Fun and family abounded Thursday on the second day of the Santa Barbara Fair & Expo at the Earl Warren Showgrounds, which will be in town through Sunday.
The 26th annual event came to the state-run fairgrounds Wednesday, billed as offering something for everyone, from carnival rides and farm animals to live local entertainment and, of course, coveted fair food.
The fair typically draws 45,000 to 50,000 visitors over five days, easily qualifying as the biggest event of the year at the showgrounds, according to Scott Grieve, CEO and general manager of the 19th District Agricultural Association.
“I’m always excited this time of year,” Grieve said. “They just keep coming back.”
Amusement ride lovers can get their fix at Carnival Midway, where more than 30 rides and attractions are rigged and ready.
Kids can ride a pony at the Petting Zoo, enjoy games at the Kid’s Carnival or get a glimpse of the All Alaskan Racing Pigs, which run around a track.
Exhibit buildings for adults and kids are also at the fair, which became a non-smoking event this year in part because of it’s theme, “Let’s Get Mooo-ving,” a take on first lady Michelle Obama’s initiative to promote a healthy lifestyle.
One new exhibit in 2015 is “A Walk on the Wild Side,” operated by an Oregon nonprofit that rescues exotic animals and raises its own as “ambassador animals” to educate people about the dangers of owning those animals domestically.
The Santa Barbara Fair & Expo kicks off again Friday from 4 to 10 p.m. and is also open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday, when the fun must end.
Admission is $8 for adults, $5 for children ages 6 to 12 and free for those younger than 6.
Click here for a full schedule of events.
— Noozhawk staff writer Gina Potthoff can be reached at gpotthoff@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.