<P> The San Diego County Fair (formerly called the Del Mar Fair) is a county fair held every summer at the Del Mar Fairgrounds in Del Mar, California . The fair is a major draw for San Diego County residents; in recent years, attendance figures have risen above a million annually, reaching a record attendance of 1,609,481 in 2016 . As of 2016, the San Diego County Fair was the largest county fair in the United States, and the fifth largest fair of any kind . </P> <P> The fair began in 1880 as an agricultural fair . The location moved from place to place for several years, finally settling on the Del Mar Fairgrounds when it opened in 1936 . </P> <P> In 1954, the fair's name was changed to the Southern California Exposition and San Diego County Fair . In 1970, this was shortened to the Southern California Exposition . The fair was again renamed in 1984 to the Del Mar Fair, which lasted until 2002 when the name San Diego County Fair was reinstated . It is sometimes still referred to as the "Del Mar Fair" by locals . </P> <P> From 1936 through 2003 the fair included a beauty pageant . The winner was originally called Queen of the Fair; in 1947 the title was changed to Fairest of the Fair . The winner and her "court of lovelies" were featured at the fair and in public appearances throughout the year . In 2004 the pageant was discontinued due to high costs and legal wrangling over a disqualified entry in 2003 . Most Memorable Contestant was 1979 Marlene Rosas of El Cajon, and the best known winner of the Fairest of the Fair pageant was the 1958 winner, a La Jolla High School student named Raquel Tejada, better known as actress Raquel Welch . </P>

When did the del mar fair change its name