2023 Sonoma County Fair’s dinosaur

What: Sonoma County Fair

When: Aug. 3-13. Opens at noon daily and closes at 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Closes at 11 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and the first Sunday.

Where: Sonoma County Fairgrounds, 1350 Bennett Valley Road, Santa Rosa

Admission: $15 in advance for ages 13 and older. $20 after Aug. 2; $12 for ages 6 to 12; free for children age five and younger

Information and full schedule: sonomacountyfair.com, 707-545-4200

Special events

Chris Beck Arena; fair admission not included:

Wine Country Rodeo: 7 p.m. Aug. 5. $13-$40

Monster Trucks: 7 p.m. Aug. 10-12. $12-$25

Destruction Derby: 6 p.m. Aug. 13. $15-$35

Chris Beck Arena events included in fair admission price:

Barrel Racing, 6 p.m. Aug. four

Tuff Tuck event and Monster Truck rides, 6 p.m. Aug. 9.

Entertainment highlights

Norcal Brewfest, with music by Wonder Bread 5, 5:30 p.m. Aug. 4. Community Theater. $59 in advance; $69 day of Brewfest. Ticket price includes fair admission.

Community Theater events included in fair admission price:

Midget Warrior Wrestling, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 3. (Tickets for the seats up front are available for $25. Admission to the rest of the theater is free with fair admission.)

2nd Annual Aloha Fest, featuring Weldon Kekauoha and Faith Ako with hula, Tahitian and fire-knife dancing, 5-9 p.m. Aug. 5

Casimiro Banda El Mexicano, 7 p.m. Aug. 6

Always Loretta, featuring Emily Portman as Loretta Lynn with the Coalminers Band, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 7. (Tickets for the seats up front are available for $25. Admission to the rest of the theater is free with fair admission.)

Direct from Sweden: Music of ABBA tribute act, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 8. (Tickets for the seats up front are available for $25. Admission to the rest of the theater is free with fair admission.)

ZZ TUSH, a tribute to ZZ Top, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 9

Elvis Impersonation Contest, 8 p.m. Aug. 11. Ten Elvis impersonators will perform with a live band, competing for a $1,500 cash prize.

Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 12

Lupillo Rivera, 7 p.m. Aug. 13

Hands-on horticulture and vivid paleontology have combined at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds, where the imaginative annual Hall of Flowers exhibit was getting its final touch-up Monday before the Wednesday evening premier that will kick off the fair’s Aug. 3-13 run.

When: 5:30 p.m. Wednesday

Highlights: Begins with Champagne toast and announcement of scholarships and garden show winners at 5 p.m. Doors to the hall open at 5:30 p.m. for appetizers, wine and viewing the gardens.

Cost: $50

Tickets: tinyurl.com/yc2fz37j

To make an offer on the 125-year-old olive tree: Call Jessica Fruiht at 707-889-6794 or email [email protected].

This year’s floral show, “Dinosaurs Around the World,” follows the overall theme of the fair, “Jurassic Jubilee,” which will feature dinosaurs all over the fairgrounds.

The most impressive are the 10 life-size animatronic beasts that will move and roar inside the Hall of Flowers. The exhibit’s debut gala is 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.

The fair opens Thursday at noon.