3.20.26 - Was excited for this event! Purchased the early bird tickets for $13 each so that wasn't bad at all. I attended this event last year and the lines weren't too bad that time. Place seemed brighter and livelier last year. It was also a bit more busy too. This year, it was pretty empty. Lines were short though so that was a good thing. It was hot out on this particular weekend. Wish they would plan these outdoor events during the cooler months. I just had to come back again for a few specific items. Unfortunately, the oysters from Nola Oysteria were a bit overcooked and dry this year. Chili wontons from Zindrew were also better last time. They were also hot (spicy) last time. This time, it was just mild (1 friend can't handle hot). I ended up buying a jar of Zindrew's hot chili oil to take home. Sooo good! Pho soup dumplings were delicious!! I wanted 2 more trays of it! My friend liked the bone marrow. They liked the katsu chicken sando too. My lychee tea was refreshing. My friend got a giant mango drink in the animal jugs but it came with little to no ice!! Was not worth $25 for it. My only regret was not purchasing any dessert to eat or take home this time. read more

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So this past Sunday was the Thriftapalooza... This is a must try attraction for the ones that didn't make it this year, but a must for next year. Easy parking. Easy entrance. Friendly customer service from all the workers..but most importantly. It was a fun function. Walking down and looking at all the booths and bringing me back to when I was kid. The things I'd collect and wear. This was an awesome event. Glad I was able to take part in it. Thank you Thriftapalooza! And thank you AE & State Fair for a great event...until again yelpers... read more

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Enjoyed Thriftapalooza 11/23/25. Bought one original oil painting ($75). Bought three original watercolor paintings (3 for $45). Bought some books of exactly what I was looking for ($20), and a butterfly pin ($3). Great finds and prices. Parking close and $12. read more

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Checked out the State Fair for the first time this season! I loved the fair growing up, so this has been on my list for awhile. The fair offers ample food concessions, rides activities and a fair amount of free entertainment! We were able to see Monster Trucks (ar plus encouraged), a hypnotist, some live music and check out the petting zoo all included in the ticket price. If you buy tickets in advance, I believe they are around $12 and at the door $17 or so. We scored some free tickets, which made it even sweeter! We were excited to check out the various attractions, and I knew we'd have to pay for certain ones, but I honestly wasn't expecting it to be SO expensive. Rides vary from $5-10, which is pretty steep for a brief ride. Most food is $8-20, and honestly with portions, not horrible, but it definitely adds up! Lastly, parking, the fair does have $15 parking, though to be expected it fills up quickly. We were fortunate enough to be able to park at a friends and walk to the fair, but the lots in the area ranged from $50-60 which is INSANE! The Monster truck show was fun, as well as the hypnotist was a fun act. The fair also has water filling stations throughout which is nice. Overall it was an enjoyable evening, but I am not sure if I would rush back and found the over value a bit low. Everything essentially has a cost and it definitely adds up. read more

Had a great time at the AZ State Fair with some close friends tonight! I'm not big on going to the Fair usually but it was extremely entertaining with this group, never a dull moment! $15 for parking and $15 for admission....not terrible. The food.....definitely on the "oh damn" side. $20 for a normal size bowl of Bacon Mac n' Cheese! To be expected though, it's the fair :) If you're thinking of going, give it another 2 weeks when it's a tad cooler outside. read more

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Won 2 tickets to Thriftapalooza! Brought a friend and was amazed at the variety. Bought 3 French fashion magazines from the early 1900's for $30. Got a crocheted hanging basket holder for my plant $15. Got 3 pairs of scissors for $8. There was far more, but definitely something for everyone! Parking wasn't bad, it was easy to get in and out. You can also get free tickets by volunteering for the event. Tickets normally run $30 each. read more

We came here for a thriftapalooza event. The staff were so nice! The parking was easy and not too pricey. There were so many stalls to look at and the grounds seemed clean and orderly. read more

