I love a good summer fair! I enjoy the California State Fair. It's huge! It has a lot to offer. I'm not from Sacramento, so my boyfriend and I like to go right when it opens to make our moneys worth and to beat the heat as much as we can. We went to the fair during the last weekend and met up with a couple friends. I did some research beforehand, to see what the best foods were just because I didn't want to waste money and be disappointed on food items. I'm glad I did that because most of the food items I got from the recommendations I saw online, I enjoyed. We got hot dog on a stick (classic), pickle lemonade, chicken kebab, cinnamon roll, lobster fries... now I'm going to say hot dog on a stick was the best. Maybe I'm biased, lol. But, I do have to say, I didn't eat anything that made me say I would love to get it again next year. I knocked down one star because it is expensive. Be prepared to spend lots of money! Admission price is I believe $15 per person? I can't remember. Parking was $15. Each food/drink item ranges from maybe $10-$30. If you want to ride any rides and play any games, that is additional money as well. There are also vendors inside selling stuff. So, just make sure you come prepared to spend a lot but I feel like that is expected when you go to the fair. However, my friends and I made the most of it! So, we had a great time. There are lots of indoor exhibits as well that has AC, so you can take a break from the extreme heat. If you haven't checked out the state fair, I would recommend to check it out at least once. If it isn't for you, then at least you tried! read more

Although I may have gone on one of the hottest days (103°), I still enjoyed my time at the state fair. I was so excited to go on my day off and a HUGE THANK YOU to Aileen & her hubby for inviting me and my plus 1! We arrived separately from Aileen & her hubby. Parking was $15 for this event and we found a spot quickly and not too far away. When we arrived close to 4, there was not a long line to get through getting checked in. Thanks again to Aileen for giving me a heads up about what kind of bag I was allowed to carry, I showed up with a clear backpack and the strip search was a breeze... just kidding, lol, but the bag search only took seconds. As we walked in, our picture was taken and we were handed a ticket to check out our picture on the way out. We headed straight for food. The prices were a little scary... finding the least price corn dog being $7. My friend went with that while I searched for something exciting... long story short, I ended up with a corn dog as well, lol. We ventured into the beer garden and the wine garden. The blackberry slushi really hit the spot. It was a little sweet, you would almost never know there was wine in it. While the sun was beating down on us, heating up that black pavement, we appreciate the shades above, as well as some of the cool zones where giant fans were available to provide some relief. Those small tent areas were always packed when we walked by. Finally, we decided to go inside the buildings and found the air conditioning was the place to be. It was nice checking out the vendors. I bought some tasty beef jerky... a small pack for $10. I tried some pretty good salsa, too. This is where we found the cinnamon rolls. There were cool combinations like the cinnamon bacon bomb, the biscotti cinnamon roll... we decided to try the tres leeches roll. Service was fast and we happen to get a cinnamon roll fresh out of the oven where the cinnamon and sugar were still bubbling. What a tasty treat ($16). Feeling how overwhelming the heat was, we were very hesitant to go outside, but I was really looking forward to checking out the lowriders exhibit... I'm not sure if there are words to describe the beauty of the hard work they've put into perfection. Where can I see more of these? The Lowrider exhibit took my breath away. Next, I was excited to see there was an Egyptian exhibit for King Tutankhamun... King Tut Experience. We got to see replicas of the most iconic treasures, golden shrines, thrones, jewelry, ceremonial beds, his state chariot, and more. It was interesting me was laid to rest with 93 pairs of sandals to take with him into his next life. There was reading material available with each artifact. There was reading for Nefertiti, Anubis, and even Howard Carter; who carefully excavated King Tuts tomb in 1922... I am fascinated by ancient Egypt and the secrets they still hold... this history lesson was beautiful... Tina Marie was the hypnotist on stage a few times throughout the day. She was very entertaining... as well as her special guests who volunteered to be hypnotized. Bravo to all of them!!! Aileen and I met up again halfway during Tina Marie's show and high tailed it over to the Sky River Stage where we would be enjoying some of the best songs of the 70's and 80's by Yaht Rock Revenue. They were soooo goooood!!! They were singing songs I listened to as a kid with my parents.. we were surrounded by some of the best people singing and rocking out.. I had an amazing time with Aileen!!! In the end, I had to chevk out the rides. I didn't get on, but I loved watching other people ride and I laughed as they screamed with joy and fear, lol.. I wish they would've made it easier to find the water stations, but other than that, we had a fantastic time!! read more

