Buy early and save!

Tickets for the Contra Costa County Fair are on sale now. Take advantage of discounts and pre-sales and purchase your admission tickets, carnival ride wristbands, and family fun passes before the Fair begins and save money! You can also save time and money by purchasing your Fair tickets online.

Advanced ticket sales take place now through May 29. Visit www.ContraCostaFair.com to purchase daily admission tickets and carnival wrist bands, and receive $1 off regular admission prices and ride wristbands for only $18 (a $7 savings!).

For even bigger savings, we’re offering a Family Fun Pass, which is four 1-day admission tickets for only $20. The Family Fun Pass MUST be purchased at the Fair Office in Antioch before May 29.

New this year, we have two special promotions – which equal big savings for Fair-goers! At the Fair on Thursday, the Fair will team up with the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano and offer Three for Free Thursday! Bring three cans of food to the Fair on Thursday and receive one free admission to the Fair. All food will be donated to the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano. Also on Thursday, Fair-goers can buy one carnival wristband and get one free. These promotions take place all day!

On Friday this year, it’s Fun Family Friday, which is the best entertainment deal in town. On Friday of the Fair, purchase one adult Fair admission and one unlimited ride wristband for only $20 – that’s a $13 savings. To make it even better, kids 12 and under receive free admission all day on Friday.

For additional savings during the Fair, save $3 on admission by taking the bus to the Fair.

Advanced sale tickets can be purchased at the Contra Costa County Fairgrounds in Antioch or on-line at www.ContraCostaFair.com.

After May 29, admission for the Fair is $8 for adults, $5 for seniors, and $5 for children, and free to children under the age of five.

This year’s Contra Costa County Fair is May 30 – June 2. Gates open at noon on Thursday and Friday, and at 11 am on Saturday and Sunday.

The Contra Costa County Fairgrounds is located at 1201 West 10^th Street, Antioch, CA 94509. For directions, event details or general information, visit www.ContraCostaFair.com or call the Fair Office at (925) 757-4400.

The Contra Costa County Fair is currently looking for individuals interested in volunteering at the 2013 Contra Costa County Fair, May 30 – June 2. Here’s your chance to attend the Fair, while also being part of the Fair! Contra Costa County Fair volunteers play an important role in helping to make the annual Fair a success. Plus, the Fair is a great place to give your time, learn something new, and have some fun!

The Fair is looking for volunteers to help in the exhibit department, livestock area, agricultural education, Fairgrounds classroom and museum, gardens, and office.

Teen and adult volunteers are encouraged to participate. Volunteer applications are now available at www.ContraCostaFair.com. Simply fill out the form and return it to the Fair office by Tuesday, May 14, 2013.

This year’s Contra Costa County Fair is May 30 – June 2. For information, visit www.ContraCostaFair.com or call the Fair Office at (925) 757-4400.

The Contra Costa County Fairgrounds would like to invite all non-profit groups in Contra Costa County to participate in a fundraising opportunity that raises funds for non-profit organizations, while also sharing the enthusiasm for the Contra Costa County Fair!

Non-profit organizations that choose to participate are invited to sell tickets for the Unlimited Ride Wristbands valid at the Contra Costa County Fair carnival. Unlimited Carnival Ride Wristband tickets will be sold by the non-profit organization for $18 each (this is $7 off the regular price)and $4 of each ticket sold goes back to the non-profit organization. That’s right – your organization will receive $4 for every ticket sold!

If your organization is interested – it’s an easy process. From April 15 until May 17, your non–profit organization will pre–sell tickets for the Unlimited Ride Wristbands.The purchaser can redeem their ticket at any of the Midway of Fun Main Carnival Ticket Booths during the Fair, May 30-June 2, 2013, and receive their Unlimited Ride Wristband at that time. The carnival ride wristband is valid for one whole dayof unlimited carnival rides at the Contra Costa County Fair!

If interested, please call the Fair Office at (925) 757-4400 for an application and additional details. This year’s Contra Costa County Fair is May 30 – June 2. For Fair information, visit www.ContraCostaFair.com.

Cherry Orchard by Nancy Roberts

“Reality is great,” she says, “But I like giving it a little tweak. I love improvising with color, streamlining shapes and weaving playful patterns.”

Her eclectic subjects range from landscapes and streetscapes to tools, trucks and toys.

The gallery is located at 700 Harvest Park Drive and is open Monday through Friday 10 am to 6 pm, Saturday 10 am to 3 pm. For more information and an exhibit preview visit www.nancyrobertsstudio.com.

The Arts & Cultural Foundation of Antioch is proud to present the 9th Annual Art4Schools Exhibits. The Arts4Schools Program is sponsored by the Arts & Cultural Foundation of Antioch, Union Pacific Foundation, the City of Antioch and Calpine / Contra Costa County Supervisor Federal Glover. The program began February 20^th and runs through May 25^th.

The Lynn House Gallery is located in the Rivertown District at 809 W. 1st Street, Antioch (across from the AMTRAK Train Station) and is open from 1 – 4 PM on Wednesdays and Saturdays during exhibits and admission is free.

For more information about each exhibit call Diane Gibson-Gray at (925) 325-9897 or email Diane@Art4Antioch.org.

Dinner and Barn Dance Benefit at County Fairgrounds Saturday

* Tri-Tip Dinner * Music by Southbound * Raffles * No Host Bar
Proceeds to benefit the Livestock and Exhibit Program at the Fairgrounds

OK. Readers. Whoever emails me at info@antiochherald.com or calls me at (925) 457-5324, first wins two free tickets to see the U.S. Air Force Band perform at the El Campanil Theatre, tomorrow, Saturday, February 16 at 3:00 p.m.

This is our way of showing our readers some love during this Valentine’s week.

Thanks for reading, and good luck!

Allen Payton, Publisher

On Wednesday, March 13th at 7 p.m. at the Antioch Church Family at 55 East 18th Street the African Children’s Choir will be performing

It is amazing that this group will be playing here. They are on their way to Chico from Southern California before heading on to Utah as part of their world tour. Sister Howell, the wife of Senior Pastor Dr. Mario Powell, heard about their trip and convinced them to stop here in Antioch. It is their ONLY Bay Area stop.

The group is comprised of twenty orphans, of which there are some twelve million in the African Sub-Sahara region, ravished by wars, droughts and AIDS. The children are aged seven to eleven and they, by all accounts, simply melt your heart with their precious smiles, beautiful voices and joyous song and dance. Their program features well-loved children’s songs, traditional Spirituals and lively African songs and dances.

They have performed alongside Sir Paul McCartney, Mariah Carey, Alicia Keys, Josh Groban, Faith Hill, Annie Lenox, Queen, Michael Smith, Keith Urban and other renowned artists. They have entertained at Carnegie Hall, the White House, before Nelson Mandela and, most recently, for the Queen of England for her Jubilee.

The African Children’s Choir is a non-profit humanitarian and relief organization dedicated to helping Africa’s most vulnerable children. Any free will offerings go towards the Music for Life Institute which has educated over 52,000 children and impacted the lives of hundreds of other thousands thru their relief efforts.

You can learn more about them at: www.africanchildrenschoir.com.

The tickets are free but because of the church’s 300 seat limit reservations must be made at http://antiochhchurchfamily_acc.eventbrite.com

You can call the church at (925) 778-7454 for more information.