Carnival rides spun, goats got greeted, and a magician named Capt. Tall Tale worked the crowd as the Southern California Fair opened Thursday evening in Perris, kicking off a four-day run that continues through Sunday. Admission is $5 every day, with children 3 and under getting in free.
The fair, held at the Perris fairgrounds, mixes the classic rural county-fair formula: carnival rides, games, food, vendors, exhibits, livestock, musicians and magic shows, according to The Press-Enterprise. Among the attractions drawing crowds on opening day were the Vertigo ride, where Eddie Villarreal and Alexis Little took a spin, and a scooter ride that Dario Potesta and Isabelle Fernandez tried out, per the same report. Elsewhere on the grounds, Aziah Lopez stopped to greet a goat, while Korbyn and Brayden Ceron carried around Chewy the alligator.
Magic, Music and a Scholarship Pageant
Entertainment at this year's fair ranged from sleight of hand to live music. Kylie Howard helped magician Frank Thurston with a trick, Guillermo Gonzalez and Alyssa Estrella caught a performance by Capt. Tall Tale, and Juliana and Scarlett Abundis danced with a member of the band Powerhouse, the article notes. Larry Hiskett, who performs under the name Washboard Willy, was also on hand as part of the fair's musical lineup. The Farmer's Daughters scholarship competition was held at the fair as well, continuing a tradition that blends agricultural pageantry with the midway atmosphere.
Hours vary slightly as the weekend progresses. Friday the fair runs from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., while Saturday and Sunday hours stretch from 2 p.m. to 11 p.m., according to the same Press-Enterprise account. Organizers list pre-sale unlimited ride wristbands at $35, and parking is cash-only and collected on site, per socalfair.com. The fair's Exhibits Department also posts rules, procedures and forms for anyone bringing livestock to compete.
More Than a Century of Fairgoing in Perris
The event traces back to 1913 and has also been known as the Farmers Fair, according to pressenterprise.com.
Fair organizers describe the event's mission as blending agriculture with entertainment, education, recreation and service for Riverside County residents, according to socalfair.com. Farm-flavored contests have long been part of that identity — cow-chip chucking and goat-milking events have featured in past years, per pressenterprise.com's 2014 coverage of the fair's country roots.
Sponsorship Details Differ Between Sources
The Fair's Governing Association The fair's website says the 46th District Agricultural Association is owned by the State of California and governed by a nine-member board appointed by the governor, according to socalfair.com.
Past fair lineups have included acts such as Young MC, Mellow Man Ace and Baby Bash, alongside grandstand events.
