"Heroes Unite" was supposed to be the San Diego County Fair's theme in 2020, but the pandemic scrapped those plans.
With the full fair returning this year, the theme naturally is "Heroes Re-Unite."
"Not only is it about comic books and superheroes but it's about the people in our community who make San Diego great and who have done heroic things before and even during the pandemic,” said Kelly Mueller, San Diego County Fair's chief operations officer.
And people couldn't wait to get in on the fun on opening day Wednesday. Calia Morton and Alisa de los Santos were both on a school field trip from Henry C. Johnson Elementary.
"What I mostly want to do is get on the ride," Morton said.
For de los Santos, it's the animal rides.
"I wanted to ride the horses," she said.
The fair also attracted out-of-town visitors, such as Susan Abend who is visiting from Buffalo, New York. What caught her eyes were the colors, people and all the wares the fair has to offer.
But her first stop was the food.
"Curly Q french fries," she said. "I've never seen such big portions — worth the calories."
For those in search of wild fair's fares, this year's Chicken Charlie's offering is the Kool-Aid Chicken Sandwich. It's the eatery's take on the chili-fried chicken sandwich topped with a pickle.
There's also classic fair food, such as turkey legs. This year, everything is back. It's the first full fair since the pandemic. Last year, the fair held a scaled-back event called "Home-Grown Fun."
This year's fair was almost canceled because of litigation over the rights to the midway. Talley Amusement alleged that the fair's board rigged the bidding process to favor Ray Carmack Shows. In April a judge said there was enough evidence to suggest that was the case and placed an injunction on the contract, putting the fair in jeopardy.
The carnival accounts for roughly 60% of the fair's revenue. Both parties agreed to a compromise for this year just so the fair can go on.
While all the rides and concerts are back this year, if you plan on coming there are some changes you need to prepare for. You have to buy your tickets in advance, as well as your parking. Ride tickets can also be purchased through the mobile app.
One of the newer attractions this year is the Speakeasy, which started in 2019 but wasn't widely advertised. (It was, after all, a speakeasy!) This year's speakeasy theme is Destination Unknown.
"This year is more of a South Beach, kind of Caribbean, Cuban kind of deal with a little more flamingoes and that kind of decor," restaurant operations manager Goeff Waddell said. "But still, you got your Tiki drinks and it's still kind of a Tiki bar. It's a different coast."
To get to Destination Unknown, you may have to work for it. There are bartenders around the fairgrounds that have little cards that tell you about Destination Unknown. From there, there are instructions to get to the speakeasy.
It's a great spot to get away from the children (if they're old enough to be by themselves), Waddell said.
Though all the fair's fun is a team effort, the fair is not immune to the worker shortage affecting the rest of the nation. Mueller said the fair is still looking for seasonal workers.
"Hiring has been a challenge for us, just like for every business this year," she said. "We've increased our hourly rates to attract more employees. There's great perks to work here."
The San Diego County Fair goes from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday, Thursdays, Sundays and July 4; and from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays through July 4. Tickets are $15 Wednesday and Thursdays, and $20 Fridays through Sundays and July 4.
Parking ranges from free to $30 for preferred parking.
