San Diego County Fair Gift Shops

I returned San Diego County Fair this last weekend and I have to talk about their Gift Shops. They are by far the best in all of the western fairs,in my humble opinion, as they have a big assortment of fun items based on the current theme. 

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When you walk into the front gate, you can go to the gift shop immediately or, on exiting you can go there to end your day.

And because they are always selling really neat things that either go with the fair or the theme, you can find so many souvenirs and collectibles and show off your visit, and for really great prices.

This year the theme is the Wizard of Oz.

They have the cutest t-shirts, hoodies, and accessories for the theme.

When you go into the building dubbed "The Theme Building" there is another little store in there for souvenirs, I saw shot glasses, mugs, hats, magic wands and collectible pins.

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A lot of us collect the pins from year to year, they are so much fun to wear and talk about, we wear them on a lanyard so we can show off the different themes we have been able to attend.

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There is a main gift shop in the center of the fair, and it's my favorite shop because it is full of every color of hoodie on the planet, or nearly so, and in San Diego, you can wear a hoodie almost year around, the fairgrounds are just off the ocean and that beautiful air blows in on the fairgrounds, and a nice new hoodie is perfect for chilly evenings.

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If you have little kiddos with you there is a gift shop in the outfield as well, and the little kids can get a little long sleeved outfit there too, in case you forgot one at home, they have thought of everything!

It is one of my most favorite part of this fair, and I have pictures to show you so you can see how cool it is as well.

San Diego County Fair 2019

 

 

Walking into the San Diego County Fair is always an experience of it's own. It's one of the only fairs I know that has ten lines for entering the fair,  and so many Elite security checkers,  that you can enter really quickly. There are a couple of stroller lines as well, making the families entry smooth as possible and smoothly as well. 

The Front Gate is always a masterpiece.  It is filled with the theme of the fair and a great place, front and back, for selfies and photos to remember your experience. This year is the Wizard of Oz L. Frank Baum books and the vintage drawings and Emerald city are grand and beautiful. 

I really love opening ceremonies! 

On the west coast, this is the only fair to my knowledge that has opening ceremonies. They have Tom the Announcer, at the gate in front of you, reading off the daily events from contests, shows, concerts and things to see and do. 

And a fun fact of the day!

Then they have everyone take off their hats and someone will come and sing the National Anthem. 

The boy's and girl scout troops raise the American Flag and the California flag. We listen to them sing and then we all cheer and clap and whistle afterwards, it is so patriotic. 

Then gates open and we pour into the fairgrounds. 

What a sight!! 

I will be there in two weeks... and I will take photos of what I see and share them here with you. 

Chef Ray L Duey

Chef Ray Duey is an excellent fruit and veggie sculptor.
He has a fun approach to designing the different foods he has prepared on the table at the fairs by carving to music and talking to the guests as they stand by and watch, or stop to marvel at all of the pieces he has in the refrigerator next to him in his booth.

I have seen creations

• Star Wars characters and ships.
• Intricate designs.
• Parrots made from various vegetables.
• Flowers he makes for us to wear in our hair, I got two of those over the years one was made from a beet the other was from a turnip!

I also got to watch him carve floral arrangements out of all sorts of foods, as he did a demonstration at the kitchen in the Arizona State Fair. 

He even had a volunteer come up and learn how to make several of the cuts in a potato making it look beautiful and like a centerpiece, not just a food dish.

I got to be a volunteer this year at the Arizona State Fair and cut out a flower from a turnip. I loved using the tools and making my own creation, it was easy to understand and fun to go home with something I had made. 

I like it when he puts a light behind a cantaloupe or a musk melon, the design just glows. It is amazing what he can sculpt out of food and with just a few tools. He has a video tutorial, and you can see his gallery of amazing designs here.

He's going to be at the San Diego County fair this summer 2019, maybe you can stop by and see him work.

Chef Ray is a master chef, and has also worked with chocolate, ice, and sugar. 

 

* Photo credit http://www.academyoficecarving.com/program_food.php