We’re only taking a small break for the holidays. Then’ll we’ll kick start the New Year with three fun shows. The Tattoo & Body Art Expo, a long-time Fairplex fave, will hit Fairplex 9 Friday, Jan. 2 through Sunday, Jan. 4. Ok, there’s no question that body art and tattoos aren’t for everyone. But truly, this phenomenon is no longer the exclusive domain of bikers. Just ask any college kid you know. If their parents aren’t around, many of them will probably have at least one “tat” to show you.Even if you’re only thinking about a tat, this is the place to come. You’ll meet every artist who’s anybody in the world of body art and you’ll see some truly unbelievable body art.

This is a recession buster show. The promotors have reduced the daily admission to $20. Park at Gate 9.

Hours:
Fri. 2 p.m. - 11 p.m.
Sat. 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.
Sun.11 a.m. - 8 p.m.

If your not into ink, don’t worry. We have other shows that weekend. Saturday, Jan. 3 and Sunday, Jan. 4, the all new
Reptile Super Show at Fairplex 6 has more than 300 tables of exotic animals. Admission is only $8 (kids $5; kids 3 and under free).

Looking for a fun, completely free event? There’s the California Rabbit and Cavy Show in Barn 9A on Sunday, Jan. 4.

This year more than ever the best deal wins and the place for the best deals in computer and technology gear is the L.A. Computer Fair this Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 13 & 14 in Fairplex 5. Whatever’s on your shopping list, whether it’s for you or someone on your holiday shopping list, you’ll find great low show prices here on DVDs, camcorders, big-screen TVs, notebooks, laptops, printers, sound systems and a whole big Santa’s bagful of computer games. Don’t miss it. It’s one-stop shopping, guaranteed.

More deals. If you join the Computer Fair mailing list, you’ll get $3 off the admission price and you’ll be eligible to win two free tickets to a future show.

There’s more! Bring your junk electronics for drive-up recycling. Besides saving the planet, you can earn $3 each for computer monitors, television, laptops and LCD monitors up to a maximum of six items per vehicle. Bring your other electronic recyclables (pretty much everything with a cord). You won’t get paid but you’ll feel good about yourself.

 Hours: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Admission: $6 for adults; children 10 and under free. Park at Gate 3 on McKinley Ave.
 

1. You’ll be able to find a unique gift for nearly everyone on your shopping list at the Harvest Festival Original Art & Craft Show, including your fussy Aunt Ellen and your niece with the pierced tongue. There are beautiful art pieces, Christmas and holiday decorations and ornaments, pottery, personal beauty items, jewelry, toys and dolls, beautiful hand-crafted clothing and accessories and sculpture. And jewelry. Did I mention jewelry?

2. You could win a trip to Paris!

3. You don’t have to stop shopping to drive somewhere for lunch or a snack. It’s all right there in one place — lunch, drinks, entertainment, music. There’s even a Kids’ Zone so the young ones won’t get bored and nag you while you’re shopping.

4. You can go to to the Harvest Festival web site and register for a free Harvest Festival grab bag of free gifts.

5. One admission ticket is good for all three days of the show.

Admission: (one ticket is good for all three days)

Adult: $9
Senior 62+: $7
Youth 13-17: $4
12 and under free when accompanied by an adult

Park at Gate 9 on White Avenue or Gate 3 on McKinley. Fairplex parking rates apply.

Maybe you’re thinking about a pet for Christmas. Maybe you’re thinking a bird would be an excellent pet because they are pretty much low-maintenance. After all, you don’t have to rush home from work to let the bird out, right?

If you’re thinking about making the commitment to bird ownership, we have the perfect place to start: Everybody’s Bird Mart this Sunday, Nov, 30 at Fairplex 4. This is the place to meet and talk to experts who own and breed every possible bird variety all in one place on one day. There will be other experienced bird owners there as visitors and they are often your best resources

Bird lovers agree that their feathered friends make great companions. Note the use of “companions” rather than “pets.” That’s because bird owners soon learn how really smart birds are and how much they’re going to require of you as an owner. Some breeds are lower maintenance (finches, cockatiels and canaries, for example) and others are pretty much going to be your masters, like parrots. Here are some additional resources so you can learn about being a bird parent.

