Alameda County Fair celebrates its edible favorites this month
Need an early taste of summer?
This month the Alameda County Fair will present a new Grab-n-stay Fair Food Feast to celebrate iconic favorites and help support vendors whose livelihoods have been severely affected by COVID-19 restrictions that forced the cancellation of all 2020 fairs.
The food event runs from Thursday-march 14 and March 18-21. Hours will be 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Guests can head to the Pleasanton fairgrounds to eat corn dogs, turkey legs, churros, gyros, funnel cakes, deep-fried Oreos and more in socially distanced fashion on the lawn, or preorder for curbside pickup to take home.
“People have missed the fair and all the delicious food that goes along with it,” Angel Moore, the fair’s vice president of business development, said in announcing the program. “We are excited to be able to help highlight several of our longtime vendors and small businesses, while also bringing the community a taste of their favorite fair treats.”
A dozen vendors will participate, including Big Bubba’s Bad BBQ, Sleek Greek, Ricardo’s Hawaiian Feast, Funnel Cake West, Sweet Cheeks Fried Treats, Sharky’s, Pizza By the Slice, Dole Whip and beer, wine and cocktail booths.
Among those selling will be Red and White Concessions, operated by Dean and Liesel Williams, an East Bay couple who lost their 25-fairs-ayear schedule in 2020 and pivoted to special events to stay afloat. They sold treats to customers at the fairgrounds’ drive-in movie series and also held a summertime Corndog Tuesday event in Knightsen.
“Those types of opportunities were extremely beneficial, and the community really came out to support us,” Dean said.
At this fair feast, the couple will sell their signature drink, “Orange Treet,” a frothy concoction that Dean has been making since 1966, along with corn dogs.
For the full food vendor lineup and a map of the festival grounds, go to alamedacountyfair.com/grab-nstay.
DETAILS >> Attendees may park in the ACE Train lot located off of Pleasanton Avenue and should use the Yellow Gate for fairgrounds entry. The vendor grounds will include a central handwashing station and restrooms will be open.