This was my 1st year at the Chandler Ostrich Festival even though they are on their 22nd year. Whitney Houston's 1995 movie "Waiting to Exhale" pops up every time I hear about this festival. I'm so glad to finally make it even though it was a last minute thing due to a canceled b-day party.
This festival is not cheap. Parking was $5 (it was $10 last yr) in the fields and it was an OK distance from the entrance. Adult $9 / Youth (5-12) $7 and free for 4 & under. Unlimited wristband was $25 which was worth it since most rides average 4 tkt & up (ouch!). They also offer advance tkts & wristbands at Fry's.
I was surprised to see how huge this event was. It was like scaled down version of the AZ State Fair but less ghetto. We went to straight the ostrich & jousting match 1st. Since I was 15 min late for the noon match, we had to stand behind a bunch of people & missed a lot of things. We came back 2 hrs later to secure a better spot and got to watch the whole thing and the kiddies loved. The petting zoo is always a hit with young ones and we where in there forever. There were also pig races, monkey shows, musical acts & many other shows. There's the typical carnival rides and games but the food booths were pretty impressive. There were many booths offering so many varieties stuff. Look around before making your purchase b/c the one place can sell you a $5 hot dog while another for $3. I was tempted to get the ostrich burger pass at the end.
The next time I come back I definitely need to bring another adult b/c it gets pretty crowed at certain events. For the most part, there's plenty of room for the kiddies to run free.