The training video in this post is from Jamieleigh’s Parrot Help, a blog with all kinds of tips for owning, caring for and training pet birds.

Parrot Central is a web site dedicated to educating humans who are thinking about bird ownership. It includes everything from buying birds to identifying household toxins that are harmful to birds.

Planned Parrothood is described as a “playground for parrots and the people they own.” Catch the drift here?

Come on down. It’s cheap entertainment at the very least.
Adults $5.00
Children 12 and under: Free. 

Park at Gate 3 on McKinley Ave.
 

This is as good as it gets for NHRA fans. It’s about 80 degrees here at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, there’s plenty of parking, and the racing–well it’s NHRA, people. It’s mind-blowing. This is the final race of the 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series season, the 44th annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals so come on down, race fans, and experience the most exciting 3 seconds in racing. All the big names in NHRA will be here trying to close the deal. Don’t miss it.

Here are the entries for the 4-day event:

Top Alcohol Dragster
Top Alcohol Funny Car
Competition Elininator
Super Stock
Stock Eliminator
Super Comp
Super Gas

Come Thursday, Nov. 13 for for qualifying. It’s the cheapest price for the action.

Ticket prices for the entire event are as follows:

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13
Adult Admission $25
Junior Admission (6-12 years) $10

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2008
Adult Admission $30
Junior Admission (6-12 years) $10
Adult Reserved Seat $40
Junior Reserved Seat (6-12 years) $20
Child Reserved Seat (5 years & under) $10

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2008
Adult Admission $52
Junior Admission (6-12 years) $10
Adult Reserved Seat $62
Junior Reserved Seat (6-12 years) $24
Child Reserved Seat (5 years & under) $14

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2008
Adult Admission $55
Junior Admission (6-12 years) $12
Adult Reserved Seat $65
Junior Reserved Seat (6-12 years) $24
Child Reserved Seat (5 years & under) $14

4 DAY GENERAL ADMISSION $135
4 DAY RESERVED SEAT $165
TOP ELIMINATOR CLUB $375

Children 5 years and under are free in general admission

The Great California Shakeout on Nov. 13 has generated a lot of interest in emergency preparedness in general. It’s not a bad idea after all to think about what you would do if you had to deal with a medical emergency at home or work. Would you know how to handle a seizure? Heat stroke? The San Gabriel Pomona Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross has stepped up to sponsor a Super First Aid Preparedness Class on Sunday, Nov. 9 in the Millard Sheets Center for the Arts here at Fairplex. For a reduced rate of only $10, you can be certified in first aid for a variety of emergencies, including the treatment of burns, diabetes emergencies, seizures, bleeding, heat and cold emergencies and broken bones. The class will be taught in English and Spanish.

 The San Gabriel Pomona Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross also has launched an online store providing an easy way to order first aid kits and emergency supplies. There are first aid products for individuals, homes and businesses, such as student emergency packs, workplace first aid cabinets and family first aid kits. Tip: these are nice gifts those difficult-to-buy-for family members, employees or students. Orders take one to two weeks to process and benefit the Chapter’s programs and services. Register for the Super First Aid Preparedness Event at (626) 799-0841, Ext. 400 (English) and Ext. 455 (Spanish). Enter at Gate 1 on McKinley Avenue. Parking for this event is FREE!

  Ever seen Wall of Death stunt riders? Well, they ride sideways around the inside of a wooden barrel–sort of. It seems to defy gravity, actually, but they’ll be doing it Friday, Oct. 24 as part of California Bike Week at Fairplex.

