A warm farewell: Last action weekend of the Alameda County Fair 2024 in Pleasanton

And so the fourth and final weekend of the Alameda County Fair has arrived.

Pleasanton’s Summer Showcase is open this Friday, Saturday and Sunday (July 5-7) from noon to 11 p.m., offering visitors the last chance to see or revisit the fair before it leaves town.

Highlights this weekend include three more horse races at the fair, which will culminate in two major contests on Sunday – the $50,000 Everett Nevin Stakes and the $150,000 Pleasanton Mile. Start time is 1:45 p.m. each day.

The Junior Livestock Auction will also be a major attraction on the last day.

Rounding out this year’s Big O Tires Concert Series will be country musician Hunter Hayes on Friday, Fast Times (80s concert experience) on Saturday and 40oz to Freedom (Sublime tribute) on Sunday. A drone light show is planned after each evening concert.

This weekend is also the last chance to view the 2024 exhibits at the fairgrounds, from competitive and creative exhibits to educational or hands-on demonstrations and the new “Fields of Gratitude, Thank a Farmer” project, which highlights local farmers, ranchers and other agriculture professionals in Alameda County, such as the 3 Calhoun Sisters’ Ranch, which operates on Mines Road in Livermore.

Sisters Merry, Nancy and Susie, fifth generation of the Calhoun ranching family in the area, focus on land conservation and regenerative agricultural practices on their ranching operation, fair officials said.

“We hope to become a fully sustainable ranch and also help other farmers and ranchers move to a more regenerative model,” Nancy Calhoun Mueller said in a press release from the fair last weekend.

Highlighting the fair’s agricultural roots is an important aspect of Pleasanton’s summer event each year, and the food is also a big deal.

From fried treats to steaming hot meals, cool desserts, refreshing beverages and more, for many attendees, the show is all about the food. This year, show organizers have worked to get customers involved, introducing the new Foodie’s Choice Awards.

The winners have been announced: In the “Crazy New” category, people voted for “Teriyaki Super Fries” at Pineapple Grill, “Happy Farmer – Jolly Rancher Infused Beverage” at Orange Treet and “Sandia Pop” at Fruit Stand. In the “Red, White & Blue” category, the champions were “Freedom Cheese Dog” at Hand Dipped Corn Dogs, “Celebration Drink” at Boba King and “Star Spangled Delight (Banana Split)” at Mrs. J’s.

Learn more about all of the top Foodie’s Choice contestants and everything else about the final days of the 2024 fair at annual.alamedacountyfair.com.

And enjoy browsing the slideshow of photos our freelance contributor Chuck Deckert took at the fairgrounds this summer, at the top of this story.

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