SACRAMENTO, Calif — Some people make an annual visit to the California State Fair and Food Festival for the rides or the animals. Still, there's no denying the scent of fried funnel cakes and fresh popcorn is enough to draw in even the hesitant fair-goer.
If eating your way through the fair is your plan, Hot Doggin' is a good place to start. Eddie Barrera owns the hot dog place that’s been at Cal Expo for years.
"Our #1 is our bacon-wrapped hot dogs. A lot of people know them as street dogs — bacon wrapped with sautéed onions, bell peppers, grilled jalapeno and whatever sauces you'd like to put on top of it. We have our western bacon which is probably our second. We have a Chicago style…” Barrera said.
It's not just the hot dogs sizzling on the grill, the temperatures are hot, too. But don't let that keep you at home, there's plenty of options to quench your thirst.
"All types of different flavored lemonades ... It is hot but the fair is usually really good about putting a ton of misters everywhere. There's a lot of places you can sit with fans and misters and inside the building they have great AC," Barrera said.
If sweets are your thing, you can get a slice of heaven from the Sugar Showdown Champ himself. Turns out Chef Jeff's flavors are so good they're getting nationally recognized.
"I competed on Sugar Showdown on the Food Network and we won $10,000," said Jeff Taylor, owner of Cakes by Jeff the Chef.
Cakes by Jeff the Chef is located inside DOCO in downtown Sacramento. Visitors are sure to find a sweet treat by stopping by his booth at the fair.
"This year at the state fair we're going to have cheesecakes. The best cheesecakes! Some of the flavors we're bringing back are the banana pudding, the Oreo, lemon drop," said Taylor.
And ABC10 got a peek at this year's new flavors — raspberry chocolate kiss and peach cobbler.
Food festival passes are $34. It'll give you four vouchers that are good to redeem at participating vendors.
You also have a chance to try items for just $4. They're on the Taste of the Fair menu, which will give you a chance to sink your teeth into about anything. Find more information on how to purchase a food festival pass HERE.
Daily admission to the fair is $16. Other prices for kids and seniors are available as well as different packages. Find more information HERE.
The California State Fair runs through July 30.
Watch more on ABC10: Here are ways to make sure your AC is ready to take on the heat
