By Charly SHELTON

Some of our readers may remember two years ago when our paper had just started, reporter Charly Shelton went to the L.A. County Fair for the first time. Several deep fried things later, you, our readers, got a funny video that has been talked about more than any other single video we have done to date. And now, Charly returns to the Fair for more fried fun and innovative inventions.

The best part of the fair is by far the food. Deep fried everything. Name something and it’s deep fried and rolled in powdered sugar or barbecue sauce. On a media preview night, I ate my fill and the bill rang up to approximately $108. Luckily, the Fair picked up the tab and we thank them for that.

This food is not cheap, but it is definitely worth it. Fried Twinkies, fried Klondike bars, fried Snickers, fried frogs’ legs, fried Kool Aid and even fried ribs. That is just to start. Add to that hamburgers by the pound, chocolate dipped cheesecake, funnel cakes, Thai milk tea, roast pig, giant turkey legs, a mountain of curly fries with chili and nacho cheese, chocolate bacon, chocolate dipped pickles, chocolate Cheetos and the ever popular Krispy Kreme chicken sandwich featuring a Krispy Kreme jelly donut that is cut in half and used as a bun on a chicken sandwich.     Somehow when you prepare it at home, it’s just not the same. So get the ridiculous food at the fair while you can.

For the best food at the fair, head to Chicken Charlie’s. They have the deep fried ribs, Twinkies and Klondike bars, all of which are great. But the Krispy Kreme sandwich and the fried Kool Aid are a must. Can’t tell you what the fried Kool Aid is; you just have to experience it for yourself.

Even though it is hard to tear yourself away from the fried heaven outside, be sure to save some time to check out the Shopping Place. This is what this reporter lovingly refers to as Stark Expo because it is very much like the fictional expo from “Iron Man” where inventors come and set up to show off their inventions.

Shopping Place is a show floor where inventors and salesmen bring their new wares to sell to the public on a smaller scale. Many of them are late night informercial products that you can buy in person, and others are completely new products that are just now hitting the market. Among the highlights are the Amazing Grater, which I bought myself and can attest to its amazing ability to grate anything from boiled eggs to nuts and cookies. Also the XDREAM vibration speaker. It turns anything into a speaker using vibrations instead of housing a vibrating speaker cone inside. And the infomercial sensation Slushy Magic. It turns any liquid into a slushy. I have yet to try those. But there are so many awesome inventions at the fair that I could go on and on.

Just head over there to check it out for yourself. Now through Oct. 2. L.A. County Fair at the fairgrounds in Pomona, 1101 W. McKinley Ave. in Pomona. www.lacountyfair.com

Admission Prices:
Weekends
Adults, 13+: $17
Child, 6-12: $12
Seniors, 60+: $14
Child 5 & under: Free
Weekdays
Adults, 13+: $12
Child, 6-12: $7
Seniors, 60+: $9
Child 5 & under: Free
Our Body
All ages, $8 (ages 12 and younger must be accompanied by an adult)

Parking
General: $10
Preferred: $15
VIP: $20
Valet: $25 (Gate 3 only)

Carnival
Carnival rides may be purchased at the following prices:
$20-40 tickets
$50-100 tickets
$100-200 tickets
$50 carnival ride wristband – available at Carnival ticket booths Wednesday-Friday or online, redeem by 9 p.m., valid until 11 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, purchase by 4 p.m., valid (online purchase must be redeemed by 7 p.m.) until 7 p.m., the offer includes two games.

  Charly Shelton