I resist rolling my eyes too much when people tell me the Santa Clara County Fair ain’t what it used to be. Guess what? Most of us aren’t what we used to be, either.

The Santa Clara County Fair — which opens a five-day run on Wednesday — is in its 82nd year. The days of demolition derbies and grandstand-filling concerts are gone — and have been since the grandstand was torn down back in 2001. The heyday of 10- or 12-day fairs was 30-40 years ago when a family’s summer entertainment options were a lot more limited then they are now. It’s time to let that go and enjoy the fair for what it is today.

Salene Duarte, executive director of the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds Management Corporation, speaks during the opening ceremony for the Santa Clara County Fair at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds in San Jose, Calif., on Wednesday, July 30, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) 

The Fairgrounds on Tully Road will still have Alaskan pigs racing, kids screaming on carnival rides and the usual assortment of huge corndogs, strawberry shortcakes and a variety of treats like tamales, bao buns and kabobs that just weren’t considered fair food in the ’80s. There’ll still be animal exhibitions and a junior livestock auction, too, along with pony and camel rides and a petting zoo.

There’s some other new features this year, too, including the Pitmasters BBQ showdown, hosted by Lord of the Ribs owner Ralph Rayes and Pops BBQ pitmaster Tomeako Honesto, featuring 16 teams competing tournament style over the weekend. A panel of judges will crown a grand prize winner on Sunday, but there will be tasting tickets available throughout the weekend and the public can vote on a People’s Choice winner.

And the Bernal Scream haunted house will have a special “Halloween in August” event at Gateway Hall, with a “no scare” museum set up during the day and a scary attraction starting at 7:30 p.m. each night. Tickets are sold separately at www.thebernalscream.com, but you still need fair admission as well. And if you’re not ready to start spooky season yet, you can come back when the Bernal Scream opens its full haunted house starting Sept. 18.

Salene Duarte, executive director of the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds Management Corporation, said her team has poured their hearts into revitalizing the fairgrounds over the past year and are happy to see these new events and activities take shape.

“The Fair isn’t just about honoring our beloved traditions; it’s also about bringing our dream to life by making the Fairgrounds a lively, inclusive place for everyone,” she said.

Now, if you do want to relive some of those memory-making moments of county fairs past, the Heritage Hall is the place to go. In addition to displays of memorabilia going back to the 1940s, there will be a trio of programs that explore decades of fairgrounds history.

On Thursday at 4 p.m., Kathy Esteves Bates will host a reunion for Miss Santa Clara County with former queens, court members and Youth Focus participants. On Saturday at 2 p.m., historian Dennis Mattish will talk about the fairgrounds’ motor sports glory days and sign copies of his book, “History of San Jose Auto Racing.” And on Sunday, San Jose Rocks founder Dan Orloff will give a 2 p.m. talk on the fairgrounds’ role in shaping the region’s music scene.

You can get a lot more information and tickets at www.thefair.org.

TWO COASTS IN 1776: We know that 250 years ago, U.S. colonists were declaring independence and waging war on the British on the east coast of North America. But significant events were happening on the west coast of the continent that would shape the future of our nation, too.

On Wednesday, Santa Clara University professors Robert Senkewicz and Rose Marie Beebe will explore how these parallel histories had a lasting impact on Native Peoples at the Los Altos History Museum. “Junipero Serra and 1776: The West and East Coasts,” which begins at 5:30 p.m., will compare the British and Spanish colonial systems that emerged on opposite coasts and how they influenced the development of the United States.

And while you’re there, be sure to check out the museum’s current exhibition, “The Spirit of ’76: Reflecting on America’s Bicentennial,” which is on display through Nov. 8. Get more information at www.losaltoshistory.org.

VETERANS SALUTE: Retired Maj. Gen. Mark Hamilton, former president of the University of Alaska, will be the keynote speaker Aug. 27 at Northern California Frontline Heroes, a fundraising dinner at Palermo’s Restaurant in San Jose.

The 5:30 p.m. dinner, sponsored by the local chapter of the Military Officers Association of America, will support Veterans Stand Downs — community based events where vets receive free food, clothing, health screenings and other resources — as well as the San Jose Veterans Day parade and other Santa Clara County veterans programs. KTVU South Bay reporter Jesse Gary will serve as emcee.

John Swensson — a De Anza College professor emeritus and retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army who served in Vietnam — noted that in addition to being a distinguished veteran, Gen. Hamilton is a poet and English teacher. “I’ll claim I carried him through West Point and then teaching Plebe English, but that is an exaggeration,” Swensson joked.

Tickets are available at vet-fundraiser.vercel.app.

POETIC JUSTICE: The San Jose Poetry Festival opens Sunday night with a poetry slam event featuring Richmond poet Reggie Edmonds-Vásquez at Wheelhouse of Willow Glen, 1173 Lincoln Ave. Tickets to the 6:30 p.m. event are $5-$10 on a sliding scale, but no one will be turned away because of lack of funds.

The festival continues next weekend, Aug. 21-23, with a series of in-person and Zoom events.

Former Santa Clara County Poet Laureate Mighty Mike McGee will host a free youth workshop at 4 p.m. Friday at the Willow Glen Branch of the San Jose Public Library.  Several events will take place Saturday at History Park in San Jose, including a workshop with California Poet Laureate Lee Herrick, a presentation on “Black Beautiful Books” by Santa Clara County Poet Laureate Tshaka Campbell, a reading featuring Santa Clara County Youth Poet Laureate Kurn Sundaram and a reading featuring “Poets of Resistance.”

Get the full schedule at register for readings and workshops hosted on Zoom at www.pcsj.org/events