Where are all of the humans this year!!! ‍ Last year, it was crowded as soon as, the gates were opened as well as previous years!!! The heat never stopped humans before but, perhaps this year, it was possibly due to the heat being 106° that the crowd was pretty much crowdless! Parking was $15 whereas, last year it was $5 in the same spot I park each year. This year, I was offered free VIP parking but turned it down because, since no one was hardly here, I was able to park in a better spot than what VIP parking offered, which was literally steps away from the entrance. A Winwin!!! All of the food stands offered $3,00 items which is a drop from last years $4.00 prices. These $3 food items were full sized servings/portions and only available to senior citizens last year but this year, they were giving them to any and everyone. Upon entrance the photographers asked to take your photo for free... but, there's a catch... these humans will tell you that, the photos are free and to pick them up on your way out, HOWEVER, When you go to pick them up there's a charge, and a heavy one at that!!! ‍ ‍ ‍ The thing about these photos were that, they didn't even turn out great especially, if you're a human of darker complexion! I recommend taking em with your own camera and save your money. I found it interesting how the photos came out considering that it wasn't just my photo but other lighter skinned minority photos as well. I asked the guy working here why this was the case, in which he stated that, the photos come out darker due to the machine being used and that he wished that there were a way to correct it since all brown and dark minority photos, turn out darker than others!!! (Respectfully) He was nice and honest!!! Moving on... The first stop that we made after the photos, was the Arizona lottery booth, which was 1 of the first booths upon entry. I always love to stop here first, to spin the wheel. I won a popup hand fan as well as, $20. Yippee The second stop, was food food food... at one point, I was walking around with fry bread, chili fries and a slice of pizza eating them all. $3 each and all were full portions Yes, I am greedy!!! After an hour of digestion, I ended up eating a grilled hamburger with grilled onions, curly fries and a lemonade which was one heck of a deal at $9.99. To walk off our full bellies, I stopped inside the shopping tent to visit a friend whom I met last year and we've been pals ever since. My plus 1, left due to heat exhaustion. My friend who works here is such a fun diva to chat with. This human being has my hypertension beat... on steroids. Lol Sheesh dude is something else. Lol Funny and vibrant!!! I seen a poncho and bag that I wanted to get last year and finally was able to get a steal on it, this year by using my sales skills I then walked to see the 3 humans who were screaming on rides, and then to watch 2 shows before, I started to feel faint due to the 106° heat myself!!! Side note: I wasn't aware that, you can wheel and deal on merchandise sold at tents at the state fair but I'm thinking it's because of the economy that these vendors are desperately trying to keep afloat therefore, they were willing and dealing with customers. Although, it was fun and they gave me props for being a great bargainer it was also breaking my heart that I couldn't afford to buy them out entirely because they all were wonderful humans who deserved every cent made!!! I literally used very little sales pitch to get what I wanted but also, I didn't break them doing it because; I felt bad especially those vendors who had their kids working with them. They have to make money!!! They employees and customers even clapped for me for being a good bargainer lol Maybe, my calling is to become an auctioneer Finally: I was ready to leave after my last stop which was to visit all of the brand new vehicles on display at Toyota. I liked that Toyota had a nice group of 2025 vehicles showcased on the grounds with starting prices of $21k and up!! The 2025 RaV 4 and the 2025 pickup truck were nice vehicles. I won a tote bag here by participating in a bean bag game offered. I stopped to give them traffic and because, I love cars and suvs. Lastly, I went to watch one last amazing show, with acrobats really doing an amazing job swinging on bars and doing flips in 106° weather. They were all awesome!!! Granted that by now, you'd think that these vendors would buy shaded tarps to cover their aluminum stands for humans to sit and watch in Arizona but...‍ ‍ Although, I loved the crowd "as is " this year, I felt sorry for all vendors. This was a great time and day for all to visit! I'm looking forward to going again next year Thanks to all vendors, restaurants, and workers because in this heat... you all deserve 6 months off with pay!!! See yall next year AZ State Fair read more

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I was going to give three stars, but the more I think about it, I just can't. I looked up the AZ fair info before coming into town, so I knew, for the most part, that this fair was going to be tiny, but I was excited to go because I have never been to another state's fair. I am biased to my own fair, in Wisconsin. It's HUGE. Probably AT LEAST 10 times the size of this fair. Size was not the only let down. Let's start with cost. At home, I can get tix for $10 or under, but they get you with parking at $15. AZ? $15 per person admission and $8 to park, but I had to cross a busy street to even get onto the fairgrounds! Food. At home, various local restaurants have food stands AND provide live entertainment. Duplicate drink (lemonade and soda) purveyors abound, but not for food. Food runs the gamut of everything you can imagine. AZ? The same vendor of turkey legs, brisket, and pulled pork at at least 3 or 4 locations around the grounds. Ditto the lemonade stands. AZ DOES have a couple of locations where you can get full on liquor drinks, like a whiskey neat. There is also a ton of taco and corndog stands. Rides. At home, the giant ferris wheel is $6 or $7 per person, and you're on it for at least 5 minutes. AZ? The giant ferris wheel was smaller, was $11-$13 per person, and went around 2 times. TWO!!! Every ride was at least $4 per person, minimum, where as at home, you could ride some for $3 per person. Vendors. Both were the same: bathroom remodel, overpriced and poorly made dresses, bags, jewelry, kids toys, basket of pick-your-own candy at $6.49 per half pound, AZ just has waaaaay fewer of these things. Animals. Arizona, come on. You had, and yes, I counted: 2 cows, 4 chickens, 1 turkey, 2 sheep, 2 pigs, 2 piglets, 4 camels, a donkey, a llama, an alpaca, and at least 4 breeds of goats, of which you probably had 100 total. Horses? Rabbits? Ducks? WHAT. THE. HECK. Do you offer a physical map of the grounds, or of the food vendors? Nope. You have a map of the fairgrounds at all the entrances, and also on your app. Which was near impossible to see in the sun that shines ALL DAY, CAUSE WE'RE IN ARIZONA! And finally, Arizona. I love you, but you can do better. There wasn't one piece of fair merchandise I could buy as a souvenir. Not even a post card. I had to settle for asking a stranger to take our picture in the picture frame thing set up in the coliseum. But hey, you had monster trucks! We went on $3 food day, where certain food items were only $3 a pop, and that was definitely enjoyable, barring the Chamoy pickle. Word on the street is that it was terrible. All in all, the Arizona state fair was pretty much what I expected, except for the food. I am definitely happy I went, I did have a nice time, but I do not see myself coming back unless it gets a drastic makeover. Honestly, you could be in and out in 3 hours or less. Wow! 53/2023 read more

