Mmm, Dates. Concerts. And Laugh-It-Up Rides…

We like all the entertainment and visuals and edibles thrown into a giant, whirling, blinking-bulb county fair, but the thing with living here is that a lot of the county fairs roll in the summer and early fall (OC, Ventura, LA).

But not Riverside. The giant midway goes up in the heart of February, the concert acts come out, and the dates squish into boxes, into breads, into beautiful milkshakes. Mmm, rich, creamy date shakes flecked with date-y goodness. We can't visit anywhere east of the 605 and not seek one out for immediate consumption.

Not only is the Riverside County Fair a county fair (the name's a good giveaway), but it is also the National Date Festival, which means if you're a fan of one of our famous regional fruits, you're in luck. There's the annual Blessing of Dates, and other delish to-dos built around the star attraction. There will be more sugary, traditional, fried foods, of course -- this is a county fair -- but you got to save (room for) the date.

Gin Blossoms and Loverboy are on the concert roster, as are a hundred county fair-ish delights, like animals, arts, and rides, rides, and more rides. Summer comes early in the middle of winter, and that makes us glad.

Riverside County Fair and National Date Festival
February 13-22