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Fair fun continues despite extreme heat
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Modesto police officer Rafael Campos makes a muddy getaway as he is being pursued during the Destruction Derby Monday evening (CANDY PADILLA/The Journal).

More people are enjoying the floriculture exhibits at the Stanislaus County Fair this year than have in the previous several years. Is there a new flower challenge trending on TikTok or a man-eating Venus flytrap drawing in curious crowds? No, it’s the extreme heat.

“We’ve seen increased numbers in floriculture because it’s a covered area and there are misters there,” said Jose Piña, Stanislaus County Fair spokesperson.

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Rylin and William Matheron stay cool and relax with their cow, One, during the opening day of the Stanislaus County Fair (CANDY PADILLA/The Journal).

Turlock has experienced triple digit temperatures since the fair opened on Friday and the trend is expected to continue through the end of the week. Piña said that Valley residents are used to the summer heat and Fair attendance has been steady, just more people deciding to wait until later in the day to visit the fairgrounds.

“It’s hot, but we’re used to the heat. The animals are taken care of and the guests are taken of. We added a couple of extra generators in the barns for more fans for the animals. We also added a couple of extra cooling stations and misters throughout the fairgrounds,” he said.

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Stilt Circus perform a colorful show at the Fair (CANDY PADILLA/The Journal).

There are still five more days in the Fair’s 2024 run.

Upcoming Arena events:

·         Monster trucks today and Thursday.

·         Destruction Derby Wrecking Rebel on Friday.

·         The Humpz & Hornz Bulls, Broncs and Barrels Tour on Saturday.

·         The Jaripeo Hispanic Rodeo on Sunday.

The nightly arena events start at 6:30 p.m. Arena events require separate tickets in addition to Fair admission. Kids ages 2 and under have free arena admission.

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A young fairgoer covers his ears but maintains a great view of the Destruction Derby on Monday at the Fair (CANDY PADILLA/The Journal).

Upcoming concerts:

·         Legendary Southern rock band 38 Special today.

·         Country music sensation Scotty McCreery on Thursday.

·         Hard rock legends Great White on Friday.

·         American rock band All Time Low on Saturday.

·         Traditional Mexican band with modern flair La Septima Banda on Sunday.

Concerts are open seating and on a space available basis. Concerts begin at 8:30 p.m. nightly.