BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — A beloved Kern County tradition is back again this year as day one begins at the Kern County Fair.
“The rides. I really enjoy the rides,” said Kern County resident Michelle Rincon.
“I think seeing the animals. The goats and the sheep and all that,” continued Daisy Baldenegro, a local resident.
Hailey Ortega added: “This year I’m looking forward to the concerts they have here.”
From rides, games, food, and so much more, the fair has been a staple in the community for over 100 years. While it was still open last year during the COVID pandemic, Chelsey Roberts with the Kern County Fair, said this year that some things will return to normal.
“The biggest difference is last year we were only open for 10 days. We took a break smack dab in the middle of the fair and this year we’re open for those 12 days straight again which is nice because that’s what we’re used to here in Kern County.”
And what's a fair without the food? This year there are some new additions to whet your appetite.
“We have seven new food vendors this year which is really exciting. I mean it's already so packed with food out here so to get seven more is really cool,” said Roberts.
Nathan Wells with Hawaiian Teriyaki is just one of those food vendors. They have everything from noodles, and rice to veggies. He said they heard great reviews about the Kern County Fair.
“This is our first time at the Kern County Fair. We do a lot of fairs in California, but this is our first time here.”
Another event at the fair this year is the Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show. It comes all the way from Saint Cloud, Florida, and has ax throwing, sawing, and log racing.
But you can’t forget about the animals. Livestock owner Perry Tjaarda says he enjoys educating the community about cow births.
“When we do have the cows in here and there calving, it's amazing to see how many people want to come to see that, that never seen that before."
And Roberts adds if you haven’t been to the fair before now is the time to come out.
“This is one of the largest traditions in our community and so it's really fun to be a part of it and to be able to experience this with your family and your friends. It's really special.”
The fair is open Wednesday until 11 p.m. and again will be open for the next twelve days straight.