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My very 1st state fair! Was lucky enough to be in Phoenix this month to hit up the AZ State Fair. Their motto is "Fair is Life", and to be fair, my life has changed. I grew up with the LA, OC, and SD County Fairs, and in terms of landsize, the AZ State Fair falls short. But, it does make up for it by being moooo-arvelous. Sorry bout the cow joke. I've just never seen so many cows. Black cows, brown cows, big cows, small cows. For a city girl who gets excited seeing cows graze by the freeway, this close-up, fenceless encounter is jaw-dropping. The entire agricultural display & cattle barn is a fitting showcase of AZ's flourishing farming industry. Cow rumps were being measured for some competition. Young pigs were trotting around with their trainers. Even alpacas and llamas were in the mix. I regret missing the Native Spirit performance since it's a unique part of local culture, but I did get to try the Chili Meat & Cheese Frybread. I also regret not going on Fri for Taste of the Fair where certain menu items are only $3. Got a Blood Orange Tequila to drown my regrets. Browsed the local art entries, shopping halls, and finished my night with the Sky Ride. This ski lift ride is one-way so you could see the whole fair then take it back to the entrance. Get the app! I was able to buy my entrance tix on it & scan it to get in. It also has a searchable fair map & schedules. Parking wasn't as easy. The $8 lot was full, and there's no sign till you drive up close. On the way to the $12 lot, we found free neighborhood parking 1 mile away. My 1st state fair was a novel and fun experience. With the crowds I saw on a Thursday evening and the chaotic parking, they may need to make it bigger in the future. And bring in more cows. read more

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Altough there is admissions at the door, I believe it was $15 per person, I think the should not charge. Make it affordable for families, cause those are you biggest customers because they have kids. You charge more than enough for the rides and the food and the games. Make it more affordable because still you are going to do more in profit. It was not to bad for me because I came when it was free to get in 12pm to 1pm today when you opened. And I am an older woman who dont get on the rides, so I didnt do to bad. However, I call still say it was one of the best times I had in a very long time. The Food was delicious. It was lot of fun, entertainment & prizes, and rides.The prices weren't as bad as I thought they would be. My family and I had a ball. See ya'll again when you come back to Phoenix AZ. read more

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Foodieland fair was quite a miserable experience. They must have oversold the tickets and were not paying attention to the timed entries. 90 minutes into Saturday, all food booths had lines of 20 deep and parking was a nightmare. Luckily, I didn't waste $12 on parking, only $6 on the ticket. Nothing was worth Waiting an hour for. They did have plenty of food booth, at least 100, but somehow it was just a mess of people and nowhere to sit either. At least, they made money. read more

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I am specifically reviewing the AZ State Fair and not necessarily the Fair Grounds. Over the years my feelings about this place have declined drastically. It really started after going to the Texas State Fair in Dallas. It's difficult to top that fair experience. If you ever go, you'll understand why you can't view the AZ state fair the same. I'm writing today because i was suckered in to coming back. I said I wouldn't come back again last year for the same reasons. Decided I'd write a review to remind myself next year. $34 ticket for entry (2 people) $50 for about 8 rides. [only 8 rides!!!!] $29 lunch (tater tots and a flavorless turkey leg) $8 Dole Ice Cream $6 Ice cream cup $14 Four Peaks Kilt Lifter Total: I can't believe I didn't write a review last year after coming here and being so vexed by the quality of the food! Here's the deal... I come to a state fair for the food! Literally! Last year, I had that lobster roll and another lobster dish(I think it was lobster fries) because a newscaster raved about it... terrible. The worst money I ever spent. I vowed to never ever try a $30 dish at this fair again. Fast forward to Today... thinking I'll play it safe... I order a turkey leg ($19) . How could that be bad? You tell m: How do you pull a turkey leg off the grill and the thing is barely warm? Smokey in flavor yes, but lacking atrociously in seasoning(uhm Bigey, talking about you)! The only good thing I've had there in the last two years were the tater tots(because I asked them to make mine fresh and to cook them a little longer so they were crispy). One of my more recent finds at this state fair are the Mercados set up in a few places on the fair grounds. I alga e a star for those because they actually provide a cool place to relax on the warm AZ fall days. The mercados have interesting items that you can buy to clutter your house and junk it up nicely. Lol. All in all.... I'm saying I'll never return today .... As I sit inside the fair in the last day of 2023.... But I already know... I'll be back! Return Factor: 90% But I will not be buying "lunch" or "dinner" next year! read more

Not really worth the money. There are much better fairs to attend if you can travel. I've been 3 times in 10 years, now I see why. The "Prince Tribute Band" on Saturday October 4th, 2025 was a karaoke show at best. The lead was chewing gum while he sang, the back-up singer didn't sing and couldn't harmonize when she did sing, the band missed several ques, I could go on. I don't think I'll attend the AZ state fair anymore. There are too many good events, festivals, and much better fairs to attend. read more

