DEL MAR — The 2014 San Diego County Fair will offer all things fabulous, fried and 50 years ago during its 24-day run from June 7 through July 6.
This year’s event, themed The Fab Fair, will pay tribute to the British Invasion that “changed the music scene forever,” fairgrounds General Manager Tim Fennell said at a May 21 press conference.
The fair will also feature British pop culture, music and several exhibitions, including “The Beatles! Backstage and Behind the Scenes” and “Give Peace a Chance.”
The former is a collection of 80 never-before-published photos of The Beatles’ first U.S. performance on “The Ed Sullivan Show” in February 1964 and the 20-city tour that followed.
The latter commemorates John and Yoko Ono’s eight-day 1969 bed-in for peace. Both exhibits are making their debut in California during the fair.
“The John F. Kennedy Exhibition” commemorates the 50th anniversary of his assassination and includes personal items owned by the president and his wife.
Also on display will be a re-creation of the Oval Office, a collection of gowns worn by first ladies during inaugurations and a fuselage re-created to look like Air Force One and available for touring.
Not-to-miss culinary concoctions include bacon-wrapped Jack Daniel’s, a treat made possible by hollowing out a churro, injecting it with half a shot of Jack Daniel’s, wrapping it in bacon, throwing it on the grill and serving it with whipped cream and maple syrup.
The creation is the brainchild of Mike Peterson of Bacon-A-Fair, who last year introduced the cheesy bacon bomb — jack cheese in a biscuit wrapped in bacon and deep-fried.
“He took a lot of his favorite flavors and put them all together,” Brittney Peterson said of her bacon-wrapped Jack Daniel’s.
Charlie Boghosian, better knownas Chicken Charlie, is offering a triple-decker cheeseburger on a Krispy Kreme doughnut.
“We’re not leaving anything out,” Boghosian said as he described the one-pounder.
Boghosian is also serving deep-fried chicken skins seasoned with his secret 16.6 paprika-and-garlic-based rub and chipotle ranch sauce for dipping.
“Everyone always says the skin is the best part of a chicken,” Boghosian said about his inspiration for the dish. “So why waste time with everything else?”
On the healthier side, Boghosian is grilling chicken legs, something he does during family outings at Mission Bay.
Garlic-battered artichokes, a variety of sausages, bacon doughnuts, homemade garlic-parmesan potato chips and the Hunk-a-Hunk-of-Bacon-Love, a peanut butter, chocolate, bacon and banana sundae, are just a few of the other gastronomic goodies to be had.
There are, of course, rides — many of which may be better experienced before eating — concerts and fests for everything from beer and wine to bacon and Gospel.
The Infield, revamped and renamed Family Funville, offers a turkey stampede, farm contests that include watermelon seed spitting and corn husking, and a chance for little ones to learn about where their food really comes from.
“And there are deals to be had,” Fennell said. The Best Past Ever allows fairgoers entrance for $1 a day. There is free offsite parking with a shuttle service at MiraCosta College, Torrey Pines High School and Horse Park.
The fairgrounds also teamed up with North County Transit District for discounts on public transit and fair admission.
Be on the lookout for this year’s mascots — Iam the Walrus and John, Paul, George and Ringo.
Visit sdfair.com for more details.
