POMONA, Calif. — It’s that time of year again when over-the-top chefs cook up some of their craziest concoctions for intrepid foodies. If you’re game to try deep-fried Hot Cheetos pot stickers, a Cap’n Crunch chicken sandwich or a jumbo marshmallow s’more on a stick, the Los Angeles County Fair is the place to be. The fun — and stomach aches — kick off Friday and run through May 29.
“The No. 1 reason people come to the fair is for all of the wild food,” said LA County Fair spokesperson Renee Hernandez.
For its 101st anniversary, this year’s fair will include more than 200 vendors serving up more than 1,200 menu items, from classic giant turkey legs to vegan Kenyan and Hot Cheetos cheese pickle pizzas.
But there is always more. It’s a county fair, after all, and LA is a big one. More than 630,000 people are expected this month for the annual event’s new spring dates. To solidify the fair’s recent move from September to May, “Spring into Fair: Where Fun Blooms” is the theme. Following are this year’s highlights.
Food
LA County Fair foodie staple Chicken Charlie is serving up two new deep-fried dishes. One is a s’more made from a jumbo marshmallow on a stick that is covered in chocolate sauce, coated in crushed graham crackers and deep fried before being covered in even more chocolate sauce and confectioner’s sugar. He’s also serving up deep-fried Hot Cheetos pot stickers, which are exactly as they sound. They’re pot stickers rolled in Hot Cheetos, deep fried and sprinkled in even more Hot Cheetos.
Midway Gourmet chef Dominic Palmieri is also cooking with heat, serving up Hot Cheetos cheese pickle pizza and a Cap’n Crunch chicken sandwich made with an extra crispy fried chicken breast covered with honey and raspberry glaze, and topped with berry-flavored Cap’n Crunch cereal.
Sean Kenney's Animal Super Powers
An exhibit of 30 larger-than-life Lego sculptures is new to the fair this year. Created by artist Sean Kenney, the animals range from bees to birds to polar bears. More than 400,000 Lego bricks were used to create the animals, each of which is accompanied by information on each creature’s habitat, abilities and characteristics. The exhibit also includes an activity table for children to build their own Lego creations.
Petting zoo
Animals are the No. 2 reason visitors attend the LA County Fair, according to Hernandez. The fair has partnered with Cal Poly Pomona and its school of agriculture to provide the livestock in its big red barn, including the country’s largest petting zoo. More than 150 animals will be available for snuggles and hand feeding, from sheep to goats and pigs.
Carnival rides
For the 37th year, Ray Cammack Shows will operate 60 different rides and 30 games. Three of the rides are new this year, including a swinging pirate ship called the Sea Ray, a slingshot ride known as the Ejection Seat and the thrill ride Joker’s 360, which spins adrenaline seekers through the air in small cabins. Tickets range from $20 to $100 depending on the number of rides and games purchased, and are sold separately from fair admission.
Concerts
This year’s fair will have 12 nights of concerts spanning multiple genres. Concerts are Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at 7:30 p.m. Funk rock icons WAR headline the opening night lineup May 5, followed by roots rock icon John Fogerty on May 6 and country singers Billy Currington and Chris Janson on May 7. Other performers during this year’s fair include the Ohio Players, Lady A, Jelly Roll, Chaka Kahn, George Benson, Ramon Ayala, the Isley Brothers and Ashley McBryde. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster and include admission to the fair on the night of the show. Party suites are also available for groups of 12 to 30 and include private rooms to dance and mingle.
LACMA exhibit
New this year, the fair is partnering with the LA County Museum of Art on a photography exhibit called You Are Here. On display in the Millard Sheets Art Center, the exhibition is a look at California through the lenses of local photographers.