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The San Diego County Fair will give a big ol’ “Howdy, Pardner!” Friday as it opens a 26-day run at the Del Mar Fairgrounds.

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The fair’s “Where the West is Fun” theme exhibit will feature a collection of Native American advertising that’s headed for the Smithsonian Institution, according to organizers. Opening day guests will be greeted by a trick roper.

Saturday, a herd of 200 cattle will be driven through the Gaslamp Quarter in downtown San Diego by 40 cowboys and their cattle dogs.

The drive will begin about 7:30 a.m., from the staging area at North Harbor Drive and Pacific Highway. The herd will move past the San Diego Convention Center and 5th Avenue. Then, the 200 cattle and nearly 50 cowboys will loop around and head back to 5th Avenue and turn right, into the Gaslamp District sign. They will continue to Market street and head back to Harbor Drive and back into their staging area.

There will be places for public viewing along the way, including the grass area of Ruocco Park, the grass area in front of Kansas City Barbeque for the beginning and end of the drive, as it will pass by it twice, all along Harbor Drive, and the pedestrian bridge that crosses over Harbor at Market Street.

Public viewing on 5th Avenue is only encouraged from inside open restaurants/establishments, not from the sidewalks. Some Gaslamp businesses will allow patrons to sit on their patios and inside as the drive moves through. The cattle move through any given area very quickly, only tying up the roadway for a few minutes at a time.

The fair will open at 4 p.m. First night entertainment will feature Lauren Alaina and Sundance Head on the Grandstand stage.

Other notable musical acts scheduled this year include:

— Patti LaBelle, Wednesday;

— Toby Keith, June 10;

— Darius Rucker, June 16;

— Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, June 22; and

— Leann Rimes, June 29.

The fair will also include its usual assortment of rides, animals, contests and high-calorie food.

Admission is $18 for those 13 through 61, $11 for seniors 62 and older, and $11 for children up to age 12. Season passes, good for any day of the fair, are $26 apiece. Opening day is free for members of the military who pick up their tickets at their bases.

Other deals and fair information are available online at sdfair.com.

–City News Service

200 Cows in Gaslamp Quarter? Yep, San Diego County Fair Hoopla Begins was last modified: by

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