The Alameda County Fair will celebrate its 102nd anniversary this year at the Pleasanton fairgrounds with a star-studded concert lineup and activities for the whole family.

This year the fair is set to open June 18 and will close July 6, two days after its scheduled July 4th fireworks spectacular. The fair is a huge East Bay social event and is expected to attract an even bigger crowd than last year, which topped of at over 390,000 people according to the fair’s website.

“I absolutely love the county fair,” said Ericka Jauchen, a resident of Hayward. “I’ve gone every single summer since I’ve moved to the Bay Area; I have to get a funnel cake.” The fair boasts a slew of vendors, which include a variety of foods from hot dogs to turkey legs.

This year the fair has many attractions and a full lineup for concerts including Creedence Clearwater Revival, and the R&B star Ashanti.

“I’ve been going since I was little. Even though I moved out to Manteca, I still come out for a day,” said Adam Borough, a Castro Valley native.

The fair is hosted on the Pleasanton Fairgrounds that also is home to the Good Guys Car Show in October, the Scottish Highland Games in August, and the Pleasanton racing track, that organizes horse racing throughout the year.

The fairgrounds will once again open up its Trackside Terrace during the fair to allow a way for visitors to enjoy the live horse races in a more private, high end dining experience instead of the normal stands.

The Alameda Fair board held a meeting at the Palm Pavillion Wednesday night with the Municipal Resource Group LLC to discuss the need for a more efficient use of space and a strategy for better traffic flow.

“The Fair has evolved over time,” said managing consultant Mike Oliver, “It [the fairgrounds] has not been designed to facilitate the growing needs.”

The lack of entrances onto the grounds and the growing popularity of the fair have created major traffic delays on the roads of Pleasanton and onto the 680 freeway.

The board is proposing to create new access roads on the north side of the grounds to relieve some of the traffic congestion on Bernal Ave according to Oliver. “We just want the fair experience to be the best it can be for the community,” said Oliver.

Tickets start at $10 for adults and $8 for children ages six through 12. Children under six years old are free. For other information regarding presale tickets and group discount tickets, you can go to the fair’s direct website at www.alamedacountyfair.com.