Was in town for my Girlfriend's birthday, and wanted to do a day visit to the Arizona state Fair. It had been years since she visited the fair, and I have never been to Arizona's fair. It was a good time. As in most fairs, that I have visited, its expensive. It's not the walk in cover, but the parking, get in, food, beer, and thats if your not there all day like us. The animals was as always so cute to see and visit. The petting area with the animals was free, so that was nice. There were lots of rides and games. Food options were a plenty. The vendors that were indoors, they could have been better or maybe better prospected by the organizers. The vendors seemed limited and almost reminded me of a swap-meet. My biggest issue was that there was zero entertainment. I get it, there will be at night. However, we dropped a few hundred dollars during the day and no DJ, no music, no bands nothing. There was not an ounce of entertainment during the day. My recommendation, don't go during the day at all! read more

It was fun with the live bands & other cool things but you can easily spend $200 & not have much to show for it. Parking was pretty harsh too.. $40. Lol read more

Everything was overpriced. I paid $55 just to get in the door with the now-$40 parking-fees (if you don't want to walk far in a terrible part of town) and $15 for a ticket! It was $20 for nachos. And was it a huge amount? NO! It was ridiculous! They aren't Walt Disney World! Totally not affordable.z read more

There is truly something for everyone at the Arizona State Fair! We were dazzled by the lights, sounds and smells and were thoroughly entertained for hours. We caught the tail end of the $2.00 rides and games and enjoyed a ride in the fancy Ferris wheel. It was smooth, air conditioned and offered a great view of the fair and surrounding Phoenix. The rides geared for younger kids kept our toddler happy and very entertained. The agriculture area was great fun. The bunnies and guinea pigs were cute. The livestock entries were on the lighter side. We enjoyed seeing lots of sheep but very few cows and no horses. The stars of the show were brand new sheep and little piglets! Baby animals are the cutest. We caught some of the comedy/juggling act which was pretty cool and we really enjoyed the young Chinese acrobats. They left us wondering how their bodies could move and stretch like that? What we really came for was the fair food! And indulge we did. The awesome Dominic Palmieri III foodie and owner of Midway Gourmet took us on a culinary explosion to sample some of his unique fair food. Cheesy fries topped with Hot Cheetos, Mexican corn salad in a bag, fruity popcorn filled with liquid nitrogen and last but definitely not least deep fried butter. The popcorn fulfilled any dreams I might have had of breathing fire like a dragon. And the deep fried butter was an other worldly experience. Golden batter filled with creamy sweet butter topped with syrup and powdered sugar. It was divine. Dominic definitely opened my eyes to the indulgent, unique and modern foods offered at the fair. We continued to stuff our faces and enjoyed a pecan smoked sausage on a stick, fried zucchini, deep fried cookie dough and a small mountain of cotton candy. If you too have yet to discover all the delicious, unique food that the fair has to offer, GO! You're in for some great fun, awesome people watching and crazy good food. Stop by any of the food booths labeled RCS and you're in for something delicious. read more

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It is a waste. Too expensive, food vendors don't wear gloves.No free disability parking. Takes up streets, entertainments sucks.Shut it down

I have been to a lot of fairs and this one was lacking in vendor selection and I felt like I was in a maze. If your into rides I think this would be a place to go... once. Parking was $25 when we got there, but I noticed it was $35 when we were leaving around 6 PM on a Thursday. Entry into the fair was $12 for adults. We did buy some good hot sauce in the fair from a vendor out of Los Gatos, which was our highlight of the day. Everyone should do this once for the experience. Been there, done that, now I can move on to the next big adventure. read more

Arizona Exposition & State Fair - Festivals Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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The Arizona state fair is a lot of fun, especially for the admission price! You can buy tickets online for about $6 each. The greatest value comes from the amazing FREE concerts! Every year there's a good lineup and yes, you can get in FREE with your paid fair admission! The biggest downsides of the fair are what you'd expect: parking runs anywhere from $15 - $25. The food stands inside should be ashamed of the outrageous prices they charge (think $27 for a turkey leg, $10 for a funnel cake, $7 fried Oreos, $8 for a small cup of lemonade) but they serve great "fair food." The rides are your typical carnival rides and lines aren't too bad UNLESS YOU GO AT NIGHT. Again, try to avoid the fair at night, especially on weekends! If you can go midweek during the day, you'll have a much better time. There are lots and lots of midway games with fun prizes (but bring cash, you're gonna need it)! The fair grounds are large and spacious, and they pack a lot of stuff into the area. With all this space, you'd think they'd provide more shady areas or places to sit and relax -- these coveted spots are few and far between. If you eat, you're going to eat standing up in the sweltering desert sun. The livestock exhibits are always fun to peruse and there's a small petting zoo for kids (extra fee to do this). The exhibit halls kind of blow, they are mostly filled with vendors for mattresses and "as seen on t.v." junk. The prize winner exhibits are fun and these was some great photography in the contest this year. Money saving tip: check online for cool events, freebies and giveaways the day of your visit! All in all, this is a pretty fun state fair! read more

