Judges' choice: Craig Thibodeau won big in the Design in Wood Show. His art deco table took first place in the traditional furniture department, his dogwood buffet took third place in the veneering/marquetry furniture department, and his cherry sideboard earned him the Master Woodworker's trophy.

Background: Thibodeau, 37, lives in San Diego and was a mechanical engineer until he became a professional furniture maker in 2000.

How he got started: He watched his father build in their home shop.

Comment: “My parents raised us with expectations of being able to do something with our hands, so I started off with building furniture for myself, and then that turns into building furniture for friends, then into paying clients.”

Tip for learning more: Taking classes at Palomar College in San Marcos is an easy way to get started.

TODAY'S PICKS

Summer Concert Series: Sugarland, 7:30 p.m., $25 to $81, $147 with dinner. Prices include fair admission.

Summer of Sports Exhibit: Sportswriters/Sports Broadcasters Day with appearances by many members of the news media.

Highlights: Taste of the Fair, participating food vendors offer $2 small servings; Pie Eating Contest, noon, Plaza Stage; Elijah Emanuel & the Revelations with Island Irie, 8:30 p.m. Chevrolet Paddock Stage.

FAIR FACTS

Through July 6 at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd. Gates are open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Admission: adults, $12; seniors 62 and older, $6; children 6 to 12, $6; children 5 and younger, free.

Information: (858) 793-5555; (858) 755-1161; sdfair.com/fair.

On-site parking: cars and motorcycles, $9; recreational vehicles, $15; preferred parking, $15, no motor homes.

Off-site parking: free, with shuttles from 9 a.m. to midnight. Del Mar Horsepark, 14550 El Camino Real, daily; MiraCosta College San Elijo campus and Torrey Pines High School, weekends and July 4.

Public transportation: hourly buses to and from Escondido Transit Center. A shuttle between the Solana Beach Train Station and the fair leaves every 25 minutes. Passengers with a Breeze bus or Coaster train ticket receive a $1.75 fair admission discount at the west gate. Information: (760) 966-6500 or www.gonctd.com

NEWSROOM AT THE FAIR

The San Diego Union-Tribune's  Newsroom at the Fair exhibit is in the Paddock Lounge next to Plaza de Mexico near the Grandstand entrance.

Meet Editorial Cartoonist Steve Breen, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Jennifer Croshaw, Derrik Chinn and Keli Dailey of SignOnSanDiego Entertainment Team, and pop music critic George Varga, 1 to 4 p.m.

Explore the technology that brings you the daily newspaper, Today's Local News,  Enlace,  multimedia site SignOnSanDiego.com and AmplifySD.com, the all-San Diego music online radio station.

Tune to “U-T in the Community” and “Community Spotlight” on SignOn Radio LIVE, hosted by Drew Schlosberg on Tuesdays and Fridays (except July 4).

Online: For fair news and information, go to fair.uniontrib.com