Gates opened up Wednesday at 11 a.m. and right off the bat there was a show -- freestyle motocross riders doing extreme tricks. They'll be performing three times a day. Fair officials are hoping attractions like this will bring in a record crowd of more than half a million people.
The Alameda County Fair is trying to reach new heights this year. And it starts with the newest carnival ride -- The Vertigo.
"For the more thrill-seeking type crowd, you know," said Lance Moyer with Butler Amusements. "The flume ride you take grandma, grandpa on it. You got to be a kid to ride this thing."
The horses are back on track this year. They practiced Wednesday morning, gearing up for race days Thursday through Sunday.
But if you're willing to bet your life, you could head to Stuffies Food and the heart attack specials.
The donut burger sounds tame compared to the hot dog sundae. Don Delahoyde with Stuffie's Charbroiler describes it as an all-beef hot dog on a sweet donut roll with hot fudge, whipped cream, and a cherry on top.
Matt: "What does it taste like? A heart attack coming soon?"
Don: "A heart attack coming soon, yeah, there you go. But we guarantee at least not in front of the stand."
County fairs are famous for their daring experiments with a deep fryer.
"Sweet Cheeks" offers some of the classics -- deep fried Oreos, Snickers, and Pop Tarts. And check this out, production of Twinkies stopped, but the dream lives on. Or, at least, Tasty Kake's Dreamies. Only a true connoisseur will notice the difference.
And this year's newest item is deep fried Nutella.
"My kids really like it," said Jacqueline Bradbury with Sweet Cheeks. "That's our taste testers, our children, and they're really keen on it."
Wednesday is expected to be really busy. All day it's dollar admission and dollar carnival rides.
The fair runs through July 7.
