The Kern County Fair and Event Center

Ok, I'm just going to say what everyone else thinks...I HATE THE FAIR! But with that said, when you have littles, you are forced to go. I, like maybe 80% of us have severe allergies so I REALLY HATE THE FAIR, but I love my kids so, off to the fair we went yesterday. We got there at 1:00 pm, paid $10 to park and $12 per adult to get in. This is when I realized I forgot my kids free fair tickets AND my wallet! Thank goodness for the hubby. I was surprised to see ticket kiosks set up out front which made purchasing tickets so much easier and we were escorted quickly inside. We walked through standing metal detectors but no one checked inside of my purse, which was a bit unsettling in this day and age. Later on after feeling bad for having the hubby pay for everything I spotted one of the Apple Pay signs on a register and was so excited! I'm still new to this technology and thought it was a great idea! After purchasing a $28 bucket of lobster fries and 2-$42 reloadable wristbands utilizing my Apple Pay, I wished I hadn't noticed that little icon! I'm still in shock of the inflation everywhere but was seriously taken aback by it at the fair! Overall, I still hate the fair but it's nice to see how they're changing with the times. You can actually load game tickets directly to your wristband and the "carnies" scan the QR code directly making it much easier and quicker on rides and games. I have to admit I chuckled when I observed a fast pass sign for the rides though lol. Oh, also the Ramon Ayala concert was held in the Budweiser Pavilion and was JAM PACKED! I do not understand why it wasn't in the grandstand area.

The free music and shows are great. The vendors are all friendly and very helpful. I rated 3 stars because like any fair experience, when you have a family go early and have your fun. Once the sun goes down, the crowd size increase and so does the alcohol consumption. There is always a propensity for emotions and alcohol to create issues.The facilities were great and many food options to be had. The availability of gluten free food was very minimal.

Been here many times for different events. This time it was for the gun show. It was a great time, little to crowded for me, I of course had a mask on while most people didn't. There was a little bit of everything, guns, knives, shirts, hats, ammo, food items and even Girl Scout cookies. There was much more than what I mentioned. They will be returning a few more times this year so check website for dates.

The Fair is back. But that brings long lines, inconsiderate people, expensive fair food, heat, drunk fair goers. $14 to get in $10 to park Everything is more expensive but there are more booths over last year. I say do it once a year.

Kern County Fair came back this year after a hiatus due to covid-19. I had never been to the Kern Fair, but I've been to many other county fairs so I had some idea of what to expect. Purchasing tickets online was easy and saved us a bit of money. We went a few times throughout the week.One thing I was very impressed with is just how extensive the carnival set up is here at Kern Fair. There was one area that was set up obviously for younger children to enjoy, and then another area that had more like "big kid" rides. I liked this because it definitely made it easier to avoid the little ones since we have teens.The art/hobbies area was pretty small compared to the other fairs I've been to. That bummed me out a bit because it's usually my favorite thing to see. There was plenty of shopping areas/booths set up though. Also another thing that wasn't lacking was the livestock area, there was plenty to see. The food was pretty enticing with lots to try, but I did feel the quality of food was not as great as some other fairs I've been to. The funnel cake was on point though! My daughter went to one of the concerts and had a wonderful time. Surprisingly it was not too crowded or rowdy, but it was a weeknight.I was pleasantly surprised with the fair. It was better than I expected. The only large negative in my opinion is the traffic is pretty poorly handled and definitely plan accordingly in the evenings for the extended waits for parking.

The Kern County Food Drive ThruWe went today and was really simple and worked really smoothly. They weren't busy so it was pretty fast. They lady rang us up, fast and friendly. Then the guy who grabbed all our items made sure we got everything we needed and the traffic ran efficiently. In and out quickly, the nachos were a bit soggy by the time we got home, but hey it's nachos. The caramel apple was melted off, but the rest was good. We pretty much got a little bit of everything.

