PHOTO: Riverside County Fair

The warm, sunny climate in Southern California’s desert region has long made it a popular winter destination for Canadian snowbirds. Travellers from the north visit the greater Palm Springs area so frequently that the region’s signature Riverside County Fair & National Date Festival launched Canada Day in 2012. .

Canada Day returns in 2016 and Canadians may visit free of charge on Feb. 16, 2016. To qualify for free admission, visitors must carry proof of Canadian residency, such as a license, passport or government ID card.

Marking its 70th anniversary in 2016, this signature Coachella Valley event celebrates the region’s top agricultural crop, the Medjool date.

Although dates were relatively unknown in the Coachella Valley during the early part of the 20th century, the first date palm trees arrived from Algeria in 1903. By the 1920s, the date had become a major crop for the region. Today, the Coachella Valley is the major commercial date-producing area in the western hemisphere. 

By the 1930s, the idea of staging a festival celebrating the date had taken root. After a few unsuccessful early attempts, a Western-themed date fair launched in 1936 and continued until World War II. The festival was re-established after the war, now sporting an Arabian Nights theme that connected the desert heritage and the date industry.

Today, the festival is known for its spectacular Arabian Nights Pageant, its Queen Scheherazade contest and its famed camel and ostrich racing events.

Presented by Fantasy Springs Casino, the fair also includes a lineup of live performances at the Fantasy Springs Concert Pavilion; last year’s headliners included Andy Grammer, Brett Eldredge, Ramon Ayala and the Commodores.

Beyond the pageantry, at its heart, the event is a true county fair, with llamas, dairy goats and poultry on display. Other events include a blessing of the dates, a National Horse Show, a carnival, a monster truck show, a demolition derby, bull riding contests, a gem and mineral show, contests, games and food vendors.

The Riverside County Fair & National Date Festival takes place in Indio, California, located approximately 200 km (130 miles) east from Los Angeles. 

The Riverside County Fair & National Date Festival runs from Feb. 12-21, 2016 and is open every day from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Bus tour packages and parking are available for group organizers.

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