By Mario Presents
For more than 80 years the Antelope Valley Fair & Alfalfa festival has been celebrating community and culture in a single event every summer. Special days that encourage donations of books, canned food, charity, and compassion now slip into yesteryear. Many fairgoers echoed the same sentiment, “It felt like they raised prices to make up for the years they were closed.” Families were overheard saying they could have spent the same amount of money at Disneyland for a more memorable outing.
Struggling families spending hundreds of dollars for fair admission when they can barely fill the gas tank puts stress on the community. With fewer special days to alleviate the financial pressure, is the fair losing touch with the community? There were two days available for FREE admittance:
Wed 9/28 – Senior & Special Needs (62 and older) Doors opened at 2pm
Fri 9/30 – Active military and their dependents, as well as veterans.
A family of four expects to spend between $60 to $90 entering the fair, plus the cost of food, games, and rides. Credits exchanged at a one to one rate disappear after a handful of rides and carnival booths resulting in the sentiment of pay for play. Wristbands for entertainment are limited to select attractions, furthering the sentiment of disillusionment.
Local schools used to take field trips to the fair to see the animals and blue ribbon collections from their fellow community members but those days are long gone. Concert tickets are not included in fair admission and online sales of some concerts had no grandstand available, luring shoppers to choose between expensive floor or less pleasurable general admission options.
Since local charities, clubs, and associations benefit from the once a year exposure, the fair continues to be a source of community involvement. However, many are now overwhelmed by larger enterprises that seemingly only want the community’s money rather than to create a wholesome atmosphere for different families to come together and enjoy wholesome fun.