Second trip! First visit was a little more adult paced. The rides were pretty expensive but you have to go on a ferris wheel if it's available. Alot of the food seemed repetitive as I searched for some iconic fair fare. It has been getting dark faster and the whole fair transforms with its lights. We got to hear the concert from outside of the seating area and had our own little area. The song "I like country stuff" is still in my head. Second trip was more child focused. My two boys got along the whole time thanks to all of the distractions. Although the crowd was large, the lines for the children's rides went fast. No more than 2 cycles st most before they could be onboard a ride. Went on at least 12 rides in a row because they had a good clumping. 48" is the base hight for the bigger kid rides. My 5 year old at 45 was able to ride solo on plenty of rides. If you plan to go on any rides I recommend to just give in and get the wrist band! It's almost over and smash mouth is playing in the evening! Get going people!

Not bad for a county fair. Prices were reasonable and they have plenty to do and see. My son was working the fair at one of the events so we came up to see him. Every fair we see compares to our local LA county fair so we are not going to see a larger fair than LA. We had plenty of food to choose from, the crowds were pretty good with no real problems and the buildings had some interesting items. Some of the items we had were: curly fries, fruit, giant pretzel, baked potato. My father in law said his bacon wrapped hot dog was the best he's ever had. We did see the hypnotist show and that was real fun. Is it real? I have to think so and it is funny.

Took the kids to the reptile show it was ok. We have never gone to it and wanted to try. It's mainly for those that keep reptiles as pets. WE DO NOT!! Glad we went price to get in for 2 adults and 2 children was $40 thought that was a little high especially since the whole show was in one building and not a crazy amount of reptiles to look at. Don't get me wrong there was a few really cool reptiles we saw but almost everything was for sale. Loved that the American Cricket Ranch promoted the United States Postal Service!!!!!

After purchasing the cans from the store, we headed to the fairgrounds. We paid the $10 parking fee in coins. Once there, we handed over the cans to the food drive donation team, who exchanged them for three tickets. We then proceeded through the metal detectors at the entrance gate. The gate personnel asked us to open our bag, and as we complied, a staff member with dreadlocks questioned us about the contents. In a somewhat inaudible moment, I requested clarification on one of the words he used. In response, the staff member, with a somewhat antagonistic tone, restated his question, asking if we had pepper spray, a taser, or a pocket knife.With my purse still open and another staff member inspecting it, the individual with dreadlocks raised his voice, saying, "Well, I'm not going to move it around for you," displaying an attitude and a somewhat demeaning tone. I replied, expressing my confusion about his abrupt change in demeanor. He then accused me of having an attitude and told me I could leave. I asked to speak with a supervisor, prompting the man with dreadlocks to use his walkie-talkie to contact a supervisor. He relayed that I was irate, yelling, and refusing to allow them to check my bag. He also falsely claimed that I possessed a taser. He instructed us to wait in a designated area while he called his supervisor, Travis. When Travis arrived, he supported the staff member with dreadlocks and informed us that his decision was final. He threatened to have us banned from the fair and insisted that we leave.I requested to speak with Travis's supervisor, but he claimed to be the highest authority present. He further threatened to summon the police to remove us. I agreed, urging him to call the police. Travis proceeded to communicate with the police officer, Ramirez, falsely describing me as trespassing, irate, and uncooperative, alleging that I was carrying a taser. Worried for my safety due to these accusations, I called 911 while crying, fearing that my life was in danger. My children were seated on a nearby bench throughout this ordeal, deprived of the opportunity to enjoy the fair, which was our primary goal.As Officer Ramirez approached me, I explained my concerns about the false allegations and the potential danger they posed. I also expressed my distress over the situation. The officer, however, seemed to misunderstand the gravity of the situation and questioned my fear of harm. I continued crying, and he walked over to speak with the staff member who had initially checked my bag. While the officer was away, I called a friend to discuss the situation and seek comfort. Upon returning, Officer Ramirez asked me to end the call, but I explained that I needed the support. Throughout this interaction, I remained visibly upset, with tears flowing uncontrollably.He informed me that I had two options: I could allow her to check my bag and enter, or I could choose to leave. In response, I opted for her to inspect my bag. As she proceeded to check my bag, I inquired whether she had already examined it earlier. She responded, stating, "I did, I don't know what all that was," alluding to the earlier situation instigated by the individual with dreadlocks.Addressing the police officer, I asked if he could see the situation clearly, and I stated that we would leave. As we waited, my children and I observed that they were not checking other people's bags (although I didn't mention it at the time). This entire experience left me feeling dehumanized, belittled, dismissed, and deeply humiliated.