Discover Fresno: Top 11 Surprising and Entertaining Fun Facts You Never Knew!

1. Selma: Peach Rival

In a time where Georgia has a firm grasp on the "peachy" title, near the Fruitful California Valley lies a hidden rival – a scrappy, stone-fruit-loving city, ready to steal the ol' Jumbo Navels' thunder: Welcome to Selma, "A Peach of a City," where wheat once reigned, but the orchards now hold court. Situated in Fresno County, this bountiful gem is irrigated by the Sierra Nevada's meltwater and teems with peach, plum, and grape orchards, producing a staggering portion of California's fruits and veggies that brings pride – and peaches – to the Golden State.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

2. Fresno's Frosty Past

Who needs Elsa and her icy grip when Fresno has its own frosty past? Brace yourself for this chilling tale: On December 23, 1990, Fresno reached a record low of 18°F, wreaking havoc on citrus growers and causing an economic disaster – a temperature so low that even Olaf wouldn't have survived without his cloud of personal flurries!
Source => fresnobee.com

Did you know Los Angeles is home to nearly 1,500 donut shops, primarily established by Cambodian Americans? 🍩 Dive into the history and explore famous establishments like DK's Donuts and more!

=> Fun Facts about Los-Angeles

3. Nat Vise: The Bear Hunter

Before he became the "bear" necessities of the Visalia culinary scene, Nathaniel Vise was stirring more than just pots in the Bay Area: This Visalia founding father actually owned a San Francisco restaurant, where he cheekily advertised himself as "Nat Vise, alias The Bear Hunter," and would eventually name the town after his hometown of Visalia, Kentucky.
Source => yourcentralvalley.com

4. Goldilocks' Fresno Adventure

What do Fresno, California and Goldilocks have in common? They both know the art of finding the perfect spot: Fresno serves as the ideal base camp for adventure seekers visiting Yosemite and Kings Canyon National Parks! Although Sequoia National Park is currently closed due to winter storms, accommodations in Fresno and Clovis remain abundant for those eager to explore the great outdoors. Just remember, much like Goldilocks avoiding grumpy bears, park officials warn visitors to stay clear of high rivers in Yosemite Valley.
Source => visitfresnocounty.org

5. Fresno's Diverse Medley

Hold onto your farm tractors and brace for Valley fever: Fresno's population is a beautifully diverse medley, boasting of nearly a million denizens and becoming one of the fastest-growing regions in California, sprawling across the six-county Fresno/Visalia DMA that encompasses Merced, Mariposa, Madera, Kings, and Tulare counties, all coming together to form a burgeoning community stew. Keeping the peeps well-informed, The Fresno Bee swarms the area with news buzz, reaching 68% of adult Fresnites weekly, while fostering a heartwarming hive of community engagement, supporting nonprofits, and even hosting the fundraising event Kids Day, which has collected a wholesome $10 million for Valley Children's Healthcare since 1988.
Source => fresnobee.com

6. Fulton Mall: Urban Oasis

Once upon a mall, in a land filled with sprawling suburbia, stood an urban oasis designed by Austrian and American masterminds: Fulton Mall in downtown Fresno, a six-block pedestrian haven created in 1964 by visionary architect Victor Gruen and landscape artist Garrett Eckbo. Despite hosting retail giants like JCPenney and Woolworth, it struggled against suburban expansion and dwindled into a ghost town of empty storefronts by the 1980s. However, after a $20 million facelift in 2017, it's now a revitalized, traffic-friendly, and character-filled destination for pedestrians and drivers alike.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

7. Tower Theatre: Art Deco Hero

In a world where Netflix has everyone glued to their sofas, one historic theatre breaks free and becomes a performing arts superhero, swooping down to save the fine citizens of Fresno from the clutches of boredom: The Tower Theatre, an art deco masterpiece circa 1939, not only serves as a community hub for live performances and lectures, but has also earned prestigious accolades like the California Preservation Foundation Award and the Award of Honor from the San Joaquin Chapter, American Institute of Architects – and it's all nestled in the delightful Tower District, teeming with restaurants, pubs, jazz clubs, and antique shops!
Source => towertheatrefresno.com

8. Beware the Tule Fog

Fret not, dear reader, if you're engulfed in an eerie, soupy veil during a calm winter's night in California's Central Valley – you haven't stumbled upon the set of a spooky film, nor are you suffering from an unfortunate case of hysterical blindness. Behold: tule fog! This leading cause of weather-related accidents in California is a dense ground fog born from radiation fog, high relative humidity, and rapid nighttime cooling. Dubbed after the tule grass wetlands, it taunts motorists with visibility less than an eighth of a mile, and whispers secrets of ammonia, nitrate, and sulfate concentrations into the valley's atmosphere.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

9. Fresno's Cultural Festivals

It's a small world after all, especially in Fresno – where you can get Greek on the go, Hmong hopscotch, and Punjabi pizazz, all without a passport: Fresno, California, is home to an incredibly diverse population that includes thriving Hispanic, Hmong, and Punjabi communities, celebrated during colorful events such as the annual Fresno Greek Fest and Fresno Asian Festival.
Source => lung.org

10. Taco Truck Throwdown

You know you're in Fresno when the honk of a horn signals not only traffic but the impending arrival of mouthwatering tacos: The Taco Truck Throwdown has been delighting taco enthusiasts in Fresno since 2011, gathering thousands of attendees who flock to these mobile food havens to indulge in over 20,000 tacos from 13 participating trucks, all the while honoring the rich history of lunchero trucks that once catered to the city's migrant workers.
Source => milb.com

11. Sicilian's DIY Air Conditioning

In a "tunnel vision" quest to beat the heat, one Sicilian man took DIY air conditioning to a whole new level: Baldassare Forestiere spent 40 years creating the Forestiere Underground Gardens in Fresno, which feature Roman-style architecture, a network of fruit-producing flora, and temperature differences up to 20 degrees in its labyrinth of rooms and tunnels.
Source => undergroundgardens.com