It’s Fair season San Diego, and this year the San Diego County Fair’s theme is “Game On” – a nod to board and video games and gamers, and the theme exhibit at the activity center near the O’Brien gate is definitely something that will be a must-see for our “gaymers.”
Filled with board games like the large chess sets that one might see at Mission Valley or Horton Plaza, the Fair has the largest Connect Four set you have ever seen to a gamer lounge for consoles to the age-old arcade area. My group really wanted to try the Star Wars Atari game but someone who looked like he had been there for hours didn’t seem like he was moving anytime soon.
“The performances of GAM3RS the play and the Gam3rCon booth were fun!” said Walter Meyer, an LGBT “gaymer” who founded Gam3rCon, an event that runs concurrently with Comic Con. “At the Fair, we are also supervising the video game area in the big gaming pavilion and yesterday we did three performances of the short (20 minute) version of GAM3RS the play,” Meyer added.
In addition to the theme exhibit, readers who are members of the “trekkie” or “trekker” section of nerddom will have to see Star Trek: The Exhibition at the Surfside Race Place at the far end of the Fair. There, fairgoers can relive the original series and sit on the iconic bridge of the Enterprise NCC-1701.
If your eyes rolled back into your head with the mention of Star Trek, that’s OK because this year’s Fair has much more for fairgoers than just video games and Trek exhibits. From the adorable pig races and a petting zoo (wash your hands the animals are filthy!) to fifteen other exhibits, including exhibits on photography, fine arts, woodwork, gems and more, the Fair has something for everyone!
Also, this year the San Diego County Fair honors our veterans and the 9/11 first responders at the World Memorial Exhibit.
For ride enthusiasts there are nearly 40 rides and a few fun houses in the Fun Zone. One San Diego LGBT Weekly reader, PrideFIT Executive Director Carlos Salazar, took personal pride in his ability to ride all the rides this year.
“It wasn’t my first time at the Fair but will certainly be the most memorable,” Salazar told LGBT Weekly. “After a lifetime struggling with my weight and the endless disappointment of being ushered off rides I’m too large to enjoy, disguising my embarrassment with a shallow laugh, I finally felt ‘normal’ as I spent the day among the crowds enjoying the epic rides with great friends,” added Salazar.
With each ride costing between four and 10 tickets at 75 cents, riding them can be costly. The trick to saving money is going on Pepsi Pay-One-Price days. By buying tickets online for $35 (does not include admission) and bringing in the voucher you get free reign of the rides from opening to 8 p.m. My group did the math and we were able to go on every ride and fun house in the Fun Zone and we saved more than $100 apiece.
For families, the Fair is perfect with nearly 40 rides for kids in Kiddie Land and the petting zoo is always popular with children. Again, make sure they wash their hands after!
For the LGBT community, DJ WillZ, has set up a Facebook Page titled the 3rd Annual UnOfficial Gay Day with the date set for July 2 with more than 160 people saying they will attend. The organizers of the event say that LGBT nonprofits will be in the San Diego Pavilion that day, and encourage participants to see Runhoney, an all-girl rock band at the Rock On Stage at 3:30 p.m. Adam Lambert, the gay singer and songwriter from American Idol season 8 will take the main-stage at 7:30 p.m. and our community’s own DJ WillZ and DJ Nikno will be on the Coors Light stage from 9 p.m. to close.
Rich’s San Diego will be giving away two tickets to the Adam Lambert concert at their WTF event June 29.
“This is an all families event,” organizers remind guests on their Facebook page. “So please be on your best behavior while at the Fair and dress appropriately while attending this event. This isn’t a Pride celebration, it is a way for us to showcase our community to the rest of So Cal and work on bringing all our communities together. Thank you!”
Finally, in addition to the exhibits, rides, music and the Unofficial Gay Day a trip to the Fair is not complete unless you try something from the food vendors. This will have to be the cheat day on your Pride diet because it would be an absolute shame if you left the Fair without at least trying the funnel cake. Some of my favorites include corn on the cob and chocolate covered bacon which sounds terrible but is actually quite nice.
Disproving the theory that you can put bacon on almost anything and still be able to eat it I would not suggest the bacon maple donut. It’s huge but the bacon tasted like cheap bacon and it just doesn’t live up to your bacon cravings. It was quite disappointing.
Should you want to head to the 2013 San Diego County Fair check online at sdfair.com before heading out. The Fair can be quite expensive if you don’t come on one of the days that have discounted admittance or the Pepsi Pay-One-Price ride days.
The San Diego County Fair will be at the Del Mar Fairgrounds until July 4.
CORRECTION – GAY DAY AT SAN DIEGO FAIR JULY 2 NOT JULY 3!
Corrected! Thank you-Ed