The San Joaquin AgFest Junior Livestock and Auction is going on this week at the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds, along with the 2016 edition of the San Joaquin County Fair.
Officials said the fair returns due to popular demand, after not being held for the past couple of years. Opening day at the fair is today, Wednesday, June 15 with the opening day hours from 5 p.m.to 11 p.m.
Admission for kids today is $1 and all rides are available for $1 as well. Regular admission fees are $10 for adults, $5 for kids 6 to 12, 5 and under admitted free. Seniors, military and students with ID get in for $7. Unlimited ride wristbands are available for $20.
The fair runs Wednesday, June 15 through Sunday, June 19; hours Thursday through Sunday are noon to 11 p.m.
Thursday will be Buddy Day, with unlimited ride wristbands buy one, get one free from noon to 3 p.m., along with early admission for disabled individual and caretakers, $5 admission from 10 a.m. to noon.
Friday is Active and Retired Military and First Responders Promo Day, with $3 admission until 3 p.m.; Saturday is AgFest and Agriculture Promo Day; Sunday will be Hispanic Promo Day and dads are admitted at 50 percent off.
Along with a variety of musical acts on the main stage each day, there will also be acts spread around the grounds ranging from BMX racing, Cooks Racing Pigs, the K9 Kings, a Wild About Monkies show and the Comedy Hypnosis Show on the community stage. Midway rides and games along with plenty of food and beverage vendors will serve up fair fare throughout the week as well.
Meanwhile, running in conjunction with the fair will be the San Joaquin AgFest, which started on Monday, June 13 and wraps up on Saturday, June 18. All San Joaquin County 4-H, and FFA members with projects in the beef, swine, sheep, goats, dairy, rabbits, poultry, turkeys and dog areas are competing at the show and auction. Members who have vocational projects such as welding, wood, plants and vegetables are also exhibiting their projects during the show.
The San Joaquin AgFest Jr. Livestock Show and Auction replaces the San Joaquin County Fair’s livestock show and auction. In 2013, the San Joaquin County Fair decided that they could not financially put on a fair. So, the parents, leaders and advisors organized a non-profit organization and created AgFest so youth members had a place to show their livestock and vocational projects. This year, with the fair returning, the AgFest will share the grounds with that event.
All of the exhibitors learn to custom feed and humanely raise their large or small livestock projects. During the show all the animals are judged by qualified industry professionals to be determined market ready. Many of the members who raise animals will use the profit for college and trade school education in the future. Some of the members started with one animal and began a breeding program. By the end of their 4-H or FFA career they will have a herd of animals or a flock of birds and possibly a small business.
Admission is $10 Wednesday through Saturday after 11 a.m. and parking is $5 per car.
The junior show and auction has a website, www.sanjoaquinagfest.org with a list of daily events and livestock shows.
Highlights of the AgFest include:
Livestock Costume Contest on Thursday, June 16 at 6:30 p.m. will feature the youth exhibitors and their large animals both in costume, parading around the pig rig and sheep ring at the fairgrounds, for fun and entertainment.
Farm to Fork Dinner (funds raised will be used for awards) on Thursday, June 16 at 5 p.m.
Master Showmanship (the best showmen in each category compete for the Championship and represent the county at the State Fair) on Friday, June 17 at 4 p.m.
Livestock Auction of all large and small market animals on Saturday, June 18 at 9 a.m.
A total of 875 4-H and FFA exhibitors are taking part, showing over 1190 large and small animals.
The San Joaquin County Fairgrounds are at South Airport Way and Martin Luther King Drive in Stockton.