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I am from Iowa and have yet to come across a state fair that rivals the one in Des Moines. That aside, I still end up going usually at least once each October/November to the Arizona State Fair. The main draw if the free general admission at the coliseum with admission to the fair. I have seen over a dozen shows. However, outside of that big draw they lack smaller performance options. The rest is basically rides and carnival food you can find anywhere. A few buildings have some crafts and livestock. Worth walking thru, but not worth going to on its own. It is also disappointing that the place looks run down and badly peeling paint on so many of the buildings. Go for the great concert deal and enjoy a walk around the grounds for a bit after. read more

Arizona Exposition & State Fair - Street performers at the az state fair. - Festivals Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Been in AZ for just over 3 years. Last night was my first time to the fair. I lived in San Diego for 10 years, so I am very partial to the Del Mar Fair. Beautiful setting, always a good time, but always a bit too crowded for my liking, too. Here are the things I noticed about the AZ State Fair. 1. Inexpensive. $10 bucks to get in and that includes general admission seating to their concerts. 2. Parking. Their info is a bit incorrect. They claim to have shuttle buses from 19th and Washington, but this year they DO NOT. We wound up going to that parking lot (Capitol Building), sitting there for a few and then calling the fair number and they informed us that this year they do not have shuttle buses. We wound up driving to the fair, and right past Grand, we found a neighbors backyard to park in ($10.00!). It was right across the street from the entrance. Warning though...when we were leaving, lots around the fair were anywhere from $20-50! Yeah, $50 bones to park (8pm at night!). You gotta be nuts to pay $50.00 to park..ANYWHERE! Anyways...find a house off 19th Ave and most of them were $10.00. Well worth it! 3. Not as "ghetto" as I had imagined. Lifelong Phoenix folks had told me that the crowd can be a bit "rough" and to leave before dark. It wasn't bad at all. A white guy like myself was definitely a minority, but I never felt unsafe or uncomfortable. 4. Not nearly as crowded as the Del Mar Fair! You could actually walk around without worrying about squeezing past someone or bumping into them. 5. Not as many vendors, exhibit halls as Del Mar. 6. The food was pretty much the same. I had a log of fries, and an Indian Fry Bread (Super Bomb!) with honey and powdered sugar. Greasy, as usual, but decent portions for the prices. I had a good time! I still like Del Mar a little bit better, but I will continue to come back here to the Phoenix Fair as long as I live here in AZ. read more

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Our fair isn't the most amazing state fair in the country but it's pretty good! There is a wide selection of rides for most ages, games, and food. Man can the food be good! They have shows and lots of items for sale as well. Expect to pay anywhere from $10-$20 for parking. There is parking at the fair itself along with lots of private lots surrounding the fair that will let you park there for the aforementioned fee. As an Arizona native I make sure to go to the fair at least once a year, it's tradition! I make sure to come hungry to get at least one type of fun food. The variety they have is crazy! I see at least one new idea every year. Prices for the rides have definitely gone up this year. They have free wristband days but boy do those get crazy. The most recent visit we had happened to be the evening of "seniors day" and it was great. There wasn't that many people there so we could walk around freely (instead of being shoulder to shoulder). Food was fast and delicious. Rides were fun. They have a new Ferris wheel ride! The fair in my opinion is always worth checking out even if you don't intend to play. There's lots of things to do and see. With that being said the prices are pretty steep. I heard that they are looking for ways to make the fair bigger, better, and with more amenities which is something that I look forward to since the demand is always high. read more

Arizona Exposition & State Fair - The fair always has the craziest food pairings. Yum! - Festivals Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Who doesn't like the fair? Why does this one have such low reviews on yelp? What do people expect from the fair? Read on to learn more. First off, don't park at the first lot you see. There are lots for $5-$20 and the most expensive one is not the closest either so don't be lazy and drive around a bit. I went at about 4pm because I wanted to experience the sunset time. As a photographer I really was looking forward to this but apparently at this time of year (October) the way the sun was setting a lot of the cool rides and such were in the shade so that was a bummer as I was planning to do a shoot here. Oh well, the food. The food is typical fair food and YES, Surprise! It is overpriced. Honestly for people who eat clean or who are vegetarian like myself the options are slim but there are a few options. Personally, I recommend you stay away from the nachos! The cheese was chunky and not even warm, basically I threw them away it was that bad. Tostitos cheese dip from the store in a jar would've been better. I should've had icecream or pizza but I was craving nachos and they totally disappointed. You like fried stuff? Well, you've come to the right place to clog your arteries. They've got french fries, corn dogs, fried oreos, funnel cake, donuts, churros, I think they'll fry anything really! I never made it to the covered area with the animals and such so can't say much about that but I will tell you about the rides. I've been to a lot of fairs and I recall a lot of rides from the time I was a kid. Well, this fair seems big but they were missing a lot of the rides I remember from past fairs. I'm talking teen-adult rides though not kiddie rides (they have alot of those). Tickets seem a bit pricey but the cool thing about this fair is that they have so many different specials on different days to really help families save $$ especially if you have got some kids! Those kids are expensive aren't they? Soda, snacks, rides, games, they want it all. Anyways look into saving days and come when it suits you. Overall I had a nice time, enjoyed the vibe, got decent parking, ok rides and crappy food but that's just my personal tastes judging that. I think it's a pretty cool/ fun place to spend the evening or daytime. Come check it out for yourself next year! read more