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With the amount of talent it brought to its concert series, wine varieties, freebies and CBD land, the state fair continued to be a fun summer activity for me. I bought the season pass during a 50% off 1-day promo a few months ago and went 5 times-worth every penny. My friends and I loved seeing Babyface, Ja Rule, Iration, Keith Sweat and Boyz II Men and we were lucky enough to score free seats for 4 out of those 5 concerts, thanks to the tickets and wristbands they passed out at 5 p.m. every day. The concerts were great and were made even better with the free swag we scored from a few different booths, including fans and light up tambourines. Food-wise, I enjoyed the $8 pizza slice and drink deal at 1 of the vendors as well as the Biscoff cinnamon roll at the famous cinnamon roll stand ($16). My friends and I kept the good times going with wine tasting and our resuable wine glasses, which you can bring back from previous years. 1 of the highlights at the wine garden was our 83-year-old bartender, who was so nice and does not look her age at all! We loved the CBD area as usual and got CBD slushies every visit. We loved the Gelato photo station, where we took free digital pics to remember for a lifetime and got paper fans to battle the hot hot heat as well as other dope swag. The animals were hella cute, including alpacas, cows, sea lions and camels. I wanted to hug the alpacas they were so cute! The exhibits were also fun, including the art and lowrider exhibits. Pro tip for next year: utilize the sunscreen at the info booth if you forgot to protect ya neck, follow the fair's socials for ticket deals, check out the cooling booths and bring canned goods on Fridays before 2 p.m. for free entry! Cheers! read more

California State Fair - Festivals Near Me - Sacramento, California

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Well organized state fair. Ticket price is fair but $15 for parking is daylight robbery. Make sure to bring clear bags. They have a strict bag policy. I enjoyed the exhibitions this year. Things are well organized and fun. I mainly try to stay inside and avoid being outside too much because it's really hot so I didn't get to check out the rides area. Can't say if they are fun or not. Food is what you would expect fair food to be. Some places are decent. Some places are not very decent, but that's ok. I do like the corn dog and the wine slushy. The gyro we got is also really delicious. But I would get the frozen margarita it does not taste very good. Some staff are nice but some really do not give a single damn. I like that at each information booth there's hand sanitizer and sunscreen. They are also lots of hand wash stations all over the fair. I really appreciate that they are taking hygiene very seriously. read more

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My favorite annual, summer activity! This was my third consecutive year at the California State Fair, and I love that there's always something new and always something nostalgic to experience. This year, I went on a Friday and planned my visit around the Toyota Concert series to see Ja Rule! I love that the State Fair hosts this concert series, and I even bought a ticket for a seat. $45 gets you a reserved seat, better views, and an overhang, which makes a difference when beating the heat. This was definitely worth it! I'm always excited to see the talent that comes every year, and I'm hoping that Fat Joe is in the rotation soon. Ahead of the concert, I explored the food vendors and exhibits. I started my day with Hot Dog on a Stick's pickle lemonade ($10) and I also got an order of the drunken pig fries ($14) - topped with smoked pork and beer cheese. Even the vendor said she loved that for me! Everything was delicious. Unpictured was the amazing tres leche cinnamon roll from building B! This is where we spent most of our time. Loved the taste of California classes too ($10 per ticket). This year, we enjoyed a wine and food pairing with Terra Amata, a boutique winery in Healdsburg. The State Fair is always a good time, and I appreciate that Cal Expo puts forward an effort to make the experience accessible with $2 Mondays, discount days for seniors, SMUD's food donations for complimentary tickets on Fridays, and Costco packages. I'm looking forward to going again next year! read more

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I LOVE the California State Fair, i really do, sadly every year it keeps declining. Less new food options, food that was delicious replaced with run of the mill fair food. Exhibits dont have the same magic as when they did in the past. I hope by moving to the fall it gives the fair time to reset and come back stronger than ever. One of my favorite year's they had local food trucks and food vouchers. Please bring back more local flair as it spotlights the hard working community of Sacramento read more

