The California State Fair at Cal Expo is here!  Kids Day is every Tuesday; all kids 12 and under receive FREE admission all day. Butler Amusements is offering $1 carnival rides for everyone until 11 PM.

Besides the cotton candy and rides, here are two new exhibits that I am excited about:

“Days of the Dinosaur” Adventure
Families are invited to embark on a prehistoric adventure at the world-renowned “Days of the Dinosaur” Exhibit, in its first US appearance. The all-ages indoor attraction will feature more than a dozen life-sized dinosaur robots, skeleton replicas, interactive areas and photo opportunities. The exhibit is FREE with Fair admission and includes hands-on activities like an paleontological dig site where children will have the opportunity to find their own fossils using authentic paleontology tools!

Jungle & Reptile Experience
This new interactive animal exhibit will be housed in a whimsical garden environment full of lush tropical plants. The jungle adventure will feature a variety of birds, amphibians and reptiles, including colonies of alligators and large tortoises. Fairgoers will be able to see and touch these wonderous creatures up close and personal in a family-friendly and educational environment. Located in the Floriculture tent.

Click here to see all the details and plan your day at the Fair!

[Thanks to everyone who entered this giveaway by "Like"ing Sacramento Sidetracks and Raging Waters on Facebook!  We appreciate all the new friends!  THE LUCKY WINNER OF THE GIVEAWAY IS SHANNON H.!  Congratulations!  Please contact me with your email address.]

Enter to Win 4 Free Tickets!

If you are looking for an extra special way to cool off this summer,  Raging Waters at Cal Expo is the way to go!  The water park features more than 25 exhilarating water attractions, breath-taking slides, crystal clear pools and fun-filled activities for children and adults of all ages.  Their thrill slides include favorites such as, Cannonball Falls, Hurricane, Cliffhanger Speed Slides, Breaker Beach Wave Pool and the Shark Attack Waterslide complex.  When you are in the mood to chill out you can float out in the tranquil waters of the Calypso Cooler Lazy River or play in Hooks Lagoon (our favorite spot - pictured here), a 5-story water kingdom with water slides, secret tubes and hundreds of water activities.

Our family loves that going to Raging Waters feels like we are on vacation!  We can spend the entire day there because there is so much to do.  The little ones stick to the Lazy River, the Wave Pool, and Hooks Lagoon for the most part.  Then my husband and I get to have our thrills with our oldest by taking turns going on the crazy slides with her.  It is so much fun!

You might be surprised at what a good deal it is to get your family in because of the fact that they have a BUY A DAY AND GET THE SUMMER FREE promotion!  When you buy a single day ticket, you automatically receive a summer Splash Pass.  General admission is $29.99 and Kids are $20.99.  Remember that parking at Cal Expo is $10.00 but once you have your season pass then that is the only fee you have each time you go back.

Raging Waters has generously offered to give one lucky Sacramento Sidetracks reader a FREE 4-pack of Tickets!

To enter, all you need to is the following 3 things that will take you less than 5 minutes!:

• Click here and “Like” Raging Waters Sacramento on Facebook
• Click here and “Like” Sacramento Sidetracks on Facebook
• Leave a comment on this post letting me know that you did the first two things.  (If you have already “Liked” Sacramento Sidetracks on Facebook in the past just “Like” Raging Waters and let me know.)

The Giveaway will close Sunday, July 18th at midnight and the winner will be announced next Monday, July 19th.  The winner will be selected at random using Random.org.  Good luck!

“Take a Walk on the Wild Side” at the Sacramento County Fair!  Kids are FREE every day and general admission is only $3.00.  With two stages lined up with spectacular entertainment and exhibits throughout the fairgrounds, this means hours of entertainment for a very low price!  May 28th is Mommy & Me Day, and you can get in FREE before 3 pm with a coupon from MomsLikeMe.com.

The fair will display hundreds of 4-H and FFA livestock exhibits, host a fair-time agricultural scavenger hunt, and they’ve created a 14,000 square foot hands-on ranch-life exhibit “Sunflower Saddle Ranch”.  Each year the Sacramento County Fair features competitions showcasing talent from our region, arts and crafts displays, agricultural exhibits, a carnival with 30 thrilling rides, and of course, an assortment of yummy food!

Some of the acts and entertainment this year will be:
• Wild About Monkeys, featuring animals from “Evan Almighty”
• Hypnotic Comedy by Tyzen and Spike’s Extreme Juggling
• County Fair Demolition Derby, Saturday, May 29, 6 PM
• Youth dance groups, local vocalists, choirs and athletes

When: Thursday, May 27th - Monday, May 31st
Where: Cal Expo, 1600 Exposition Blvd., Sacramento
Cost: General admission $3.00, Kids 12 and under FREE; Parking $10.00; Discount carnival tickets and demolition derby tickets are available if purchased before May 27.
More info: Click here for the Sacramento County Fair website or call 916-263-2975.  Be sure to check out the entertainment schedule!