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Let's start with parking-$20?! Holy smokes! When we left same place was $25 but we also seen signs for $15. Seems like they change it based on demand. On the plus side, we arrived before 2pm so tickets were $5/each rather than the $10/adult and $7/child. Onto the food, not so good. My husband got a footlong corndog that cost $9. The hotdog was small, was expecting a polish dog for that price. Was not very hot and fresh and mostly batter. We also got nachos, asada fries which had no taste and that cost $17. Best thing food wise was my other daughters cheese pizza. That says a lot about the food. Almost forgot, we tried the deep fried Oreos which were great, would've been even better if it just came out the fryer. Petting zoo and animal areas were expected but my girls loved it and that's all that mattered. Games and rides were great! Pricey but that usually happens you go to the fair. Spent a good $150 and walked out with 6 stuffed animals. Probably won't go again for a few years but we just moved here and wanted to see what it was all about! read more

I can't believe people can find shit to bitch about at the fair. Carnies, questionable food, questionable rides for that matter, animals, all of those neat projects that people submit for prizes, demolition derby, B rate concerts, the list goes on of all of the cool stuff you can see at the fair. A lot of people would like to see the fair grounds demolished and probably built up into some beige stucco bullshit - to those people I say bite your tongue! The Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum may look ugly as shit to you but it hold many great memories for this old broad. I guess if you have a stick up your ass, the State Fair isn't the place for you. But if you don't mind getting a little dirty and like to act like a kid, this place can be a lot of fun! read more

UNLIMITED RIDES = UNLIMITED LINES!! Don't fall victim to this cash grab scam. $35 to wait in hour-plus lines for everything, even the stupid 'fun' house. And no, a fast pass for an extra $25 wont help, because they don't limit how many they sell. BUT they limit them on the rides to about 1/4 of the ride's capacity, so 200 people in regular line = 50 people in fast pass line. Works out to about the same level of frustration, just with a lighter wallet. Steer clear of Thursday's and Sunday's. Better yet, just steer clear in general unless you're coming only to see the cows. read more

Horrible!!!! They don't honor the Fry's receipt for entry. I called the customer service line and the women rudely told me that "you don't have proof? Why should I believe you?" Why would I lie? I'm not trying to get my money back or anything. Don't come here read more

I'm a native, I've lived in this beautiful state 35 years. I don't think a year has gone by when I have not attended the fair. This year was no exception. I ate a turkey drum, deep fried twinkie, corn dog, grilled corn, caramel apple and a kebab (it was a long day). I rode so many rides I almost puked. I can't remember the names of them, but they have a recently new one and it spins you while circling you high in the air. I got nauseas and it was fantastic. I saw carnies with feathered hair and missing teeth. I saw gangbangers smoking who knows what. I saw a really trashy, heavy lady being pulled around in a red rider wagon by an equally trashy and heavy man. Did I mention she only had one shoe on? I saw goats and chickens and pigs and they had a Bodyworks exhibit this year. My boyfriend bought me a koala bear hat and his son a toy gun. We spent over 200 bucks and went home with sunburns and sickness. I love the fair! read more

Arizona Exposition & State Fair - What a gorgeous day for the fair!! - Festivals Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

As others have noted, it's not a fair, it's a carnival. I've always imagined State Fairs to be where people from the actual State get together and show off their produce, have pie contents, biggest pig, biggest tomato, talent contest, etc... This is a bunch of private creepy carnival companies coming to town and milking you for everything you're worth. The games are stupid. They're designed for you to lose, but so you don't feel bad, if you pay enough, most will guarantee a stuffed toy. I'm sorry, if I want a guaranteed stuffed animal, I'll go to the store and pay market value for it. Then they have their tricky ticket system, $5 get you 10 tickets, $20 gets you 40. So there's no benefit to buying bulk. Each game is 7-10 tickets, and it's usually for only one try. So you're literally paying $5 to try to throw a single ball into a random basket. But you feel better because it's tickets instead of money, so you do it. The photo booths don't work, but they refuse to put "out of order" signs on them. So we spent 20 minutes on a bunch of different booths that didn't work before getting our money back and leaving. The food is probably the worst part. Not only is it ridiculous prices, but it's also not food any more. Fried burritos, fried burgers, fried ANYTHING. There are places where you can't take a breath without getting a lung-full of fried. The only good part was the Ferris wheel read more

Uhhhh... Fair food.... I'm sleepy. I went down to the state fair today to walk around, check out the attractions and eat the food. I've been to fairs and carnivals before and I thought I knew what to expect, but I definitely found myself surprised a couple times. Sweet potato corn dogs? Deep-fried everything? My girlfriend and I made the decision to share whatever we got and boy was it a good idea. Here's what we had: Deep-fried bacon - Meh, in the flavor department... Cowboy fries with gravy - Made me think of Canada! Turkey leg - Get one! Deep-fried banana split - Delicious! If you try nothing else that's not-so-good-for-you, make sure you try the banana split. My goodness was it good! If you've ever had Puerto Rican desserts with deep-fried bananas, imagine that with ice cream and sundae toppings! Mmm! DISCLAIMER! - For all of you reading this and thinking about how disgusting all that sounds, do yourself a favor and remember that it's a fair and it's all in good fun. Overall the fair was a good time. The ride wristband is a must if you want to ride anything at all. Oh, and it's definitely worth it to take a few minutes to look on the website before going. There are a lot of different deals. read more

