Going to local county fairs is a long-standing tradition filled with enchanting experiences. Whether it be
the rides, games, or classic dishes, there’s a particular nostalgia associated with the fairgrounds. While most BV students tend to drift to the Johnson County Fair during summer nights, sophomore Bayli Donahue explored a fair a little farther from home — the San Diego County Fair in Del Mar, California.
Donahue holds this fair close to her heart, as she has attended for as long as she can remember.
“It’s sentimental but also insanely fun,” she said. “It is open every summer, so my family and I have gone every year.” Joined by her sisters, Donahue made the most of her time at the fair.
“I went on as many rides as [I] possibly could,” Donahue said. “We got food from the food stands scattered throughout the fairgrounds before going back to the rides. We went in
fun houses and on the tall swings to overlook the fair and how pretty it is.”
The San Diego County Fair was certainly filled with everything one could ask for. Donahue enjoyed carnival games, rides, markets, and even pig races. Yes. Pig races. She said this spectacle was perhaps the most interesting affair of the night.

“[During] the pig races, the speaker picks a person from each bleacher section to be the cheerleader for their assigned pig,” she said. “The pigs race and one even swims at the end.” As a seasoned fair-goer with many established rites, Donahue knows exactly which attractions are worthy of a visit.

“One of our traditions is at the very beginning of the day,” she said. “Right when we get to the fair, we go into one of the convention buildings that hold the markets and buy two dozen mini cinnamon donuts. I ate 13 this year.”
Following the donuts, it’s customary for the Donahues to follow them up with cherry lemonades from the Hot Dog on
a Stick store.
After enjoying her initial meal and taking minimal breaks between carnival rides, Donahue decided she would end this year’s fair trip with breathtaking views.
“We went on the tallest slides in the park that overlook the entire fair,” Donahue said. “It is so beautiful when it’s lit up at night, and you can see the ocean on the horizon.”
Just as Donahue has made the most of her fair days in
past years, this year was as sweet as the rest and gives her something to look forward to for the years to come.
“I have so many amazing memories here,” she said. “I hope to make more for the rest of my life.”