THE CONTRA COSTA COUNTY FAIR kicked off the Bay Area’s 2026 fair season on Thursday, bringing out early birds eager to hit the carnival midway, check out the farm animals, and grab their favorite deep-fried foods and sweet treats before weekend crowds descend.
The theme for this year’s event is “Wild About the Fair,” and among the related attractions is a daily exotic live animal show inside one of the event buildings. Visitors can get a closeup peek at giant tarantulas, a tortoise, hissing cockroaches, baby emus and a zebra, among other creatures seldom seen in suburbia.
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