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I love coming to the state fair and I like going to the farm area where you can see all the fruits and vegetables as well you get to walk around the garden which is really relaxing there is even some live fish that they are keeping alive to showcase the bass and the carps. . I also like going to the Animal Farm where you can see all the little baby goats and even the Longhorns which is really nice and cool they it is pretty clean inside and was into dirty on the floor which I was worried about. . For the food I do like my Lobster fries which is always a solid choice they also have fresh made corn dog which is worth it if you love corn dog. I also like going to get my fried pork chop comes with applesauce and you can make it a meal for a $20 which comes with fried zucchini and fried onion rings french fries and coleslaw. I also like the Philly cheese steak sandwich which is a solid choice if you like that. I also like the Smashburger which is made to order and fresh as well. One of my favorite desserts is the cinnamon bun roll which is a musket you can add bacon on top of it and ice cream and even nuts. I also like getting a funnel cake which is a mess every year because I cannot find any just as good as that. Also I do love going to the CBD area and getting me a CBD slushie. My favorite combination of the CBD slushie is the toasted coconut and their unsweetened tea which is like a root beer float but less sweet. . I also like going into the shopping buildings and do a little bit of shopping and see what new items they have. It is always a plus if you get to go try out the massage chair which is really comfortable and if you love massages. I also like the cooking demonstrations which is really cool and there is from free samples as well. I also like getting my hot sauce and my tea and coffee and a little bit of everything like popcorn as well. . If you have time don't forget to try out the monorail ride which is really relaxing and perfect for ending the fair it is like a reward to see the whole Fair light up . Also don't forget to try out the sky ride if you like that as well which is really cool because you get to Dango your feet and you get to see the other side of the fair if you don't really like monorail which is really cool cuz it's a little bit more High up. Hope this review helps and thanks for reading and have a yelp-tastic day. read more

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We had such a great time at the state fair and the food and drinks were really good and it wasn't so hot so it was nice. I got 2 new good quality wood signs from one of the vendors at the state fair as well and I got a good deal for them. The staff was so nice and helpful and friendly. We are planning on coming back on the 31st and to see Boys two men in concert also to walk around more to see whatever we missed and didn't see. And i always get a wine slushie from the wine garden it's a must there so good. If you haven't been to the state fair I highly recommend on going it's a lot of fun but it does get crowded at night with to many people. read more

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We had a great time at the California State Fair this year! The fairgrounds are absolutely immense with so much to do, look at, and explore.The food selection is incredible with so many options to choose from, but it definitely gets pricey quickly. Just a heads up on the portions: we didn't realize how huge the chicken kabobs were and ordered two of them. We easily could have just shared one. Between the two kabobs and two bottles of water, the total came out to $66. The ride wristband for my son, which included the fast pass, was $81. When we went to other fairs this summer, the wristbands were about $30 less. But it kept him entertained and moving through the lines quickly. The summer weather was pretty intense, but the fair did a great job providing several "cool zones" where we could step inside and get away from the heat. A major highlight for us was riding the Sky Ride, it gave us a perfect, beautiful bird's-eye view of the entire fairgrounds.I heard that the fair will move to September next year to avoid the peak summer heat waves. Hopefully that happens, because it would make the experience more enjoyable read more

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Enjoyed opening day at the state fair! Not too crowded, lots of food choices, everything was fresh and hot. Saw babyface concert for free. Tickets were $18 for adults and parking was $15. Fireworks at the end of the night were so nice. I'll try to go back before it leaves. read more

California State Fair - Festivals Near Me - Sacramento, California

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I took the kids to the state fair on 7/18. Now that I have a teen and tween I thought they should experience It. I paid for the parking and arrived around 10am and we were by the entrance. Entry was fairly quick considering I had purchased tickets ahead of time. I purchase the unlimited ride wristbands and we played 200.00 worth of games and I won a big cow. We petted the goats, cows and pigs. It was nice to see the 4h families and their Beloved pets at the fair. They had a candy maze, arts and crafts area, live music, state lotto booth to buy tickets, beer and an area to watch the World Cup. The vendors were very jovial and there were plenty of food stands. They got a turkey leg, foot long sausage which was amazing. I didn't like the pork ribs I bought - a tad bit tough, but we loved the lemonade and Dubai chocolate strawberries. This is a great place to go with friends and family to just have the overall experience and try different fair foods and listen to amazing music. The kids had a great time and said it was better than great America. As a mom I put alot of effort in the drive and put in the expense for a hotel and rental car - don't want miles on my car to give my family a great memorable experience. read more

