MAKE A DATE

Ostrich and camel jockeys, monster trucks, swine sprints (pictured), music headliners -- the Riverside County Fair & National Date Festival has a little something for everyone. And the nine-day shindig owes it all to the humble date, the fruit of the date palm, first brought to the U.S. in 1903 from Algeria and planted in the Coachella Valley. The harvest-celebrating Date Festival was inaugurated in Indio in 1921. The modern-day version begins with the traditional Blessing of the Date Ceremony, followed by the less traditional monster truck shows, ostrich and camel races and live music nightly -- featuring LeAnn Rimes, Blues Traveler and Heart. 10 a.m. till close, Feb. 15-24. 82-503 Highway 111 at Arabia Street, Indio. $6-$8 (children younger than 5 free). (800) 811-FAIR; www.datefest.org