Marin Voice: ‘Out at the Fair’ brings Pride celebration to county fair
I would like everyone to join us as we celebrate Marin County Fair Pride at the Fifth Annual LGBTQ+ community celebration of “Out at the Fair,” taking pace Friday on the fairgrounds in San Rafael.
Out at the Fair Pride is a day filled with family-friendly activities with all the great attractions that bring fairgoers back every year. Out at the Fair’s partnership with the Marin County Fair began in 2018, when management wanted to make sure everyone in the community felt welcome and had a place at the fair and that the fair prioritized diversity, equity and inclusion.
The Out at the Fair organization was started by me, Caleb Wilkins, Daniel Castaneda and a group of friends at the San Diego County Fair in 2011 as unofficial “gay days.” It started with simple check-ins on social media. Not thinking much about it the following year, we received a message from a lady asking if it would return in 2012.
The San Diego Fair created a Facebook event for its 2012 fair. We were welcomed at the gate with special pins and we took our first group photo. In 2013, Out at the Fair was born by becoming an official fair event in San Diego and we started to attend fair planning meetings.
Soon after the success of Out at the Fair in San Diego, the festival grew to the California State Fair and the New Mexico State Fair. By Summer 2018, Out at the Fair was in two states and seven locations, including the Marin County Fair. Since then, we have grown into 10 locations and three states. Our goal is to host Out at the Fair at every state and county fair because every community deserves to be celebrated, given a voice and opportunities within their communities where sometimes Pride celebrations still aren’t found.
The Marin County Fair has become a huge staple in the Out at the Fair summer tour. Not only by being the most eco-friendly stop along the way, but by truly welcoming and celebrating the full community of Marin County. Our unicorn mascot Dabby’s motto for 2024 is “Stronger Together,” so dress in your best Pride attire and join us at the fair for a full day of family-friendly fun.
Stop by the Out at the Fair booth for a free rainbow flag and Dabby pin. Enter to win a prize pack from the San Francisco 49ers. The team supplied a 49ers flag, two food-saver containers, a cooler tote bag, a 49ers pitcher, a bobblehead of Head Coach Kyle Shanahan and four pride towels for this year’s epic prize.
That’s just the start of the day because Out at the Fair is taking over the Community Stage with an entertainment-filled agenda. You can find local favorite Erica Ambrin and The Eclectic Soul Project bringing their jazz, rock and soulful music sounds; Bay Area native Derek Jameson will be performing his upbeat pop music about love and positivity; and DJ Cisco of San Francisco, another local favorite, will have you on your feet dancing all evening long.
And it wouldn’t be Out at the Fair without some fun, classy and family-friendly drag. A Marin County Fair favorite Polly Amber Ross and Friends will be returning with “drag storytime” and the “glam show” on the Community Stage. These two OATF activities are always a huge hit so grab a seat early,
This year’s Island Stage headliner is the Grammy Award-winning artist Daya at 7:30 p.m. Daya’s unique pop music, dreamily ethereal one minute, rhythmically kinetic the next, has never sounded brighter or bolder. The dance vibe continues with DJ Cisco on deck spinning family-friendly hits until the nightly fireworks show at 9:30 p.m.
Thank you to the Marin County Fair for a dedication to inclusiveness and thank you to the entire Marin County community for supporting Pride at the fair; for celebrating the rich and colorful diversity in the Bay Area; and for welcoming us at the fair each summer. Wear your rainbow colors and join us for a fun, festive, family-friendly, and of course fabulous day Out at the Fair.
William Zakrajshek is co-founder of “Out at the Fair,” a festival organization that visits state and county fairs each year.