California State Fair - Pic with the sea lions at the state fair with Matt and Skye - Festivals Near Me - Sacramento, California

So much excitement. Exhibits were interesting, farm life active, and rides were spinning. Everyone was having a good time. Easy parking, we got there as soon as it opened. read more

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What happened to all of the music?! The fair felt like a carnival! Carnival food and rides...as there wasn't a big turnout of people...the food served was dried out and expensive. Three music venues turned into one-man bands leaving only two stages with music. The ONLY two things that I enjoyed were the farm and the Low rider exhibit. So sad to see. I will not be going back! read more

Bought a season pass to the fair in '26. Pays for itself if you go more than twice. Another good time. read more

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71/18/2025- Another annual family day at the State Fair-! Although we didn't arrive when they opened-, lucked out- no lines and weather was very nice-.. Very grateful as both my boys took the time to spend the day! A little disappointed with the exhibits - which we all love to see- the one exhibit was more like an empty building with a few vendors selling.. The livestock building only had goats- might have went at the wrong time-.. My oldest son had a very good observation point- When we walked by the seals- they were blaring out music-and one can only imagine the seals enduring that for how many hours-.. Massive corn dogs were $19.99 - better than last year which was all dough- Cinnamon rolls with a new Tres leches variety!". Glad we made it down... and looking forward to another year.. read more

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Parking is $17 on top of admission cost (advance purchase) at Cal Expo, and they enforce a ridiculous bag rule (bags need to be 5×8 or clear), a shitty policy that's super inconvenient. Besides these two things, I think the California State Fair has much improved in the last two decades and has plenty to offer for different tastes and preferences. Rabbits, alpacas, llamas, birds, cattle dogs, guinea pigs, goats, horses, pigs, and sheep can be found in the Tractor Supply Co. Big Barn. Obviously most of my attention went to the adorable bunnies! In addition to this, there's a petting zoo outside for guests to interact with the animals inside their pen (for a fee) and pony and camel rides on site (for a fee). The fair also offered sky rides on gondolas over the Sky River, and plenty of exhibits and entertainment for festivalgoers. I enjoyed checking out the Insect Pavilion at The Farm where I got to view and read about the greenbottle blue tarantula, thorny devil stick insect, and painted lady butterflies, cooking demonstrations galore and free tastings (tea sampling, honey sampling, olive oil sampling), the Superhero Exhibit (which looked fun for kids), the beautiful California Flowers on display, the animal sculptures at the California Forest Center, and the All-Alaskan Racing Pigs, classic entertainment at the fair not to be missed. The Drumheads were awesome! (separate review on this). The Sea Lion Splash was new to me and quite adorable (separate review on this). Master hypnotist, Tina Marie, did her thing at the PG&E Center Stage with a massive seating and viewing area in the middle of the Expo Center, I've seen her show too many times to count, at different locations, but she does the biggest show at this particular fair. At the Exposition Center, eight expo halls each featured a unique experience for visitors. I explored several that stood out to me, including a "Candy Maze" with some sweet photo ops, "It's a Wild Wild World Adventure" (Conservation Ambassadors' Wild Things) with several species of wildlife on display like black and white ruffed lemurs, kookaburras named Chuckles and Giggles (their bird calls sound like human laughter), capybara, red kangaroo, african crested porcupines, and reindeer, "POPnology" with displays highlighting pop culture's impact on technology, and the "Rustic Charm Marketplace" selling antique signs, furniture, and more. It wouldn't be a fair without carnival rides and games, great for kids. But I'm more amused by the various entertainers roaming the fairgrounds on stilts and community stage performers throughout, with an endless schedule and diverse lineup of live music by numerous bands. I enjoyed the sounds of Dylan Vroom playing tunes on the acoustic guitar, Michael Country Walker rockin songs like Tennessee Whiskey, and Jay Rin (part of a father/daughter duo) performing hits like Cups (When I'm Gone) and Come Together by the Beatles with her guitar and vocals, as well as the Silver City string band with its classic bluegrass and country music. The food court had a great setup, a stage on one end, a ton of shaded seating, and endless food stands lining both sides as well as the outside of the food court. No shortage of fair food could be found throughout the venue actually, lots of options to choose from. I had a pastrami sub from Grinders Sandwiches and of course a chocolate and strawberry funnel cake from one of many funnel cake vendors (they had at least 5 different stands selling these yummy deep fried sweet treats!). read more

