Fair Opens With Feast for Senses and Corn Dog Fans

Once through the tan stuccoed gates and into the pulsing thoroughfares of the Ventura County Fair, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the festival’s hodgepodge of smells, sight and sound.

It’s easy, too easy, to get sidetracked at the fair, which opened Wednesday and will run through Aug. 24. But those well versed on the ins and outs of the county’s most anticipated celebration say there is a method to this madness.

A little inside knowledge can go a long way.

“I’ve always thought corn dogs taste better here after the fair’s been going on for a few days,” said Oscar Cruz, chewing a mouthful of the deep-fried meat treat. “I’m not sure why, but I’ve heard that it’s because they don’t change the oil and it makes it better.”

For every activity at the fair, there seems to be a body of conventional wisdom. For food--and what would the fair be without buttery popcorn, cotton candy, platters of ribs and tall glasses of lemonade--everyone seems to have their own opinion.

When hunting the perfect corn dog, Cruz said he looks for a line of hungry people--the longer the better. That way, he said, you can be assured of getting a hot one right out of the fryer.

“If they’ve got a bunch sitting under heat lamps, I keep looking,” Cruz said, munching on half a dozen dogs on a stick.

As for price, corn dogs tend to run about $2 no matter where they are sold. And connoisseurs of the distinctly American fare don’t have to look far. Most of the more than 100 food booths peddle them.

But that certainly isn’t the only gastronomic treat.

Main Street is a smorgasbord, with closet-sized kitchens selling everything from swordfish tacos and fried burritos to pizzas, doughy funnel cakes and, of course, hot cinnamon buns. That is if the intrepid fair-goer makes it past the fragrant allure of open-pit barbecue stalls, burger shacks or vendors offering pillows of pink cotton candy.

But for fair lovers who long for a tasty treat without the calories, a good bet is to visit Cary and Carol Chang’s Soup and Salad Garden next to the Floriculture Building off Kelley Court. Instead of the oil and lard that drip like rain from most of the other food, the Changs offer a menu full of low-cal delights like bagels, pasta and green salads.

On busy days, particularly the weekends, finding a spot to sit and enjoy the food can pose a sticky problem for those juggling paper plates laden with delights.

Next to Main Street are two open areas with picnic tables, three of which are covered by umbrellas. If those are full, veteran fair-goer Debbie Staley said, there is always room on the bleachers at Morgan Arena.

To get there just walk down to the end of Main Street, past the livestock barns and Porker Flats.

In addition to providing space to lay out food, the bleachers also look upon the fair’s equestrian competition, so gourmands can watch the highly civil, yet intensely competitive sport.

For every food booth there’s about 10 events that will entertain, dazzle and even terrify.

For the younger crowd there is the Children’s Dell, situated under a canopy of neatly trimmed palms and pine trees near the main gate. In addition to the petting zoo, puppet shows and junior Ferris wheel, there are a host of giggle-inducing rides and a roving clown by the name of Happy Go Bappy who will entertain kids with his goofy shenanigans and tennis racket-shaped shoes.

Fair organizers also suggest that kids tour the livestock pavilions and Uncle Leo’s Barn, where they can get up close and personal with flop-eared goats, fuzzy rabbits and even the Sheriff’s Department’s prize porker Tess and her 10 pint-sized piglets.

“Piggy, piggy, piggy, come here little piggy,” called 6-year-old Isabel Rowley to a skinny runt that rooted around the cedar-chip bedding. “Oink, oink, oink.”

For adults there is also the Commercial Building where they can sip cappuccino and nibble on croissants while perusing collections of cookware and handcrafted furniture.

For a brief respite from the frenzy, organizers suggest visiting the canopied floriculture exhibit with its dozens of tranquil landscapes and benches.

And for pit stops, the fair has 13 restrooms throughout the park.

If something should go wrong, personnel are always on duty to help. Event staff members patrol the 62-acre grounds at all hours, picking up misplaced articles and children who have strayed from their parents.

The lost and found is located in the administration building near the main gate. Lost children are taken to a red and white striped Salvation Army tent near the Pepsi Community Stage, where they are preoccupied with candy and games until their parents arrive.

The fair also has a first-aid station near the Children’s Dell, staffed by medical personnel who can help with anything from a stubbed toe to a broken arm.

Since the Seaside Park parking lots can only accommodate 2,000 cars, organizers have made available several other parking areas around Ventura with free shuttle service to the fair.

Fair-goers can park at San Buenaventura State Beach, lots E and F at the Government Center off Telephone Road, the Buenaventura Mall and Ventura High School off Poli Street.

Parking at the fair and at San Buenaventura Beach costs $5. All other areas are free.

*

* FAIR SCHEDULE: B3