Alameda County Fair Opens + 13 Kittens Need Forever Homes + Spelling Bee Champ: Saturday Smiles

The weekend is here, and that means it's time to share some of our lighter news from across Northern California.

In the East Bay, the Alameda County Fair is open for the season, and a new pump track has opened. Thirteen of the 25 kittens airlifted to Northern California following the chemical crisis in Orange County need forever homes.

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The Game Show Studio has opened on the Peninsula, and free movies are returning to San Francisco's Union Square.

Alameda County Fair Opens Friday: What To Know Before You Go

• The annual fair returns with a Beach Boys concert, drone shows and World Cup watch parties. Discount tickets are available till Thursday.

Fremont 4th Grader Repeats As National Geography Bee Champion

• Shamik Mukherjee defended his title last month to become a two-time National Geography Champion.

Olympic Star Cashes In On Free Ice Cream Promise From East Bay Business

• Oakland's Fenton Creamery promised the Olympic star free ice cream following her historic win at the Winter Games.

A 'One-Of-A-Kind' Carnivorous Plant Festival Is Coming To Alameda

• Attendees can expect rare species, demonstrations, food, music and more.

Livermore Celebrates Opening Of Sunken Gardens Pump Track

• The city's first pump track is adjacent to the Sunken Garden Skate Park. It offers banked turns, table tops, ADA accessibility, and more.

Forget Watching Game Shows On TV, San Mateo Now Has One You Can Actually Play In

• The Game Show Studio brings a fully immersive live game show experience to the Peninsula.

25 Kittens Airlifted To Walnut Creek After SoCal Chemical Crisis, 13 Still At Shelter

• Bay Area rescue group relocated vulnerable cats as Orange County emergency-strained animal shelters.

Watch: Glowing Neon Chick Returns To Petaluma Skyline

• More than 150 people gathered to celebrate the restoration of one of Petaluma's most recognizable vintage signs and community campaign.

Free Movies Are Returning To San Francisco's Union Square

• "‘Cinema on the Square’ is quickly becoming a new San Francisco tradition that we can all look forward to experiencing," a supervisor said.

Let us know if you have an idea for a nice news story in your town. Email your story tips to autumn.johnson@patch.com.