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The State Fair was a great and fun experience for my family and I. We love attending fairs and are fans of the LA County Fair in Pomona, Ca. We arrived with an open mind and agreed not to compare it to any other fair and we were not disappointed. There was so much to see and do here and the layout of the fair made for a great workout if counting steps in your thing. We arrived on opening day (Friday) just as the gates were about to open. The idea was to arrive before the weather became a bit too much and kicked our butts. Sooo glad we did so as four-hours into our visit, the weather was up to 105 but by this time, we had already visited and seen everything we wanted to see and do, This fair is fun and games (no pun intended) but food snd drinks can be pretty pricey. Glad we stopped at IHOP before our visit. read more

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The California state fair is trash now! We only go to get that first pic u take when you walk in and to take my daughter to go see the animals. This tear there was no animals. There was a couple but not like before. No contest for the best animal, no horse show. They open at 4 pm now during weekdays thats the hottest time of the day! Food is so expensive. one spot had hot dogs for 22 bucks lol i bought a 10 dollar hotdogs a lil away from the place charging 22 i think that place was called Lucy or Juicy. The monorail broke down for 40 mins and because of we killed the last hour of the fair in line so we missed the exhibits. D It seemed to be less vendors and people it just seemed different. If it wasnt for that yearly fair pic I wouldnt even go. Luckly I get the tickets at Costco for 32 bucks. 2 passes 1 parking pass and 10 dollar foos voucher. For the first time 1 vendor refused the voucher and didn't accept cash. You now have to place ur own order on a computer screen with a big glare so its impossible to see anything. Its crazy. read more

California State Fair - This pic can be on a post card - Festivals Near Me - Sacramento, California

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Went to the California State Fair for the first time in at least 15 years! The California State Fair was an annual thing for my family and I as a kid, but as an adult I might've gone once or twice. I decided to finally take my own family for the first time this year, and opted to go during the week and in the evening. Because it would be less busy, and we'd be there as it got cooler in evening. Parking at Cal Expo was $15 and admission for us (13 years and older) was $18/ each. Once inside we got the basic ride wristbands for each of the kids which was $45/each. The were various rides for all ages, and assortment of fair foods and drinks. Some of which were the following: Agua Fresca (Cucumber Lime) ($10) Agua Fresca (Watermelon) ($10) Soda 24oz ($5) Corn dog ($8) Jumbo corndog ($12) Hot dog ($8?) Deep fried Peach ($9) At one point when our older boys when on some of the rides. My girlfriend and youngest son, went to the indoor area, where they had various attractions. Overall: The family and I had a good time, and I'm glad we went. If you go and want to avoid the larger crowds, and heat go during the week and in the evening. read more

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(My actual rating is 1 start) Very disappointed with my experience at the California State Fair today. My 17-year-old friend and I bought tickets online, but when we arrived we were told we couldn't enter without an adult. This requirement was not made clear when purchasing tickets, and we were left with tickets we couldn't even use. What made it worse was how staff handled the situation. Instead of calmly explaining the policy, we were pulled aside and spoken to in an aggressive and embarrassing way. We were not causing any problems, we were simply trying to enjoy a day out. If this policy is going to be enforced, it needs to be clearly communicated before people spend their money. Guests, including teenagers, deserve to be treated with respect. It is frustrating because there are already limited places for teenagers to spend time safely with friends, and the fair is supposed to be a community event. After paying for tickets and planning our day, we were left unable to enjoy something we paid for. read more

