Joe Nichols at the "Fab Fair"

I realized several years ago that I don't love the Fair, I love the concept of the Fair.  The Del Mar Fair (officially the "San Diego County Fair" as of several years ago) runs from the beginning of June through the 4th of July.  It is well loved in San Diego and seen widely as the beginning of summer.  I love summer.  Thus, every year when the fair opens I think, "I have to go!".  And I generally do.

The problem arises when I arrive at the fair.  We get our tickets walk in, and then comes the question, "So, what do you want to do?".  Uhhhhh, I dunno...

I grew up being indoctrinated by my mother about the dangers of temporary rides, so the rides are out.  I don't really have an interest in playing the games, so cratch that.  I love the food, but it's too expensive to get a lot of it.  I'm not really interested in going there to shop.  So what does that leave?  The exhibits.  We walk around the garden exhibits, check out the prize winning roses and dalias, and check out the crazy collections.  All of this takes maybe an hour, which seems like a waste of money on gas and tickets.

I was readying to resign myself to not going to the fair again, at least not until we hda kids, when last year Tad and I stumbled upon the answer.  The Fair Summer Concert Series.  Tad and I went to see Weird Al last year and enjoyed a fantastic concert!  The best part was that it was free with admission.  Full price adult admission is $14, what a great deal! (And you rarely have to pay full price).

I decided that that was the way to do the fair.  Arrive around 3:00 or 4:00 in the afternoon.  Check out all the exhibits we were interested in seeing.  Eat dinner.  Then, grab seats for the concert.  With this in mind, I eagerly awaited the concert list for this year's fair.  It was a somewhat disappointing list in terms of the "free with admission" acts, but there was Joe Nichols.  At the time, I couldn't name any of his songs to his name, but I recognized and liked plenty of them. 

Tad is not much of a country fan, but Raelene is, and she was down to go with me.  Tad dropped me off at her condo on Wednesday, and we headed over from there.  We grabbed dinner from Chicken Charlie's, looked through several exhibits, and then it was concert time.  It was a great show!  Jana Kramer opened for jim.  She was ok.  He did a fantastic show, all the favorite songs, plus a countrified version of "Baby Got Back".  I think I hooked Raelene on Fair concerts.  I can't wait to see who's coming next year!