INDIO – Can you smell the corn dogs and cotton candy? It’s that time of the year again: the Riverside County Fair & National Date Festival is back, with three weekends of fun for our friends and our families, from February 12th through March 1.
This year’s theme “Return to the Oasis” incorporates 78 years of heritage and Fair traditions that continue, as well as a new tiki lounge and Polynesian dances and fire-spinning, inspired by the desert’s mid-century modern style. Another new feature is Arts in the Marketplace, where you can shop for homemade goods and foods from local vendors, at Sinbad’s Bazaar in the Fullenwider Auditorium.
The 78th Annual Riverside County Fair & National Date Festival, presented by Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, opens tomorrow at 2:20 p.m. with the blessing of the dates ceremony at Gate 1 of the Riverside County Fairgrounds in Indio, 82-503 Highway 111.
“The Riverside County Fair & National Date Festival is always a great time,” said Supervisor V. Manuel Perez. “Every year, we work to improve our Fair and bring more engagement and new events and new ideas to enjoy. I invite all of you, who live throughout Riverside County and beyond, to come visit.”
This is the fourth year that Pickering Events, LLC has operated the Fair and the Riverside County Fairgrounds in a partnership with Riverside County. That partnership has generated over $1.5 million in shared revenue for improvements and capital maintenance on the Fairgrounds. With county investment, over the past few years, there has been $8 million put into upgrades.
“The Riverside County Fair & National Date Festival presented by Fantasy Springs Resort Casino celebrates the traditions that shaped our community while continuing to grow for the next generation,” said Chris Pickering, CEO of Pickering Events, LLC. “Return to the Oasis welcomes families back with a mix of nostalgia, new experiences, and the shared joy of coming together at the Fair & Date Fest.”
With sponsorship by Pickering Events, every day of the Fair, veterans and first responders and three of their guests can get in free! Free tickets can be secured by registering online at http://www.vettix.org or http://www.1sttix.org. There are limited tickets for some arena events as well.
Monday, February 16 is the annual President’s Day Grand Parade, featuring Grand Marshals Grant Flores and “Gucci” Manny Flores, professional boxers from Coachella. The parade steps off at 9 a.m. at Highway 111 and Arabia Street in Indio.
The flag lowering ceremony honoring our nation’s flag will be held at 5 p.m. February 16, at the U.S. flagpole in the Taj Mahal Courtyard at the Fairgrounds.
Information on special promotions, fair events and ticket prices can be found at www.datefest.org.