Summer Date at the County Fair

Tigran and I made a trip out to Pleasanton during 4th of July weekend for a Saturdate of carnival foods and games. After all these foggy days in the city, I finally was able to throw on some summer clothes before we headed out to the hotter side of the Bay Area.

Growing up, it was normal for me to visit the Contra Costa County Fair each summer, held in my hometown of Antioch. It was fun, but didn't consider it too large in size. Of all the county fairs in the Bay Area, the Alameda County Fair has always been one I've heard is worth attending, and I got to experience this one for my first time with Tigran.

carnival food 

By the time we got there, we were starving holding out for carnival food. The food is half the reason worth going! We were too quick to the bite to get many foodie pictures. As usual, Tigran's craving lead him to order a bacon cheeseburger with a giant side of curly fries. Literally, the fries were almost the size of my face. The burger could have easily been the side.

For me, I went with favorite, good ol' American barbecue. They had one barn-looking booth named "Big Bubba's Barbeque". You could see their oversized smoker cooking from a distance, and from that came a pulled pork sandwich that was beyond words. Give. me. more. 

Thirst Quenchers

Throughout the fair, there were a few breweries or booths with beers on tap. Coincidentally, on the day we attended, it was the 'Red, White and Brew' fest. It was really hot in the Dublin area, so they sure cooled him off.

Seriously, my heat tolerance is so low after getting used to San Francisco weather!

For me, I'm a whiskey girl. Luckily, I found a booth that served spiked slushie cocktails. I went with the Jack Daniel's honey punch and it was the best thing I had that day. 

Attractions and entertainment

We wandered around the fairgrounds without a plan in mind, and found ourselves inside the animal area, and found this little fella in the chicken hatchery. We didn't bring it home, nor any other animals, but they were adorable to look at!

Right next to the carnival area, there was a demolition derby happening and we were able to catch a bit of the show. 

I got a kick out of all the feet massage chairs that were placed around the fairgrounds. I ended up sitting in one just for the sake of waiting for Tigran when he made a quick stop.

I couldn't help but laugh seeing them around. Vibrating feet chairs looked a little like those weight-loss gimmicks in the malls. My curiosity got the best of me... I stuck a quarter in it, and my feet actually felt revived. If you see these at a fair this summer, they are worth the twenty five cents spent.

Step right up!

The Alameda County Fair rides were impressive. They were large in size and there were so many of them, and this was separate from the large kid carnival area they had. The bright carnival colors, large stuffed prizes and carnival game melody rang in every direction. For a San Francitizen, for once it really felt like Summer.

I promise he's happier than he looks! :)

Family Gathering Friendly

Something we noticed at the Alameda County Fair was how many families used the annual event as a larger family reunion gathering. Large groups came equipped with wagons full of food, easy-up tents, and chairs, and took turns looking over the spot throughout the day, while others ventured to attractions. I never thought about setting up a picnic in the middle of the fairgrounds, but it's actually a popular idea. Next year, we'll keep that mind and make a day-long thing!

After a fun date and tired feet, the sun began to go down, and we called it a day. This Saturdate was a success to say the least, and one thing checked off the summer bucket list.