Riverside County Fair, Date Festival Opens This Weekend

The 67th Riverside County Fair & National Date Festival will offer admission specials over the next two weeks, a fair spokeswoman said this week.

Admission will be free on Friday, which is opening day, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Other specials include Canada Day on Feb. 19, when Canadian residents with proof of residency get in free, and Kids' Day on Feb. 20, when one child gets free admission with each paid adult ticket, according to fair spokeswoman Veronica Casper.

The fair runs through Feb. 24 at 82-503 Highway 111 in Indio.

Lifehouse, Wynonna & the Big Noise, Voz de Mando, Aaron Lewis and Grammy winners Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano are the main stage headliners, whose shows are included with admission.

Other fair entertainment includes monster trucks, motocross, a demolition derby, camel and ostrich races, a nightly musical pageant, carnival rides and midweek tributes to Johnny Cash, Elvis, Jimmy Buffet and Dean Martin.

Fair hours are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. General admission is $9 for adults, $8 for seniors, $7 for youths and $6 for those on group bus tours. Children 5 and under are free.

Other admission promotions include "O'Reilly Thursday," with free admission on Feb. 21 with proof of a minimum $5 purchase from O'Reilly Auto Parts since Feb. 1; and Fantasy $5 Friday on Feb. 22, when everyone other than children under 5 will get in for $5.

For more information, call (800) 811-3247 or go to www.datefest.org.   

--City News Service