'Alice in Wonderland'-Themed San Diego County Fair Opens Friday

DEL MAR, CA: North County's own Switchfoot will help kick off 26 days of the San Diego County Fair Friday.

Billed as one of the 10 largest fairs in North America, gates open at 4 p.m. Friday at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, with Switchfoot scheduled to inaugurate the Toyota Summer Concert Series at 7:30 p.m. on the Heineken Grandstand Stage.

Before that, the O'Brien Gate Opening Ceremony will be held at 3:30 p.m. with the raising of an American flag symbolizing the start of this year's fair, themed "Mad About The Fair." The ceremony will be followed by music, surprises and celebrity guests, according to fair organizers.

"You'll love our grand-scale tea party featuring the renowned Lewis Carroll classic 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland,' fused with influences from steampunk, cosplay, great literature, wacky machinery and all the fun and magic you have come to expect," according to the fair's website.

Discounted admission tickets for $4 are offered for Friday, Saturday and Wednesday and can be purchased at participating Vons and Albertsons stores.

Other opening day highlights include:

• Mad DJ Party at 7 p.m. in the Theme Exhibit, featuring "Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland."
• "Discover Outlandish Landscapes" in the Paul Ecke, Jr. Flower & Garden Show, presented by Think Blue. 
• Watch a turkey stampede at 6:30 p.m. in Family Funville.
• Watch the Ben Owens Trio at 4 p.m. on the Ford Dealers Paddock Stage.
• Check out Gabba Gabba Heys — A Tribute to the Ramones at 9 p.m. on the Coors Light Rock On stage.

The San Diego County Fair runs through July 4 — closed the first two Tuesdays and each Monday, except July 4 — with a special offer this year dubbed the "Best Pass Ever." The pass costs $26 but entitles the guest to return to the fair for $1 on all subsequent days. Otherwise, daily general admission is $16. Additional fees are charged for parking, rides, food and games.

Fair-goers can also take advantage of the Toyota Summer Concert Series, as many shows are free with paid fair admission. Featured performances on the Heineken Grandstand Stage include Jana Kramer, Lady Antebellum, Hunter Hayes, Charlie Puth, Matt Nathanson & Phillip Phillips with Eric Hutchinson. On June 11, the San Diego Gay Men's Chorus performs with Carly Rae Jepsen.

Adding to the entertainment lineup, the Ford Dealers Paddock Series features shows on select evenings, while the Coors Light Rock On Series will consist of late-night shows.

As the fair draws more than 1.5 million people each year, alternate transportation arrangements are encouraged.

The North County Transit District is offering a special deal, the "Fair Tripper," which costs $17 and includes fair admission plus round-trip ride fare on the Coaster, Sprinter or Breeze. 

Traffic and parking updates as well as other fair information will be posted by the San Diego County Fair on Twitter.

(Photo courtesy of the San Diego County Fair)