2012 Fair will run 24 days and be Out Of This World

DEL MAR, CA — The summer of 2012 will take San Diego County Fair Fans "Out Of This World" to the stars, planets and beyond. Every day at the Fair will be filled with discovery and mystery of the outer limits. The Fair will explore man's history and fascination with space and space travel starting with the Ancient Astronomers, to the NASA program and the future of space exploration.

The theme and Fair dates were approved today at the 22nd District Agricultural Associations Board of Directors meeting. The Board approved the staff’s recommendation and extended the Fair’s run from 22 to 24 days.

Is anyone out there? The Theme exhibit will delve into the unexplained and unexplored. Enter the realm of Science Fiction, UFOs and other evidence of life beyond earth. Universe Invited!

The 2012 San Diego County Fair, presented by Albertsons | Sav-on, will be open
Friday, June 8, to Wednesday, July 4. The Fair will be closed the first three Mondays, June 11, 18 and 25.

"Next year July 4th falls on a Wednesday, and that gives us the opportunity to extend the Fair to 24 days for the first time in the Fair’s history," stated General Manager and CEO, Timothy Fennell. The 2011 Fair broke an all time attendance record for the third year in a row with a grand total of 1,412,113 guests. "Extending the Fair by two days in 2012 will help alleviate traffic and parking congestion, and will give more folks the opportunity to visit, in my opinion, one of the finest fairs in the United States," Fennell added.

The San Diego County Fair is the largest annual event in San Diego County and the sixth largest fair in the United States, drawing more than 1.4 million visitors annually. The 22nd District Agricultural Association is a State of California agency that owns and operates the Del Mar Fairgrounds, Surfside Race Place, Horsepark Equestrian Center and the Del Mar Golf
Center.

The 22nd DAA produces five events each year: The San Diego County Fair, the Del Mar National Horse Show, Professional Bull Riding (PBR), The Scream Zone and Holiday of Lights. The Fairgrounds hosts more than 350 events annually, the largest of which is the live horse racing meet each summer, which is operated by the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club for the 22nd DAA and the State of California. For more information about the Fair, go to the Fair website, www.sdfair.com. For more information on the Fairgrounds, visit www.delmarfairgrounds.com.