Alyssa Navarro
Staff Writer
Crowds of people entered the gates of the Pomona Fairplex on Friday to take part in opening day at the Los Angeles County Fair.
This year the LACF offered more than just deep-fried delicacies and crazy carnival rides. New attractions include “Luminasia,” “Hall of Heroes” and Grinding Gears.
Luminasia brings a piece of Chinese tradition to the Los Angeles County. It is a display of giant lanterns modeled after the annual lantern festival in Zigong, China. The exhibit consists of about 300 lantern-like structures that resemble flowers, animals and famous landmarks.
“I have heard stories of the legends of Luminasia in China, but I have never gotten the chance to see it,” Jan Hong, Santa Ana resident and LACF attendee, said.
The Hall of Heroes exhibit combines comic book crime fighters with real-life civil service heroes. Famous characters such as Spider-Man and Superman stood alongside the galleries devoted to our soldiers, police officers and firefighters. The superhero gallery featured interactive devices to test your strength, balance, senses and reflexes. The dramatic artwork and superhero statues had everyone reaching for their cameras taking snapshots.
The other section of the gallery is dedicated to the history of every day heroes. The exhibit featured the Los Angeles Police Department’s “End of Watch Memorial Wall,” a 60-foot sculpture listing the name of every LAPD officer killed in the line of duty.
“I liked how the exhibit mixed fictional and real-life heroes,” Ryan Nam, a Los Angeles resident and LACF attendee, said.
“I enjoyed seeing the LAPD memorial wall the most because my dad is a police officer.”
The nightclub Grinding Gears grabbed everyone’s attention with its colorful pulsing lights and bumping music.
Grinding Gears is a nighttime dance party inspired by the nineteenth century Victorian industrial era also known as steampunk. The club combines live music, dancing, specialty cocktails, a DJ and aeriel acrobats to create an eccentric atmosphere.
The entrance of the club greets guests with steampunk decor. Once inside, guests discover a laser-lit dance floor surrounded by couches and tables. There are no bouncers, no extra admission and all ages are welcome.
“Having a nightclub at the fair is a great addition,” said Angelina Arreola, a La Verne resident and LACF attendee. “I will be back every year.”
The typical deep-fried, bacon- wrapped, and dipped-in-chocolate treats are sold at miscellaneous vendors. However, a couple of new food items debuted for the public.
The LACF introduced the Krispy Kreme triple-decker cheeseburger, deep-fried Doritos and deep-fried chicken skin.
The Krispy Kreme triple-decker cheeseburger, also known as “the most gluttonous burger in the world,” was one of the fair’s most highly anticipated meals. It consists of three cheeseburger patties sandwiched between two glazed donuts. The triple-decker is equivalent to a full day’s meal totaling 1,481 calories.
As if regular Doritos and fried chicken skin are not fried enough, the Chicken Charlie vendors decided to cover them in batter and throw them into the fryer a second time.
For the first time, the fair has come up with various gluten-free food options. Biggy’s Meat Market features gluten-free burgers. Other food included on the menu are the Big Rib, Biggy Sausage, Big Chick on a Stick and Big Turkey Leg, all of which are made specifically for those who have gluten dietary needs.
“The gluten free lifestyle is catching on. Being gluten-free, I’m very excited to try all the gluten-free food,” Wesly Tan, a junior business major, said.
The Los Angeles County Fair runs through Sept. 28.
Alyssa Navarro can be reached at alyssa.navarro@laverne.edu.
