Going to the California State Fair isn’t how most collegestudents prefer to spend their Friday night. Why go and hang outaround cows, trashy vendors, and kiddy rides when you could goparty with friends? The truth is that both ends of the spectrum canbe found at this year’s fair. Many features have been addedto attract the young, hip crowd and make the fair a perfect way toget the weekend started.

This isn’t to say all the shoddyaspects of a typical fair aren’t present. Toothless gamevendors, overpowering smells of farm animals, and many questionablydressed visitors maintain the typical fair reputation. However, ifyou become tired of walking around the fairgrounds, it’sentertaining to sit and people watch and there are many otheroptions to explore.

There are a wide variety of cuisines for everypossible palette. Famous to the state fair are the heart attacks ona stick, the fried Twinkie. If you’re going to indulge, optto share these rich treats with a friend. Not only is it lesscalories, but think of how romantic feeding your partner a long,fried piece of dough with a creamy center could be.

The concertseries had some pretty notable names, with artists such as Hootieand the Blowfish, Mya, Maroon 5, and Los Lonely Boys geared towardthe college age crowd. The performances are free with fairadmission and there is really no other place to see a concert fromhigh known artists for $10.One down side to the fair is the highlyoverpriced food and drink. Nothing refreshes better that anice-cold beer in scorching hot temperatures, but at $7 a pop,it”s probably a smarter idea to buy a six-pack once headinghome. On a night with a cool concert, there are sure to be lots ofyoung, hot boys and girls in attendance. Who knows, the State Fairmight be the place to meet your true love.

There is also a load of daily activities throughout the fairgrounds for everyone’staste. Livestock events, such as pig races and goat shows, can beinteresting to watch. The “Visiting the County’ displayis a great way to become familiarized with the different areas ofCalifornia, as well as view beautiful art work exhibitions.Therides are most likely not the first thing young adults want to doat the fair, but if you are going with a family, the 10 rides for$10 is a good deal to take advantage of.”I didn’texpect to have as much fun as I did,” senior Jessica Peircestated during a night at the fair.

The State Fair is a great place to come with a group of friends.”It’s a good ideato look for street parking around the apartment complexes acrossExhibition to avoid parking fees. A short walk is better thanshelling out for a parking spot.As the night is winding down,visitors can check out Terry Hanck and his blues band at the Bluesand Brews stage. With swinging, sultry songs and enticing saxophonesolos, dancing the night away to classic music is an unexpectedgood time.As it gets closer to 10 p.m., make sure to get to a cleararea for the dazzling fireworks display. For many students livingin the immediate area, the fireworks have been seen and heard forthe past two weeks, but nothing compares to seeing them upclose.Going to the State Fair is kind of like taking a stepbackward into time when farm animals, Ferris wheels, and live musicused to be the only forms of entertainment.

Now, with bars andclubs in abundance, spending one night at the fair is not onlycharming, it’s enlightening. Look past the fat men with theirshirts off, the startling, cat-calling vendors, and it’s verypossible for an enjoyable time to be had at this year’sfair.