Then imagine dirt bikes screaming around Fairplex Park’s 5/8ths mile horse racing track at 189 mph. Flat-track racing takes place on Saturday, Oct. 25. If you like metal-to-metal interaction, this is the place. All the events and music on Friday and Saturday are the lead-in to the big event on Sunday when LOVE RIDE 25 brings thousands and thousands of Harley riders rumbling down the 210 freeway from Glendale to Fairplex for a barbeque, more events and a concert with the Foo Fighters and ZZ Top. The parade of bikes is visible from several overpasses and is really something to see. It’s all for charity and over the years California Bike Week has raised more than $20 million for a variety of favorite causes. Jay Leno will return as grand marshall of the event, along with various other Hollywood luminaries who are also bike fans. You don’t even have to like motorcycles to enjoy this event. The people-watching is worth the money. You’re likely to see someone famous or someone who at least looks famous and they have really neat t-shirts and other Love Ride souvenirs.   Friday, Oct. 24 - Sunday, Oct. 26, Fairplex Grandstand and grounds. Admission: Friday: $10; Saturday: $30; Sunday: $50. Three-day pass: $80.

Now through Sunday, Nov. 2, Fearplex haunted theme park is luring unsuspecting humans into its haunted asylum and mansion. Prepare to find creepy clowns and dead end hallways at every turn.

The spooks are out at the Fairplex Grandstand Oct. 17-19; 24-26 and every night Tuesday, Oct. 28 through Sunday, Nov. 2. Hours are Fridays and Saturdays 7:00 p.m. to midnight; Sundays and weeknights 7-10  p.m. A lot of people like to get scared out of their wits this time of the year, so if you want to bypass the line waiting to get in, a VIP ticket gets you in a special entrance ($20 for both haunted houses). Regular admission: $13.50 for getting scared in just one attraction; $18.50 for double thrills.

Now don’t be afraid. Really. That rumor about an asylum for the criminally insane right here at Fairplex? Strictly a rumor. No truth to it at ALLLLL… GAK….HELLLPPPP.

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If you’re a quilter now or you wish you knew how, get on over to the Quilt, Craft & Sewing Festival. You’ll find products, workshops and seminars on quilting, needle arts, punch embroidery, iron-on metals, crystals, beading, cross-stitch, knitting, sewing and more. One popular class: “Less Than Traditional” quilting Charlie’s Way, which promises to make quilting quicker and easier than ever before.

Your ticket is good for all three days so take your time, come back each day of the festival so you don’t miss any learning opportunities. Visit www.rustybarn.com for a show brochure listing all exhibitors, classes and locations. There’s a $1 off coupon on the site also.

Thursday, Oct. 9 – Saturday, Oct. 11, Fairplex 5. Admission is $8 for adults (good for all three days). Park at Gate 17. 

When you’re all sewed out, head to Fairplex 8 for the Sugar Plum Arts & Crafts Festival. This one’s a FREEBIE! It’s a frightfully delightful shopping adventure, with all things Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas, all in one place.

Friday (10 a.m. - 8 p.m.) and Saturday (10 a.m. - 5 p.m.) Oct. 10 & 11. 

Still not tired? There’s a home improvement and remodeling show, too. It’s free. It’s in Fairplex 4, Friday, Oct. 10 (2 p.m. - 7 p.m.), Saturday, Oct. 11 (10 a.m. - 7 p.m.) and Sunday (10 a.m. - 6 p.m.).

On the Road Again. . . Did you know? Despite record-breaking fuel prices, typical RV trips remain the least expensive type of vacation, according to a new study by PKF Consulting. “Typical RV family vacations are on average 27 to 61 percent less expensive than other types of vacations studied,” the report found.

When the 56th Annual California RV Show rolls into Fairplex and fills up the White Ave. parking lot, you’ll have a shot at more than 1,000 RV options. In fact, you can drive in your old RV and drive out with the newest 2009 model. If you’re having trouble deciding what type of RV is best for your style of motor vacationing, RVers Joe and Vicki Kieva will conduct their popular seminar, “10 Tips for Choosing an RV” at noon every day of the show. If you’ve never driven an RV, there’s a seminar for that, too: “Yes, You Can Drive an RV” held daily in the seminar tent at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

If you’re about to embark on full-time RVing, don’t miss the Kievas’ second seminar, “Full Time and Extended RV Travel” at 2 p.m. daily where you can learn how to manage your finances on the road, send and receive email, refill prescriptions and get medical care while traveling for long periods of time.

Go to www.carvshow.com for discount coupons good for $2 off on Thursday through Sunday (regular admission is $6 for adults; $5 for seniors). Monday through Wednesday, admission for adults and seniors is just $1.