Blast from the (very distant) past! Dinosaurs take over South Coast fairgrounds for holiday weekend

KCLU | By Lance Orozco

Published January 14, 2022 at 5:59 PM PST

An exhibition at the Ventura County Fairgrounds from January 15 through 17 features more than 80 lifelike dinosaurs.

Jurassic Quest exhibition features more than 80 dinosaurs.

There are some ominous sounds echoing around Ventura.

Part of Ventura’s Seaside Park has been transformed into a Jurassic park.

The Ventura County Fairgrounds is hosting Jurassic Quest, a traveling event which features lifelike dinosaurs, dinosaur rides, shows, fossils, and other things linked to dinos.

Dino Dustin is a Dinosaur Trainer with the Jurassic Quest exhibit. "We have more than 80 dinosaurs that move and roar," said Dustin. "We're the largest of our type of show. We also have the largest dinosaurs."

Fellow Dinosaur Trainer Captain Caleb says Jurassic Quest is a cross between education and entertainment.

"In addition to having fun here, you can learn lots about dinosaurs," said Caleb.

Crews are carefully unloading crates containing the dinosaurs at the fairgrounds for the show, which opens Saturday morning and runs through the three-day holiday weekend.

The "Jurassic Quest" eshibition at the Ventura County Fairgrounds also features fossils, educational exhibitits, and family-friendly activities.

And, some of the dinosaurs can almost a little too real, like a Tyrannosaurus Rex, the fearsome looking real life predator you saw in the movie Jurassic Park.

While Jurassic Quest is intended to be entertaining, the educational part of it is meant to spark interest in science among kids.

“Jurassic Quest” is open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday at the Ventura County Fairgrounds. General admission tickets are $22 each.