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I give the AZ State Fair just two stars for the following reasons... 1. I've been to state fairs in 4 different states and this one pales in comparison. 2. In a state known for heat - they provide little shade 3. There's nowhere to sit down to eat 4. There seems to be little thought put in how the rides are placed on the grounds 5. The vendors and exhibitors are scarce compared to other states 6. The agriculture or live stock is mostly rabbits and goats that are for sale 7. From a branding perspective they do nothing to promote or inform you about the state 8. Location, location, location - if you want anyone of more than low middle class to attend the fair, then hold it in Westworld or somewhere not smack dab in the middle of the ghetto The state government really needs to put some time and effort in to turning this fair in to something Arizonians can be proud of. read more

Arizona Exposition & State Fair - Finally, scanned this to digital. Took at old west style photo booth near arena - Festivals Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Holy cow has the fair gotten expensive. I took three kids, my partner and of course me. In total we spent over $400 because the rides were ridiculously expensive. The coupon book is a joke. In order to get any value in it you have to spend even more money on junk you don't even want. The only items that came in handy were the one game get one for free and even then not all the games participated. The fair food was great but $20 for a turkey leg wrapped in cheap bacon was a bit overboard. I don't think I will go back. It's a better deal to drive to Cali for their amusement parks. read more

Arizona Exposition & State Fair - Festivals Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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Waste. Of. Money!!! It took us 40 minutes to get in thru security &long lines everywhere. $12 to get in, $8 for small cotton candy, $10 to play one game, & $200 to get my car back from being towed!!! We've always parked in the neighborhood off of McDowell &ppl we're so kind to allow us...not this year. Tow trucks everywhere &cops driving up &down streets issuing parking tickets. My kids &I had to walk across Grand Ave to retrieve our car, along with 140 other cars impounded! Total rip off &unexpected close to our evening no more Az State Fair for us. read more

Not quite what I expected, but still a good time. The highlights: - Waterloo, an ABBA tribute band playing the night I was there, was amazing. They did a great job and had the audience dancing in the aisles. - The food was a festival of deep-fried, artery-hardening goodness that you can only find at fairs and some sports events. - I tried my first ever funnel cake. Yes, it was good - I purchased a corn dog from a vendor that was missing his front teeth and wanted a sip of my beer. No, I did not give him one. The not-so-great: - $20 to park!? I am not familiar with the area and probably could have done better on this one. - Where were the cows!? You cannot have a fair without COWS! I saw a large building filled with llamas, but no cows. Another building, that may have had them was closed. :( Overall I am glad I went, but maybe should have gone during the day to be able to see more exhibits. In the evening it is more like a really crowded and kind of dirty amusement park, but with drunk people. I will still go back next year... :) read more

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I haven't been to the fair in years, and I figured it was time to head back down to the fairgrounds once again to have a bit of fun while its still here. The first time I went, I remember it clear as day, and had a blast with some friends on a Saturday afternoon. Now, I came back, and its as fun as I remember it to be. Rides galore, with tons of things to see and do. What I like about the fair is the following: A) you don't have to like rides to have a good time here. There's plenty to see, do and eat to keep you entertained for quite a few hours. B) tons of food! Cotton candy, turkey legs, hot dogs and tons more to eat. Trust me, you won't go hungry! Be careful tho, some of the food is expensive, so try to spread yourself out when eating here. C) free shows and things to do. We saw a really cool drum circle with Native American dancers on a stage in the back. Also went through a verizon NFL booth that had all kinds of entertainment inside related to football. D) My favorite thing of all time-THE ANIMALS!! We saw so many sheep that were absolutely adorable I wanted to take them home with me. They have cows, Llamas, chickens, birds, pigs, goats, the whole 9 yards. This is worth the price of admission alone. They also have competitions amongst the animals and thats fun to watch as well. E) Every year they have concerts here, some free some not. There was a horse show going on in the arena when we arrived, but I do know that Korn was playing in the colliseum that night for a few extra dollars. I know snoop dogg used to perform here too, but the concerts are fun if someone you like should come into town. The downside to the fair is that it can be expensive as all get out. Last I checked, it was like $20 for 24 tickets, and that gets you 2, maybe 3 rides. I wanted to ride the Ferris Wheel SO BAD, but the price for tickets was outrageous! it would have cost to much to go on the ride for a few minutes, so I passed. :-( I only cried for like 2 minutes over it, but I cried into my bag of cotton candy, so I didn't feel so bad when I was done. Overall, not bad, just eat before you go so you don't put yourself in the poor house when going here. No, I'm not being cheap, but I just paid $7 for a bag of cotton candy, and almost paid $25 to ride the ferris wheel one time, so if thats okay with you, then go ahead. LOL read more

