SOMEWHERE BETWEEN BUG LAND and the carnival rides are pig races, walls lined with childhood art dedicated to insects, nightly fireworks, and a trove of food and vendors selling goods.
All of it is the Marin County Fair.
The fair kicked off in San Rafael on Wednesday, marking 100 years since the fair first came to be. From Wednesday to Sunday, the fair will be open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. each day.
“For literally decades, grandparents, kids, their grandkids, have been coming to the fair, the largest single event in Marin County,” said Steve Dow, director of cultural services for the county. “It does a lot for the community.”
And, with the “bug-tastic” theme, which looks to celebrate all the creepy crawlies, bugs have already taken over. Don’t let that scare you.
“We weren’t quite sure how it was going to play out,” said Dow about the decision to go full insect. “But it’s been a really fun way to kind of tie in all the components of the fair around a visually stimulating theme.”
Guests can feed butterflies in an enclosure, learn about the decline of the monarch butterfly, and learn more about insects and how to get rid of pests. Fearless guests can try out chili lime crickets.
Michelle Sandusky, a Marin master gardener affiliated with University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, who wore a felted ladybug costume, was at the fair to talk about the benefits of insects and how to protect habitats. On the first day, that meant competing for the attention of kids amid all the fair fun.
“You give prizes,” she said. “You talk to them, you wear silly costumes, you just try to get them in the tent and at least looking at things.”
Sandusky’s booth, located in Bug Land with some others from the West Marin Monarch Sanctuary and a butterfly enclosure, isn’t all serious. Guests can join a scavenger hunt and spin a wheel to learn more about the good, bad — and a mixture of the two — bugs.
Elizabeth Weber, an environmental photographer and board member of the sanctuary, displayed several photos of monarch butterflies in the group’s booth to in part bring attention to the population’s decline.
The booth didn’t attract many kids early on but was only steps away from the enclosure where older siblings were scolding younger ones to be gentle with the butterflies.
Tradition was not lost at the fair, though. Fair rides — with the exception of a select few — are free with the purchase of a ticket. Funnel cakes and cotton candy are at nearly every corner. And concerts and fireworks happen each night.
All that is in addition to multiple All-Alaskan Racing Pigs shows each day. Queen’s “We Will Rock You” plays beforehand to draw some of the fair’s largest crowds, second only to the long lines at the dining areas.
Reggae royalty performed opening night, with The Legendary Wailers and The Skatalites, but TLC, Elvis Crespo and a “Bee So Fly” music fest on the Fourth of July are some of the tunes that will be playing at the fair this year. The concerts are all free with the price of admission.
The fair will also host two theme days. On Saturday, the fair will celebrate Pride with drag story time and performances by LGBTQ+ country singers.
On Sunday, the fair will host Latin Heritage Day, with performances by Ballet Folklorico Netzahualcoyotl and Crespo. Guests will also have a chance to learn salsa and merengue dance moves ahead of the concert.
Guests with disabilities will be able to rest in an expanded ADA accessible lounge located in the Veterans Memorial Auditorium. The lounge is a low sensory area that offers seating and accessibility escorts.
The “Baby Sanctuary” is near the lounge, offering a similar supportive environment to families that includes chairs for breastfeeding and a changing area.
Tickets must be purchased online at marinfair.org. Kids under the age of 3 and active-duty military are free each day.
“We want everyone who wants to come to have a chance to come,” said Dow.