California State Fair is a staple in Sacramento. I am a native here so I've been to the fair many times. As I got older, I stopped going especially when they moved it from mid August to mid July. Just too hot to be outside. Just like other fairs/carnivals, there are food, rides, shows, etc. Most things will be expensive. Concerts are free with admissions. Exhibits are cool to check out and get some nice AC air. Parking is not free. They do security screening at the entrance. read more

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California State Fair Review (July 31, 2026) I was really excited to visit the California State Fair for the first time with my friend, but my experience was honestly terrible. We are both 17, and after spending hours getting ready and buying our tickets, we were told at the entrance that we couldn't go in without someone 21+ with us. Nowhere was this made clear when we bought the tickets. We tried to get in anyway by shoulder tapping, got in trouble, and were kicked out by extremely rude security. Not only did we waste our money, but we lost nearly an entire day for nothing. It's really unfair that there are almost no places for teenagers to go in the summer, and then when we finally find something, we get turned away for not being 18. The rules are confusing and unreasonable, and the way we were treated made it even worse. I would not recommend the California State Fair to other teenagers. This was a huge disappointment and a waste of time and money. read more

All the vendors here are selling counterfeit merchandise, especially NeeDoh squishys. It's illegal. I don't know how the Fair is turning a blind eye to this. The squishy's smell like gasoline and I'm sure they're toxic. They have a Starbucks logo on them making them look official. read more

Went 7/25/26 ..got there at 10am and parking was close in first parking lot (that was the plan)..$15.00 ..admission 18.00 ...wristband w/fast pass 70.00....they had the normal rides in kids zone and the big midway ...monorail was going and that was 5.00 a person we were some of the last boarders of the night (11pm) Yes we were there 13 hours Did the monster Truck show it was $35.00 ..not the normal big names but it was ok ..nice and cool in the evening at the grand stand area. They gave people rides on a monster truck bus like ride around track ..during intermission They had a cool Burn Unit ...a truck with like a jet fuel type backend blowing out a big flame .that was awesome !! Food area.. lots of choices and cute micro brew area in doors with local California brews. KC and the Sunshine Band look to have had a big turnout but we missed it ..small car show and loved the Scooby Doo Van ..super nice owner ..did a lot of work to it ..love the tv and embroidery work !! Orange shag carpet too!!! Farm animals ..Seal Show ..camel Rides OH MY! And of course the indoor giant cinnamon roll is a tradition !!! Beer garden below exhibit 805 Area nice and chill!!! Corn Dogs Pizza Slices Funnel Cales and omg Candy Maze exhibit and if you want Squishee's they have em New restrooms by livestock exhibit were very nice and much needed ..hopefully front gate bathrooms where the offices are get a remodel too Be prepared for spending a lot Of money and of course photo pick up on the way out and added a picture keychain !! So ya bring a card that you are gonna tap and pay like crazy !!!! lol read more

Every year we end up going to the state fair and we say never again - due to the heat, amount of walking, and expensive - but we always come back. We love it!!! I actually won tickets to the fair this year! Shoutout to Cakes by Jeff the chef for our prize of family pass fair tickets and a beautifully delicious caramel churro cheesecake! We go to the fair to go on the monorail, rides for the kids, and we like to look at the exhibits. I feel like you really need a couple days to be able to see everything you wanna see! But it makes going back next year that much more exciting. read more

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Great day at The Fair. Went early to beat the crowds and it was awesome . If you can come early, please do. Yes EVERYTHING is expensive. Bring your own sunscreen,seats, food and drinks and save a bundle. Beautiful grounds and enjoy the scenery. There's alot of UFO Alien themed rides. Kinda cool. 2025 Prices; $16.00 tkts to get in $5.00 WATER Candy Apples $8.00 Soda Drinks $7.00 -$ 9.00 Food prices above $15.00 The list gets bigger and prices higher. Enjoy, but if you come this year or next, bring a chest with food and drinks!!! You'll save a bundle!! read more

