The 77th Annual San Mateo County Fair: Where Innovation Meets Tradition Announces 2011 Highlights Not to Miss Free Concerts, ComBots, Horse Shows, Livestock, Contests With $50K in Prizes and More

(SAN MATEO, Calif.) –The 77th Annual San Mateo County Fair Where “Innovation Meets Tradition” announces the 2011 Fair Highlights Not to Miss. From the Rainforest Exhibit, Alcatraz Museum Exhibit, Carnival Rides to Livestock and Agricultural Exhibits and expanded contests there will be something for everyone at this year’s fair. The San Mateo County Steer is back and fairgoers can guess the weight of the steer and win cash prizes. Carnival rides and typical fair fun will be in abundance this year offering traditional fair offerings with unique innovations typical of the entrepreneurial spirit and technology companies that make their home in beautiful San Mateo County.

Fair Highlights You Won’t Want To Miss!

1) The Best Family Value This Summer: Free Concerts with Fair Ticket Purchase.
The renowned free entertainment concert series on the SF Examiner Stage is back and bands are scheduled to perform nightly with a celebrity roster that includes: Air Supply, The Four Tops, WAR, Tower of Power, Grand Funk Railroad and Pablo Cruise. Dia de La Feria Shows include Lupillo Rivera and Vilma Diaz Y La Sonora. Concerts are free with fair ticket purchase. All concerts start at 7:30 P.M. Purchase Fair tickets or season passes for more savings. Season passes includes all shows and attractions for all 9 days of the Fair) to save even more. Visit fair web site for other discounts and promotional offers.

2) Rainforest Exhibit
Welcome to the jungle! CNE Creations and Pacific Animal Productions have made it possible to visit the most densely populated, remote, and pristine ecosystems of the world, without even getting on a plane. This traveling rainforest is filled with the flora and fauna that call the tropics of the world home.

Fair guests will have the unique opportunity to view and visit with animals including monkeys, parrots every color of the rainbow, jungle porcupines, and even an anaconda. There will be animal encounters, and fun for all throughout the lush and expansive exhibit. Learn what a Binturong is and what jungle realm it is found in. There will also be four shows daily, featuring parrots, reptiles and a cleaver monkey sure to capture every ones curiosity. The animal presentations will allow guests to get up close and witness these amazing creatures.

3) Combat Robots or ComBots
ComBots are coming to the San Mateo County Fair. Compete with your friends and 4-5 ComBots. RoboGames recently took place at the San Mateo County Fairgrounds in April where it was a resounding success. Here’s a chance to see them again up close and personal.

4) Airship Victoria
The Airship Victoria, a small group of artists, musicians, engineers, scientists, and civilians, received a grant from the Burning Man organization to help fund the project for the 2011 Burning Man arts and entertainment festival. The grant, which will help cover the cost of helium, is a big boost for the Airship Victoria team. The Airship Victoria is, “a floating audio/visual art installation with modulated thunder and lightning,” says founding creator Stacey Reineccius. “We are incorporating many elements such as integrated sound, lighting, and visuals including multiple Tesla coils, to create an interactive art piece that will be 50 feet in diameter and float in the air above people. We hope to elicit a visceral reaction to the primal force of nature combined with the power of knowledge.”

5) Alcatraz Museum Exhibit
New Traveling Exhibition Captures the Myth and Mystique of Alcatraz. Alcatraz: Life on the Rock explores the island’s cultural, military and natural history.
With its storied past and striking scenery, Alcatraz Island draws some 1.4 million visitors each year. Now, an engaging new exhibition takes the Alcatraz experience on the road.

Alcatraz: Life on the Rock showcases the fascinating history and infamous inmates of Alcatraz Island through interactive displays and authentic artifacts on loan from Alcatraz alumni. The exhibit features surprising facts and presents parts of the island not normally open to visitors. From a visitation booth where guests pick up a prison phone and listen to stories from inmates and guards, to a peek-through replica of the tunnel escapees dug to break out of Alcatraz, to videos featuring historic footage and accounts of Alcatraz residents, an immersive experience awaits visitors.

6) Competitive Exhibits and Contests from Beer Making to Robots and Technology
Agriculture, fine arts, home crafts, culinary arts, home beer making, floral arts, garden, technology, horse show, literary arts featuring a scholarship, sustainable living, youth exhibits and livestock. You don’t need to be a resident of San Mateo County to Enter! Over $50K in prizes! The Best of Show Beer Winner will take home a $250 check. This is an official BJCP sanctioned home brew competition. Registration forms due May 18th for home brew and all other contests within the fair.

7) Livestock and Agricultural Exhibits and San Mateo County Horse Show
The 2011 San Mateo County Fair has numerous livestock and agricultural exhibits that have always been family favorites. The 2011 San Mateo County Peninsula Pride Steer will be on display in the Livestock Barn and fairgoers can guess the weight of the steer and win prizes. New this year: The San Mateo County Horse Show found a new home! After years of using the arena on the fairgrounds and only having 3 horses the last few years, the horse show has been moved to Webb Ranch. On Sunday, May 8th with a 700% increase in participation, the horse show had an extremely busy day! Classes in the past were limited, but recently there has been an increase in the array of choices within English and Western Styles, jumping, and trail in hand.

8) The Carnival Rides and Traditions. Butler Amusements brings the fun in 2011!
For forty years Butler Amusements Inc. has served more fairs, celebrations, festivals and fundraising events than any other carnival in the West. Spectacular rides include the Giant Wheel, a 100 feet wheel with gondolas reminiscent of a Ferris wheel. Other favorites include the Giant Roller Coaster, European 101 Nachts ride, The Scream Machine, The Viper, Energy Storm, Wacky Worm, Cyclone, Eagle 15, Tilt-A-Whirl, Merry Go Round, Voyager and Mardi-Gras and more!

2011 Fair Sponsors

The 77th Annual 2011 San Mateo County Fair sponsors include: Comcast, The San Francisco Examiner, Kaiser Permanente, AT&T, Renewal by Anderson, Pepsi, Wyndham Resorts, AARP, Saba, Inspira Marketing Group, The San Francisco Examiner, Bay Area News Group, San Francisco Chronicle, San Mateo Journal, San Mateo Times, Disney Radio, KNTC, La Raza, KOIT, KBLX, KGO Radio, KNBR and KNEW.

KRZZ La Raza is the Official Spanish Radio Station for the 2011 San Mateo County Fair. The Examiner is the Official Newspaper of the 2011 San Mateo County Fair. KTNC 42 – Estrella TV is the Official Spanish TV Station of the 2011 San Mateo County Fair. Comcast Presents “Kids Day at the Fair” on Monday, June 13th. Kaiser Permanente is the Official Sponsor of Senior Day on Tuesday, June 14th.

About The San Mateo County Fair

The San Mateo County Fair where “Innovation Meets Tradition” boasts a stunning variety of world-class musical entertainment, performances, festival foods, local and traditional contests as well as a carnival. The fair lasts nine days and is attended by 150,000 guests. Some of the new features include the development of the “Useable Futures” pavilion dedicated to Sustainable Living and New Technologies and are dedicated to running a more sustainable event through greening initiatives. For more information about the San Mateo County Fair, please visit http://www.SanMateoCountyFair.com.

The San Mateo Event Center Hosts The San Mateo County Fair, which will be held June 11-19th, 2011. Visit the web site: www.sanmateocountyfair.com often for regular updates, contest, entertainment, promotions and giveaways and sponsorship information.

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Contact Information

Sandra Evans

PR Manager San Mateo County Fair

& Associates- Sandra Evans

Contact via E-mail