Summertime is Fair time, and the first fair of the season in the North Bay is always Petaluma's Sonoma-Marin Fair, which takes place at the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds from Wednesday, June 20 through Sunday, June 24. The Sonoma-Marin Fair is not quite but almost a county fair, and offers a wide range of fun and exciting attractions, competitions, events, and activities for the entire family.

2018's theme is "Beyond the Milky Way", which pays tribute to local dairy farmers and producers. You'll find plenty of family fun including carnival rides with a kiddie carnival for younger children, pig races, a safari adventure, "Agventure Land" for agricultural fun, strolling clowns, jugglers, and silly characters, and artst and crafts and a petting zoo at Clo's Kids Corner. You'll also find livestock shows, agricultural exhibits, chef demonstrations, a destruction derby, and more. Of course the fair's renowned World's Ugliest Dog Contest will take place, too!

And what would a fair be without great live music? The Sonoma-Marin Fair has numerous musical acts on its schedule, including En Vogue, Smash Mouth, Clay Walker, and 38 Special. All concerts are free with fair admission and begin at 8 pm.

As with most fairs, there's a ton of stuff to do and see, so check their website for a complete schedule of activities, concerts, events, and entertainment. Special days this season include:

• Wednesday, June 20: Kid's Day—enjoy admission at the $12 kids' price for everyone before 5 pm.
• Thursday, June 23: Seniors' Day—$6 admission for seniors 65+ all day.
• Friday, June 24: Heroes' Day—Law enforcement, fire department personnel, and active or reserve military with ID $15.
• Saturday, June 25: Farmers' Day—Special Farmers' Day events include a pig scramble, Marin vs. Sonoma tug-of-war, a wild cow milking contest, and more.
• Sunday, June 26: Family Day—Latin music on the main stage, activities, and the destruction derby for the last day of the fair.

Admission prices include all entertainment, concerts, and carnival rides (destruction derby admission extra). Admission at the gate is $18 for adults and $12 for children ages 4–12 and seniors 65+. If you order online in advance, you can get tickets at the discounted rate of $15 for adults, and $10 for children and seniors (processing fees apply to online ticket purchases).

Fair hours are Wednesday and Thursday noon to 11 pm, Friday and Saturday noon to midnight, and Sunday noon to 11 am. Gates close at 10 pm each evening. The Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds are located at 175 Fairgrounds Drive in Petaluma, off East Washington Street on the west side of Highway 101.

For more information on the Sonoma-Marin Fair, visit www.sonoma-marinfair.org or call (707) 283-FAIR.

Photos: Sonoma-Marin Fair