Food watch at the Sonoma County Fair

Some people go to the Sonoma County Fair for the food favorites they can’t get anywhere else.|

While we have nearly gourmet selections of picnic foods coming up for the Sonoma City Party, the Sonoma County Fair food line-up is quite different, but seems to improve every year. In fact, some people go to the fair for the food and rush for their favorites that they can’t get anywhere else.

The Sonoma County Fair runs from today, July 22 through Sunday, Aug. 7 at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa (closed Mondays).

Fairgoers will find about 60 food vendors, some new and some familiar. Many food booth people travel from one fair or carnival to another, set up their booths, take their cash and move on.

Some of the familiar regulars include Willie Bird’s BBQ, the Pasta King (Ibleto) Spaghetti Palace in the Shade Park, Pepe’s Mexican food in the Mexican Village, Angel’s candy, and Clover Stornetta’s free ice cream cones given out daily from 1 to 4 p.m. in the Livestock Area. Three Twins Ice Cream will be selling their scoops at the Shade Park and at Chris Beck Arena, as well as at the upper Racing Grandstands.

Besides these you might be able to find your favorite cotton candy, garlic corn dogs, big sandwiches, grilled corn with pork chops, Ricardo’s Hawaiian food, lobster corn dogs, popcorn shrimp, fish and calamari and chips, Angus beef burgers, sliders, jerky, lots of Greek and Italian food, Chinese and Thai and Indian food, soft or crispy tacos, mini donuts, cinnamon rolls, churros, kettle corn, funnel cakes, Big Boys Bar-B-Que and pizza which are scattered everywhere.

Some more: “Monster Corn Dogs” and fried cheese on a stick at Big Jim’s Dawg House, garlic and cheese fries, giant dill pickles, mac ‘n’cheese stuffed burgers at Stuffies Char-Broiler, cotton candy and candied apples, soft pretzels, chicken tikka masala, Thai and Chinese food, and loads of Mexican food complete the wonderfully unhealthy menu some of us look forward to.

But there are loads of healthy foods around too. You just have to look.

Finish all that off with an ice cold lemonade or beer.

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