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This was my first time ever coming to the Sacramento State Fair. I've only ever been to the Pleasanton State Fair and let me say this fair exceeded my expectations! Other than the fact that it's mad expensive, but that comes with any fair, I guess? Just crazy to me as much money as they make for them to charge as much as they do for entry on top of wristbands, then the rip off games, but hey that's the fair for you. They have so much to offer! The place is huge, from indoor to outdoor activities. Every night is a different performer/event. I love how they have a food court, plenty of seating and the mist fans! The indoor building has so many different pop up stores, activities for kids. We didn't even get to walk the entire fair to see the rest that they had to offer, we mainly checked out the indoor shops, food court, sky ride, then everything on the side of the fair but we missed a lot! Next time we plan on coming early in the morning to try and hit everything. $67.05 - entry on a Sunday for 2 adults, 1 child $150 - 3 wristbands (includes the sky ride [not the monorail, that's seperate] I was also amazed to find that they offer fast pass so basically a cut the line for the rides like how they do at Disneyland, but that was like $22-25 more and I wasn't expecting lines to be too long. Luckily they weren't too bad. We arrived at 4pm and everything went by quick, towards 7/8pm is when lines started getting longer, the longest we waited was maybe 10 mins, so nothing too bad. $40 (only gets you 4 games! Apparently each game is 10 tickets in other words $10. So yes, my babygirl "won" herself a 10inch stuffy.) $18 - 2 large lemonades (be sure to buy it from the stand that says $4 refills, because then you can pay $4 for a refill, self explanatory. Not all stands that sell lemonade offer that deal! ) read more

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This year's state fair was a complete disappointment. Perhaps it was because we attended on the last day. The atmosphere was disheartening and gloomy for me. I vividly recall visiting the fair when it was buzzing with energy and life. This year, everything was overpriced and mediocre. On the bright side, we did enjoy the wine bar. They had excellent wine, but of course, it was overpriced as usual ($16) for a single glass of La Cream, when you could purchase an entire bottle for $23. But hey, it's the fair, and to be expected. We also had a great time listening to the music, the artists were fantastic! We won't be going back for a few years at least. read more

California State Fair - Festivals Near Me - Sacramento, California

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Part 1 of 2: The state fair is always off the charts! This is my first time back since 4+5 years, I lived in the Bay Area my whole life and now live in sac. Sunday daytime visit was a dreamy and breezy for my visit yesterday- check out these highlights; -Best kids show: The Drumheads -Best Kettle Korn: Cool kettle Corn -Best indoor exhibit: Low Rider California -Best indoor Sugary place: the candy store! -Best Coffee: Rescate Coffee roasters out of Elk Groove, award winning for 2025- get the Rose Matcha! Best dessert: Country Fair Cinnamon Roll! (Get the worlds and black cuppa Cawfee!" Going back again this week at night read more

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I had an amazing time with my family at the State Fair! We got there around 5PM and stayed through the fireworks. There were plenty of police officers throughout the fair, which made it feel safe, and there were so many great shows and attractions to enjoy. This was definitely the highlight of my summer! read more

Nasty burger, tasted like fake meat. Got the end of a tomato with the stems in it. Had a block of cheese unmelted. Never going again read more

California State Fair - Boss grill, the grossest burger we have ever had. - Festivals Near Me - Sacramento, California

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The California State Fair, an absolute classic for us locals. Think: long lines, pricey everything, concerts, and enough fried food to fuel poor life decisions. It's the kind of event we get all hyped about, then halfway through we're like, "Why did I wear jeans and who charges $14 for a lemonade? But jokes aside, I've been going to the state fair for as long as I can remember. Back in the day it was all about the rides. Now... I'm there for the concerts, the random vendors, and the fact that there's a beer garden and a cannabis area now?! Color me impressed. That infused slushy on a hot day? yaaaas Is it the greatest event of the year? Nah. But do I look forward to it (almost) every single year? Yep. Especially when they drop the concert schedule! Nothing like reliving your teen years with artists you used to blast on your radio. Yeah, I'm that old now. read more

