day for $20. Available at any onsite Butler Amusements ticket box. Only valid day of purchase. To be used on rides with a FastPass option. Rider must be wearing the FastPass wristband in addition to an unlimited ride wristband.
• July 20 – Good Charlotte
• July 18 – Queen Nation – a Tribute to the Music of Queen • July 19 – Brian McKnight • July 21 – Sister Sledge • July 22 – Smash Mouth • July 23 – Eddie Money • July 24 – Blues Traveler • July 25 – Anthem Lights • July 26 – Paperback Writer – The Beatles Experience • July 27 – Trace Adkins • July 28 – Belinda Carlisle • July 29 – The Marshall Tucker Band • July 30 – Melissa Etheridge
C o nn e c t t o t h e F u n ! The fast track to fun is right in your back pocket with the California State Fair app! Guests can plan the perfect outing, starting with tickets — skip the admission line and head right inside to snap that family photo with the golden bear! Scan the app’s music and entertainment section and build your own schedule for the day! Discover fresh new food
P U B L I C AT I O N S
Produced for California State Fair by N&R Publications, www.nrpubs.com
options (or figure out where everyone’s getting those bacon-wrapped turkey legs) with the “Food Favorites” feature that shows food prices and locations. Don’t forget to complete the #50thFairHunt photo challenge to win prizes!
Download the free California State Fair app from Apple or Android today!
Don’t get lost in the crowd! Visit CAStateFair.org to purchase Gold Circle Reserved Seating for as low as $15!