Los Angeles County Fair facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Los Angeles County Fair |
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The 2008 L.A. County Fair at dusk in Pomona
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| Genre | County fair |
| Dates | 2–26 May 2025 (16 days, closed Mondays, Tuesdays & Wednesdays except Memorial Day) |
| Location(s) | Pomona, California |
| Coordinates | 34°05′00″N 117°45′45″W / 34.08333°N 117.76250°W |
| Years active | 1922–1941, 1948–2019, 2022– (no fair during WWII from 1942–47, nor 2020–21 due to the COVID-19 pandemic) |
| Attendance | 787,843 (2024) |
| Website | LACF |
The Los Angeles County Fair is a huge annual event held in Pomona, California. It is one of the largest county fairs in the entire United States. The very first fair took place way back in 1922 on what used to be a beet field. It lasted for five days and featured exciting events like chariot races and an airplane show.
Since it first started, more than 89 million people have visited the fair. It was created to connect people with California's farming history. Today, it's a place for the community to gather, have fun, and learn. Visitors can enjoy classic fair food, fun activities, and lots of entertainment.
The fairgrounds, known as Fairplex, are huge, covering 543 acres (2.20 km2). Besides the fair, the site hosts many other events all year long.
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What to See and Do
The L.A. County Fair is packed with attractions for everyone. It has a giant carnival with rides, a working farm where you can see animals, and many large buildings with different exhibits.
Fun and Entertainment
A big part of the fair is the carnival, which has about 13 acres (53,000 m2) of rides and games. There is also a special area called America's Kids-Education Expo, which has fun learning activities for young people.
Music lovers can enjoy the May Concert Series. These concerts feature famous musicians and bands performing in the evenings. In the past, the fair also hosted action-packed motocross and monster truck shows.
Gardens and History
For those who enjoy nature, the Flower and Garden Pavilion is a beautiful place to visit. The fair also has an outdoor miniature garden with a model railroad running through it.
To learn about the past, visitors can go to California’s Heritage Square. This exhibit shows what life was like in the state's early days. The fairgrounds also include the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum and a large railroad museum.
History of the Fair
The L.A. County Fair first opened on October 17, 1922. It has a long and interesting history, including some years when it had to close.
Early History
The land where the fair is held was once the site of a Tongva village called Tooypinga.
During World War II, the fairgrounds were used as a temporary housing site called the Pomona Assembly Center. Japanese Americans were required to stay there before being moved to other locations. A marker was placed at the site in 2016 to remember this history.
The fair was canceled during World War II (1942–1947) and again in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It returned in 2022 to celebrate its 100th anniversary.
Thummer the Mascot
The fair's friendly mascot is a pig named Thummer. He was first introduced in 1948 with the name "Porky the Hitchhiking Pig." After a few years, the fair held a contest to choose a new name, and "Thummer" was the winner.
Thummer has been a popular character at the fair ever since. For a while, he even had a "Mrs. Thummer" join him. After a short break in the 1980s, he returned and continues to greet visitors today.
See also
