Exploring Bakersfield: Top 8 Fun Facts You Never Knew About This California Gem!

1. Birthplace of Bakersfield Sound

If you ever find yourself in a pickle on a Bakersfield dance floor, don't fret: the city is actually the birthplace of the "Bakersfield Sound," a country music genre that arose in the 1950s and 60s, masterminded by artists like Buck Owens and Merle Haggard. This honky-tonk and rock and roll fusion still echoes through the annual Bakersfield Country Music Festival, showcasing both established and up-and-coming boot-stomping talent.
Source => californiaherps.com

2. Country Music's Rock and Roll Phase

What do country music and rebellious teenagers have in common? They both had a "rock and roll" phase in a California city known for its bread: Bakersfield, of course! Interestingly enough: the Bakersfield sound, a country music sub-genre influenced by rock and roll, emerged in the mid-to-late 1950s as a response to the polished Nashville sound, adding electric instrumentation and a strong backbeat to create one of the most popular and pivotal country genres of the 1960s, with artists like Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, and Wynn Stewart leading the charge.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

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=> Fun Facts about California

3. Magical Dog Fairgrounds

Where dogs conjure magic and humans are bamboozled: Bakersfield is home to the Kern County Fairgrounds, hosting an array of events like the Kern County Fair, as well as dog and magic trick competitions, all enjoyed by families staying at the nearby Hilton Garden Inn Bakersfield, complete with indoor pools, hot tubs, and gift shops.
Source => kayak.com

4. Dancing Stars Fundraiser

Twinkle, twinkle, Bakersfield stars: how you raise funds, so very bizarre! Stars Theatre Restaurant gathered a fortune on the stage with its Dancing at the Stars fundraiser, racking up an impressive $23,909.00, all thanks to generous donors and fancy footwork from local luminaries like Chelsey Kirkley, Jordan Payne, Jodi Mitchell, Dr. John Gundzik, Bethany Rowlee, Michael Bowers, Liz B. Williams, Kyle Heber, Lauren Mawson, J.R. Flores, Roland Brown, NaTesha "T" Johnson, Erica Torres Garewal, and Mike Audie.
Source => bmtstars.com

5. Toe-tapping Heritage

When they're not milking almonds or striking oil in Bakersfield, they're cowboying up and strumming those guitar strings: Bakersfield, California, boasts its own genre of country music that has produced numerous successful artists and enjoys several annual music festivals to showcase its toe-tapping heritage.
Source => redfin.com

6. Endangered Trees & Green Laws

In Bakersfield, California, it seems that the streets are paved with leaves and the sky is a canopy of greenery: the city is home to over 75 endangered tree species like the Gowen cypress, with around 20 trees for every human! Taking their tree-hugging seriously, Bakersfield even has a tree ordinance regulating the removal of our arboreal friends, granting amnesty only to invasive species causing Sudden Oak Death.
Source => gotreequotes.com

7. Worst Air Quality Drama

Bakersfield: where the air is as thick as the plot of a daytime soap opera, filled with drama, suspense, and dangerous particulates: This Californian city holds the dubious honor of having the worst air quality in the nation for short-term and year-round particle pollution, and the second worst for ozone pollution – leading to 70,000 residents with asthma, 40,000 with cardiovascular disease, and 27,000 with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Source => theguardian.com

8. Green Space Transformation

Calling all environmental warriors and park aficionados, Bakersfield is leveling up in the game of green spaces and sustainable living – talk about a breath of fresh air!: In their latest move, Bakersfield has secured over $1.4 million in grant money to transform a humble 4-acre sump-area into a spectacular, multipurpose green space, complete with new trees, natural turf, solar-powered lights, and seating for all to enjoy while keeping greenhouse gas emissions in check.
Source => bakersfieldnow.com