The San Diego County Fair is going retro this year, taking visitors through each decade from the 1950s to the '90s with rides, concerts, competitions and more battered-and-fried foods than one can imagine.

Why it matters: The fair is the county's largest and longest-running annual event, attracting nearly 1 million people to the Del Mar Fairgrounds for this summer tradition.

Driving the news: The 20-day event runs from 11am today through July 7.

State of play: Enjoy kid-friendly and thrilling, stomach-churning carnival rides and games galore — from the Ferris wheel and rollercoasters to fun houses and bumper cars.

• Animals get in on the fun, too, with pig races, comedic parrot talent shows, extreme dog trick shows and a free-range petting farm with alpacas, wallabies and miniature donkeys.
• Check out the competition at flower and garden shows, along with woodworking, fine art and photography exhibits, plus livestock and robotics competitions.
• Eat your way through the fair with decadent items like the Cap'n Crunch Berry chicken sandwich, Spam fries, caramel apple-cinnamon roll sundaes and crispy Korean corndogs rolled in hot Cheeto crumbs.

The intrigue: Find the disco ball courtyard for a glitzy, pop-up rooftop bar called Destination Unknown.

Worthy of your time: The Toyota Summer Concert Series takes over the fair's biggest stage with iconic performers including TLC, Ludacris, Little Big Town and Smokey Robinson.

• Tribute bands, reggae artists and EDM DJs will rock the stage for the Chevrolet Paddock Concert Series.
• Take in theatrical, glow-in-the-dark musical experiences on Saturdays at the Sound and hear Spanish musical groups on Sundays.

If you go: The fair is open Wednesday-Sunday, 11am-10pm.

• Tickets are $16-$22 but free for kids 5 and under. Pay for rides with BlastPass credits.

Pro tips to save money

The Holiday Bowl is ending its brief, rocky stay at Petco Park and is heading back to Mission Valley.

Why it matters: Snapdragon Stadium, built by SDSU specifically for college football nearly two years ago, is now home to San Diego's biggest annual college football game.

Driving the news: The Holiday Bowl is moving to the new stadium on the former site of Qualcomm Stadium, the bowl's home for most of its 45-year history, it was announced Tuesday by San Diego Sports and the San Diego Padres .

Catch up quick: In 2021, the City Council facilitated the bowl's downtown move by removing a ban on playing football games in Petco Park from the city's contract with the Padres.

• That vote also authorized $2.2 million in renovations to the ballpark — which the city owns and the Padres operate — to accommodate football and expand its capacity.
• The city agreed to cover $650,000 of those construction costs and received 30% of event proceeds.

State of play: The Holiday Bowl's debut at Petco Park was delayed until 2022, as the 2021 game was canceled when UCLA withdrew due to a last-minute COVID-19 outbreak.

• The game occurred downtown just twice — in 2022 and 2023.

Between the lines: The city estimated it would net nearly $1 million in revenue over the game's first five years in Petco Park, including its share of the upgrades.

• The Holiday Bowl received $435,000 last year from the Tourism and Marketing District, which is funded by hotel taxes to promote the region.
• The district projects Holiday Bowl hotel stays result in about $2.4 million in hotel spending in its analysis supporting that subsidy.

The big picture

🚌 The North County Transit District will begin providing shuttle service from the commuter rail Coaster station in Sorrento Valley on five routes to nearby employment clusters. (KPBS)

🎒 Wide disparities exist between the rates at which San Diego Unified juniors pass classes and that at which they meet state standards in those same classes, an investigation by Voice of San Diego revealed.

🚨 The son of a woman who died in SDPD custody received $875,000 in a settlement of his lawsuit against the city. (Union-Tribune)

Brown Field Airport in Otay Mesa is getting $100 million in upgrades to become a major commercial and aviation hub near the U.S.-Mexico border.

Why it matters: San Diego Airpark will have a modern terminal with a new customs inspection facility to streamline processing, making the underused facility more attractive for international trade and travel.

Zoom in: This airpark redevelopment project is the first phase of a plan that will also include commercial hangars and new roads, plus a hotel, restaurant and expansive retail space.

Driving the news: Officials broke ground Monday on the long-awaited project for the 880-acre municipal airport south of Chula Vista that's expected to be an economic catalyst for the region.

Between the lines: The project is expected to create 2,500 new jobs and have a $1.5 billion economic impact, according to the city.

What's next: The project is expected to take 20 years to complete, with the first building going up in 2025.

Follow the money

California has one of the country's highest percentages of unmarried people, a recent survey shows.

Why it matters: More Americans are forgoing or delaying marriage despite recent data that shows married people are happier than single folks.

Zoom in: 29% of Californians had been married at least once as of 2022, per data from the American Community Survey.

• The national average is 31%.

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