New Mexico State Fair unveils new entertainment options
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) –The New Mexico State Fair is right around the corner, and in addition to the fan favorites, officials at Expo New Mexico are encouraging people to check out what’s new this year. “There’s so much stuff we have this year, it’s unbelievable its fair time,” said Dan Mourning, General Manager with the State Fair.
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The familiar sights, sounds, and smells of the fair are a few weeks away but fair officials say, there’s plenty new to look forward to as well. “Just fun stuff that you’re going to see, you haven’t seen it here before,” said Mourning.
Once state fairgoers walk through the gates they have plenty of new entertainment to look forward to, like a pink poodle show, jet pack show, and what’s called a foaming party area where people can cool off. “We also have professional wrestling, that’s right professional wrestling at the fair,” he said.
For the food fans, there will be the classic favorites like the green chile burger along with new offerings as the fair has added 20 new vendors to be announced at a later date.
For those adults wanting to enjoy a cold one, a speakeasy is coming to the Lujan C building. “We’re going to have you work on it a little bit to get the code, but you will not be disappointed, it’s going to be fantastic. It’s going to be a steampunk kind of theme,” said Mourning.
New this year, people attending the fair on the weekend can take advantage of a park-and-ride from Coronado Center to the fair. “We’re not going to put you on yellow dog school buses. Not like other events do. We are going to put you on Herrera coaches, we’re going to get you dad gum nice in there. It’s going to have air conditioning it’s going to be nice,” he said.
Security has also seen some upgrades. At the entrances, the fair has added new metal detectors that work with artificial intelligence, the same ones used in NFL stadiums. “It will detect not just metal, but it will detect objects. That’s what’s different about this, it’s just not hitting on a metal object and we have to scan it. It will show you exactly what it is on a tablet,” said Mourning.
Officials say this new technology will help lines move faster after they were used successfully at the Gathering of Nations. They say they have spent roughly $2 million to upgrade and add security this year.
The state fair runs September 5-15. Opening day visitors will get a discount entrance and ride tickets will be $2 each.
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