This was my first time ever going to a state fair, so my preconceived notions were limited to carnival-like food and games. I had no expectations beyond that. I researched before going and discovered that they offer several money-saving ways to enjoy the fair; all details can be found on their website. We decided to go on a Saturday morning, when you get $2 entry if you arrive prior to noon, and there is free parking at the state Capitol. (I saw signs for parking charging up to $20. Although the fair only charged like $10.) There were comfy coaches waiting to take us from the Capitol to the fair, and there were fair workers on site at the Capitol parking lot to assist. Once inside the fair, I was initially overwhelmed. It was a much bigger affair than what I had imagined. Food vendors by the tons, merchants galore, and some really cool rides. We decided to ride first and eat later. Rides. They had some pretty neat rides, for a fair. Mini-roller coasters, a huge slide (my fav!), bumper cars, a water log ride, the tower, and lots of spinning rides. Lots. I had mucho fun on the all rides except the one with Poseidon in the front. I was no good after that ride (lots of hard spinning, and you have no control over yourself. If you're with a child, make sure they sit on the inside -to your right, so the force doesn't cause you to crush them). There is an area with rides strictly for little ones, just like at an amusement park. Aside from the rides, they had attractions such as bungee jumping. We watched from below as brave ladies took on that dare. Everyone survived. Good times. Oh, and avoid any rides that go through doors, like the zombie "house", etc. It's literally a room and it lasts all of 5 seconds. Don't waste your tickets. FOOD. For those who don't know me, I must prelude the food section by saying that I am vegan. That being said, my food experience is limited. I had eaten before coming because I assumed there'd be nothing but junk food. I was right, for the most part, however, I did see someone selling a veggie burger. I pigged out on garlic fries (ask them to hold the Parmesan cheese if you're vegan or lactose intolerant), soft pretzels sans butter, Icees, shaved ice, candy apples, fried Oreos (Yes, Oreos are naturally vegan.), and Dole Whip. The stand which sold the Dole Whip also had Butter Beer! It's not vegan, but as a HP fan, it was pretty freggin cool to see! I do not know about cross-contamination and all that, so if you're THAT kind of vegan, just steer clear. Also, there were racks and racks of animal flesh, mainly by the turkey leg stands. I'm THAT type of vegan, so I had to shuffle swiftly to keep from getting sick from the smell and sights. Live Animals. Speaking of getting sick, near the kiddie rides, I smelled something and when I went to inspect I stumbled upon barns with lots and lots of farm animals, some of which were being sold. It was heartbreaking: the conditions, the looks of fear and sadness on the cows, chickens, and piglets, the latter of whom were all snuggled up together - shaking. And they labeled the pigs, "swine." That entire spectacle ruined my whole fair experience. I was later informed that this is what fairs are about. Really? I had NO idea. It was too much for me and my DD, who told me that she'd never go vegan, but after seeing that she has since changed her stance. Games. After the depression partially subsided, we played more games to release some anger. Just like carnivals, the games are designed for you to lose, so take heed. I spent way too much money trying to win a big wolf and a unicorn. Nonetheless, we did have fun and that's what matters most. Tickets. All rides and games required tickets. We started with 50 tickets, thinking that would be enough for the day. HAHA After being bamboozled at the first attraction, which gobbled 14 tickets from us for 14 seconds of "WTF was that?", followed by the next ride, which was actually really fun, we were out of tickets! Between the rides and the games, this continued all night. $325 later (in just tickets; not including the food), for just 2 of us; we could've gone to Disneyland. They offer deals on the rides, food, and games on certain days. That is the best deal for anyone who's really into the games and rides. Excluding the animal incident, we had a 4-star good time. The girls and I got henna tattoos, did some shopping at the Zion booth (where they sold Bob Marley everything), rode and ate until we were ready to pop and drop. The lines for food and rides were long, but went quickly. It's pricey, so be prepared to spend or come with the mindset of how much you're willing to spend and stick to it, no matter how much you want to claim that prize. As an animal lover, it was a 0 star experience. If that barn had been in the front, I would've done an about-face and saved myself hundreds of dollars that day. Sadly, unless they nix the animal abuse, I cannot support this event in the future. read more

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Had a great time here last week with my daughters. It's good to go soon after they get set-up (less stinky). The rides were fun, the food AWESOME, and the games were the same old trickery - though now you pay for them with a pre-paid game card instead of cash which helps keep them legit. You HAVE to try feeding the baby Giraffe and Camel in the petting area! Going to Weezer concert here tonight - hoping to avoid a stabbing. read more

I love the Arizona State Fair so much, I come every single year and have for the last 23 years. And I have seen some ups and downs over the years, but the last two have improved tremendously. There are better food options, and a lot of new foods each year. I love the rides, so many favorites, two rollercoasters!! And the entertainment is a blast to watch. Plus I get to have my afogato. Yum!! This year is great already and I'm only on day three. :) read more

Arizona Exposition & State Fair - I love fair foods, I love trying new things. This is my first ever dill pickle smoothie, it's amazing. Thank you Pony Espresso! - Festivals Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona