Bay Area Pet Fair

     The Bay Area has a lot to offer pets and pet owners, from numerous beautiful dog parks to swimming beaches to outdoor dining at countless restaurants. And every year, there's even a fair for pet families...The Bay Area Pet Fair, California's largest adoption event. According to their website, the pet fair boasts over 70 visiting rescues and shelters, around 1,500 pet adoptions, and about 50,000 visitors.
     The pet fair takes place at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton, Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm, and admission and parking are free. Although temperatures in Pleasanton are usually pretty high during September, the fair had a few Big Fogg stations for cool-down, buckets of water literally everywhere, and most booths and adoption areas were indoors or under a large canopy. Driving is really the only practical way to visit, especially if you hope to go home with a new family member, and plenty of volunteers are on-hand to get the many visitors parked quickly and hassle-free.
     For visitors not looking to adopt, there are numerous pet food and pet product booths, almost all of which hand out free samples. You can get a tote almost right away to hold it all, but taking a bag is also a good idea. In between collecting samples and learning about different pet products, you can watch dogs going for distance at Splash Dogs, meet a variety of rescue pups and K-9 officers, get a snow cone or some other goody from the food vendors, and meet all the pet guests. Those looking to adopt can additionally get a Wag Bag upon adoption.
     My sister and I were interested in grain-free products, and we weren't disappointed. Most booths had a grain-free line. We also found hemp treats, dental chews, coupons for all kinds of pet products, and a variety of soft and hard foods. We were especially impressed by the Weruva brand. Although the samples were free, there were also booths where one could buy pet-themed floor mats, coffee cups, pillows, bags, and more. We even talked to an animal rescue group about adopting rescued chickens and other animals.
     If you or your pooch get easily overwhelmed by crowds, this pet fair can be a challenge. Each building we entered was deafening with pet chatter, but there was a quiet grassy area with plenty of benches to get away from the chaos for a while. And the Splash Dogs area and Big Fogg stations provided nice open areas to re-ground.
     Overall, the pet fair is ideal for new pet parents looking for the best food options, experienced pet parents looking for more advanced food, training, and supplement options, and for prospective pet parents looking to expand their family. If you like a carnival atmosphere, love animals, enjoy meeting other pet owners, and/or want your pets to have some socializing time outside of the dog park, The Bay Area Pet Fair is definitely a Bay-Area-Miss-Me-Not.

Parking filling up quick before 10 am

 

Park Street's 22nd Annual Classic Car Show

     This year's classic car show in Alameda did not disappoint, and I actually enjoyed it more (if that's possible) because the early morning was overcast and wonderfully cool so I could actually see the cars and not just sun glare, and I didn't have to go running for shade every so often. As I said in my first post on this show, which you can check out here, this is one of the best car shows I've seen (and I've been to a lot with a car-enthusiast father). Not only is the selection of cars great in terms of models and years, but the cozy atmosphere of the Park Street and downtown Alameda area can't be beat.
     Since I already gave tips on how best to enjoy this show in my first post, I'm just going to describe my experience at this year's celebration of real cars and real craftsmanship. The show tends to be heavy on the Mustang side, which is perfectly fine for me because Mustangs are my all time favorite. At this year's show, I saw my favorite 1965 Mustang as well as a variety of '66, '67, and '68 Mustangs. There were fastbacks and convertibles and beefed up racers. One had cream-colored leather seats with embossed mustangs galloping across. Green, red, black, blue, and even one with racing stripes. Sigh.
     I also hoped to find at least one Chevy Nova (my second favorite classic car), and I found two! For the Chevy lover, there was a large variety of Chevelles, Malibus, Camaros, and even a Corvair I took pictures of for my dad. There were a couple trucks, a couple ancients, a couple new, and even a VW van. I was also impressed by a Plymouth Roadrunner, which I believe was a 1968.
     Many of the owners are happy to chat with anyone interested in their cars, and a couple cars were for sale. I had my eye on a black Mustang with a cobra head gear shift. Dreamers will dream. I also enjoyed watching all the people wander up to a car in silent awe, glassy eyed. I've posted several photos below for your enjoyment. If you couldn't make it to this year's classic car show, worry not. It happens every October, it's always a good show, and it's FREE. Mark those calendars because this is definitely a Bay Area Miss-Me-Not.