LOS ANGELES, May 5 (Xinhua) -- The Los Angeles County Fair, in the western U.S. state of California, was launched on Thursday after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

       The return of the fair, at the Pomona Fairplex in Southern California, comes in time for its 100th anniversary.

       The theme for this year's fair is "Back To Our Roots." Visitors can enjoy the smell of savory chicken legs, wacky carnival games and the sight of hogs racing, according to organizers.

       Since its debut in 1922 as a small agricultural exposition, the fair has transformed into an annual gathering for multiple generations of families across Southern California, typically welcoming more than 1 million guests.

       Following its cancellation in 2020 and a scaled-down version in September 2021 in response to the pandemic, the 2022 fair has been carefully planned out by organizers for a full-scale return this year, said Fairplex CEO and President Walter Marquez.

       He said the fair is expected to meet or exceed 2019 attendance of 1.1 million visitors.

       The fair will run from May 5 to 30.