‘Out at the Fair’ brings Pride celebration to county fair – Marin Independent Journal

July 4, 2024

Participants of a bus trolley wave flags outside their windows during the 53rd annual San Francisco Pride Parade and Celebration in San Francisco, Calif., Sunday, June 25, 2023. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)

I want everyone to join us as we celebrate Marin County Fair Pride at the fifth annual LGBTQ+ community celebration, “Out at the Fair,” taking place Friday at the fairgrounds in San Rafael.

Out at the Fair Pride is a day of family-friendly activities with all the great attractions that bring fairgoers back year after year. The partnership between Out at the Fair and the Marin County Fair began in 2018 when management wanted to ensure that everyone in the community felt welcome and had a place at the fair and that the fair emphasized diversity, equity and inclusion.

The Out at the Fair organization was started by myself, Caleb Wilkins, Daniel Castaneda, and a group of friends in 2011 at the San Diego County Fair as the unofficial “Gay Days.” It started with simple check-ins on social media. Without giving it much thought, the following year we received a message from a lady asking if the organization would be back in 2012.

The San Diego Fair created a Facebook event for their 2012 fair. We were greeted at the entrance with special pins and took our first group photo. In 2013, Out at the Fair was born as an official San Diego fair event and we began attending the fair’s planning meetings.

Soon after the success of Out at the Fair in San Diego, the festival expanded to the California State Fair and the New Mexico State Fair. In the summer of 2018, Out at the Fair was held in two states and seven locations, including the Marin County Fair. Since then, we have grown to 10 locations and three states. Our goal is to host Out at the Fair at every state and county fair because every community deserves to be celebrated, to have a voice and opportunities in their communities where Pride celebrations are sometimes still lacking.

The Marin County Fair has become a staple on the Out at the Fair summer tour. Not only because it’s the most environmentally friendly stop on the route, but because it welcomes and celebrates the entire Marin County community. Our unicorn mascot Dabby’s 2024 motto is “Stronger Together,” so put on your best Pride outfit and join us at the fair for a full day of family-friendly fun.

Stop by the Out at the Fair booth to pick up a free rainbow flag and Dabby pin. Enter to win a San Francisco 49ers prize package. The team provided a 49ers flag, two food storage containers, a cooler, a 49ers pitcher, a bobblehead of Head Coach Kyle Shanahan and four Pride towels for this year’s epic prize.

That’s just the beginning of the day, as Out at the Fair takes over the Community Stage with a fun-filled program. Local hero Erica Ambrin and The Eclectic Soul Project bring jazz, rock and soul, Bay Area native Derek Jameson plays his upbeat pop music about love and positivity, and San Francisco’s DJ Cisco, another local hero, will have you dancing all night long.

And it wouldn’t be Out at the Fair without some fun, stylish, family-friendly drag shows. Polly Amber Ross and friends, a Marin County Fair favorite, will return with “Drag Storytime” and the “Glamour Show” on the Community Stage. These two OATF activities are always a huge hit, so be sure to secure your spot early.

Headlining this year’s Island Stage is Grammy-winning artist Daya at 7:30 p.m. Dreamily ethereal one minute and rhythmically kinetic the next, Daya’s signature pop music has never sounded so bright and bold. The dance vibe continues as DJ Cisco spins family-friendly hits on deck until the evening fireworks display begins at 9:30 p.m.

Thank you to the Marin County Fair for their commitment to inclusion, and thank you to the entire Marin County community for supporting Pride at the fair, for celebrating the rich and colorful diversity in the Bay Area, and for welcoming us to the fair each summer. Wear your rainbow colors and join us for a fun, festive, family-friendly, and of course, fabulous day at the fair.

William Zakrajshek is co-founder of Out at the Fair, a festival organization that visits state and county fairs each year.