Santa Barbara Fair & Expo offers rides and prizes, plus “Barrels of Fun”

SANTA BARBARA, Calif.-"Barrels of Fun" is the theme of this year's Santa Barbara Fair & Expo at the Earl Warren Showgrounds in Santa Barbara.

The gates opened to the public on Thursday afternoon and the fun being had appears to fit the theme.

Harper Gooch,10, quickly won two stuffed animals while playing carnival games with her dad and brother.

Gooch showed of a pink pig and another stuffed animal that she said was either a grey sloth or a monkey.

"The first one I actually won from this squirt gun game and then I got that prize and then I went over to the balloon pop."

Angel Lopez of Butler Amusements runs one of the most popular rides in the Carnival Midway.

Lopez offered to keep the Scrambler going a little longer than usual so viewers could watch a live report at the top of the 6:00 p.m. news.

J.J. Fukumoto rode the Ferris Wheel with the NewsChannel crew at 6:30 p.m. and said she wanted everyone to know Extreme Freestyle Motocross with X-Games Gold Medalist Adam Jones and friends will take place on Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.

People of all ages can also enjoy hourly pig races and other animals in an area full of children's rides.

Members of the Vandenberg Space Force Base are volunteering at the fair entrance and exit.

They are raising money for their booster unit.

The Santa Barbara Fair & Expo runs through Sunday night.

For hours, prices and parking information visit earlwarren.com