The glittering lights of the ferris wheel are seen from miles away. Families rush to the entrance, children smiling and pulling the hands of their parents. The sweet smells of cotton candy and funnel cake hit your nose.
It’s that time of the year again.
The Pima County Fair will bring an endless amount of entertainment to Tucson starting Thursday, April 20 to Sunday, April 30.
Here's a primer on the 106-year-old event:
History
Although it wasn’t actually called the “Pima County Fair” at the time, the fair began in 1911—a year before Arizona became a state.
“The fair is one of Tucson’s oldest and largest events that our community seems to look forward to,” Launa Rabago, the event's entertainment and marketing manager, said in an email.
The fair used to be held in Elysian Grove, where Carrillo Elementary Magnet School now resides downtown. That first year, the fair consisted of potato and burrow races and entertainment from the Old Pueblo Band.
By 1929, the fair moved to the Catalina Vista Neighborhood. It later became affiliated with the Tucson rodeo and moved to the 36-acre rodeo grounds in 1948.
Overcrowding prompted a 1972 move to its current location — a whopping 640 acres. Now, the fair welcomes more than 315,000 visitors.
Rides
What’s a fair without rides that flip you upside down or drop you from 120 feet off the ground?
The Mega Drop, Speed, Insanity, the Zipper, and G Force are arguably the most popular rides at the fair. Or the scariest, depending on whom you talk to.
This year, the fair will also debut a new ride: Endeavor. It looks like a Ferris Wheel. A very scary Ferris Wheel.
Endeavor positions its riders 70 feet in the air and rotates both horizontally and vertically. You might be turned upside down at some point, too. Probably not a good idea to try the ride on a stomach full of cotton candy and corn dogs.
Many rides and attractions for kids are also available, such as funhouses, carousels, bumper cars, and Goliath slides.
The Puppy Roll is a new children’s ride this year. Think Disneyland’s teacups, but less spinning and seats shaped like puppies.
Music
There will be a different concert for each of the fair's 11 days. And you are likely to find something to your taste: the extensive list of entertainers includes performers of all genres.
“This year, we are really excited to offer 11 days of concerts that are included with fair admission,” Rabago says. “Not so long ago, there were only three or four concerts the entire 11 days.”
The fair line-up includes:
- T-Pain and Naughty by Nature, April 20
- Tom Keifer and Winger, April 21
- Josh Turner, April 22
- Ramon Ayala y Sus Bravos del Norte, April 23
- Felix Cavaliere’s Rascals, April 24
- Village People, April 25
- For King & Country, April 26
- Lil Yachty, April 27
- Dirty Heads, April 28
- Tanya Tucker, April 29
- La Septima Banda, April 29
- Kip Moore, April 30
Exhibits
The fair isn't only about the rides and the music — there are tons of exhibits, too.
“If a spectator doesn't care for the concert line-up, there are so many other choices on how to spend the day at the fair,” Rabago says. “An attendee can be at the fair for five hours, visiting all the attractions, buildings, exhibits, and free grounds entertainment without attending a concert or going on a carnival ride.”
The fair is offering two new exhibits this year.
Home to Louisiana, The Bayou, is a complete wildlife experience with owls, opossums, armadillos, turtles, alligators, and many reptiles and bugs.
The Remembering Our Fallen-Arizona exhibit is an ode to Arizona’s fallen heroes.
And the many popular exhibits will be back this year, including a hypnotist, sea lion encounter, dog adoptions, car shows, pony rides, and a petting zoo.
food
If the rides, music, and exhibits just aren't enough to get you to the fair this year, maybe the food will do it.
Many food vendors are dabbling with new and interesting food concoctions this year.
Visitors can try Flaming Hot Cheetos pizza at Enzo’s Pizzeria. The pizza vendor also serves regular pizza, wings, and salad.
Biggy’s, which offers ribs, sausage, and turkey legs, will also serve a Flaming Hot Cheetos creation — french fries with melted cheese and crushed Hot Cheetos on top.
If Hot Cheetos aren't your thing, don't worry. Dutchmen Funnel Cakes will offer Oreo churros and Oreo funnel cake.
The Candy Factory will have snow cones topped with cotton candy, sour AirHeads Xtremes, and a giant lollipop. The masterpiece is appropriately called the Selfie Sno-Cone.
Cowboy Kettle Corn will serve up Nitro Pop Kettle Corn — popcorn dipped in liquid nitrogen. It has the same visual effect as dry ice, steam and all.
And the vendor dedicated to nothing but pickles, Get Pickled, will debut a Bacon Nutella Pickle. You read that correctly. A fried pickle with bacon and Nutella stuffed inside.
Of course, traditional fair foods will also be available —cotton candy, candy apples, hot dogs, roasted corn on the cob, Indian fry bread, and all of your favorite fried snacks.
One of Tucson’s most well-known fair vendors is Jake’s Concessions, which attends the Tanque Verde Swap Meet and festivals all over the state.
Rob Jacobson has been running Jake’s Concession for 15 years. He’s attended the Pima County Fair each year.
Because Jacobson grew up in Tucson, he says the Pima County Fair is “almost like a high school reunion” because he always runs into people he knew from school.
“That’s the best part of the fair—the people,” he says. “Just reconnecting with everybody and all of the familiar faces who follow me.”
And if you’re craving a real meal, Lisa’s Sonoran Hot Dogs will be at the festival and other vendors will serve barbecue, burgers, and sandwiches.
What's new?
Besides the new exhibits, rides, and food, the fair has also improved its grounds.
“We’ve made changes in our parking lots and added new bathrooms and more drinking fountains, along with improvements to one of our exhibit buildings,” Rabago says. “We’ve added more shaded seating and better ways to accommodate families attending with little ones.”
This year, the fair also has family entertainment scheduled, such as zookeeper Jack Hanna from the television show “Into The Wild.”
To better accommodate families, Rabago says the fair has scheduled family entertainment with matinee showtimes.
Getting a good deal
General admission is $8 for adults, $4 for kids ages 6-10. Tickets for rides and games cost extra.
“Affordability is important to all of us,” Rabago says, noting that the general admission price is better than the cost of a movie ticket.
Every weekday until April 19, Fry’s Food and Drug stores will offer discount tickets, which include 10 rides for $15 — that's more than a 60 percent savings.
For the best deal, visit the fair on April 25 when rides and games are priced at $2. The fair will also host happy hour that day, 4-6 p.m. Participating vendors will serve food and drinks for only $2.
Other promotions are available on certain days, including discounts for seniors, the military, and those who donate canned food. Check the fair’s website and social media for a schedule of discounts.
If you go
What: Pima County Fair.
When: Thursday, April 20—Sunday, April 30.
Where: 11300 S. Houghton Road.
Cost: General admission, $8; discounts available.
More information: pimacountyfair.com
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