Alameda County Fair

The 2024 Alameda County Fair ran from June 14 to July 7, with PCE providing staging, rigging, audio, lighting, video, power, and other production for the duration—often in 100+ degree heat! This long haul event had us supporting entertainers and shows of all kinds, from concerts and cooking demos to horse races and motocross stunts. The fair's production needs ranged from the big (mainstage audio for big-name musicians) to the small (simple speakers for livestock presentations). Read on for a partial rundown!

We'll start with some of the smaller areas. PCE provided powered speakers and a mixer at the wine garden stage, and some simple audio at the raptor (bird of prey) demonstration area and livestock areas. At an indoor cooking show, PCE provided speakers and truss rigging for a giant mirror that helped the audience see the food prepared by various chefs. At numerous places throughout the fairgrounds, PCE built massive truss structures to provide shade for picnic areas and for various vendors.

More elaborate production could be found at the Diva Stage, a gazebo where an all-female mariachi band performed several shows daily. There, PCE provided more complex audio. In addition to speakers, we supplied monitors and a Yamaha TF3 console.

PCE built the bigger Grandstand Stage just outside the fair's grandstands. This Steeldeck stage featured JBL line array speakers, JBL subs, and a Yamaha M7CL audio console.

In the adjacent arena, a PCE-provided Yamaha QL5 console and a highly-trained audio engineer supported numerous stadium-filling shows, including motocross stunts and horse races.

Finally, PCE provided audio and video at the fair's mainstage, which played host to major artists like E-40 and Hunter Hayes. Our JBL VTX line array speakers and Yamaha DM7 console carried the sound to the enthusiastic crowds, while Blackmagic URSA Broadcast G2 cameras bounced a video feed of every show to an Absen LED video wall on the lawn just outside.