This year 2025 I thought for sure we weren't attending but my wife says let's go this morning. Yes I was shocked! I had to get 10 cans together to donate though. Bc it was FREE to get in on Friday if you donate 5 cans each ok why not??? It did cost us 15 to park but that's relative nowadays. Not new to this game. I'd say this year we enjoyed the exhibits the best especially the live animals. Although we didn't see bunnies we still saw kookaburras! That was a blast! That lowrider museum was UNREAL! Wow phenomenal!!! We had a blast in the selfie candy museum too. Even a lady offered to take a pic of both of us! We didn't eat the fair food or ride the rides or buy any items. These vendors didn't like us taking pics of their items though. But at least we got our 10,000 steps in!!! EASILY!!! We enjoyed. That was the main reason we came here. Unfortunately many shows weren't on until 4 PM & on so plan on that ahead of time. You can sit in various areas they provide especially by eateries. We even noticed some new restrooms too. Nonetheless the fair stays the same though less vendors this year. Yay less businesses to bother you when you walk past them! Bye bye! Heehee. read more

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I have been attending the California State fair since it was located on Stockton Boulevard in Sacramento. We would visit Merlino's Orange Freeze across the street after attending. The good ol' days. Once the fair moved to Cal Expo, I worked in the carnival section every summer as a teen. It was kind of greasy and dirty, but they paid us cash under the table and all the free rides we wanted! I don't live in Sacramento anymore, but I make a trip every summer to hear at least one of the concerts. We pay the entry fee to get into Cal Expo however we like to set up our chairs in the grassy area, which is free and you can also bring your own snacks. We love dancing, barefoot on the grass. We also visit the Wine and beer Garden each year, which is a fun venue. It's pretty with the waterfall and the tiki vibes. I try to remember to save my glass each year as you get a slight discount with the wine- yet it is still expensive. The grandkids love the rides and we make sure they ride as many of them before the concert starts. All in all the venue is pretty well kept up. The parking is not great as one has to wait in a long line to park and it costs $17 on top of the entry fee. Honestly, there needs to be a better parking situation with reduced prices. Please look at the website before attending as there are several regulations in place - not reading them can result in a negative experience. Also, if you have a wagon or cart please bring as the fair is expansive and it certainly helps when lugging things around. The food? Fair food for sure- do not expect healthy options. We pack our healthy snacks. read more

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Purchased a value pack from Costco before going. Parking, two entry and a $10 food voucher for $33 not bad. We went on a Friday night and couldn't have asked for better weather! Entry was a breeze I brought in a clear backpack and a sealed water bottle no problem. Highlight of this excursion the cinnamon rolls! A must try can't remember if they have been here in the past if not please make sure to bring them back. I will say I did miss the fact that they had no horse shows bummer. Cleanest bathrooms are the ones located furthest back near the petting zoo it's air conditioned and very clean. read more

California State Fair - Tres leches did not disappoint - Festivals Near Me - Sacramento, California

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After living in California about 85% of my life, I finally went to the California State Fair at the Cal Expo location in Sac of Tomatoes for the very first time! I went with my favorite relative for a day on a Thursday. I bought tix online, $16 per adult, parking another $15 as I recall. ($2 cheaper at the gate per ticket, but we just passed and bar-coded our way past the small lines to get in. We arrived at 4pm, and it wasn't any crowd, we parked close-in under the shade canopy. We took the Monorail near the gate, and it took us on a 20 minute ride around the entire Fair, so we could see where everything was and the layout first hand without wandering aimlessly. Back near the entrance, we took our time looking though exposition buildings A B and C, which was full of various vendors of all types, jewelry, clothing, mattresses, cookware demo show, tchotskies of all types, I had been to just building C for a reptile show before, and I though that was pretty big, but it was just 1 building out of many. We got snacks in the food area, which mostly clustered to the left of the entrance. Then we took the Sky Ride ski lift like ride from the entrance area all the way to the right end. Where the carnival games and all the rides were. The Sky Ride is $7 for unlimited rides back and forth, which we used going back to the food and entertainment areas. We walked around looking at the various rides, hearing the screams of teens flipping upside down, etc. Besides the ride machinery of all types, there are several walk thru or ride thru scary or fun houses. There are at least 2 Ferris Wheels, and there is a scaled down kiddie ride area. One little kiddie roller coaster with a Golden Dragon! We took a couple of rides, which you buy a bar code wrist band at a kiosk and pay minimum $15 to fill it with ride value that is decremented at each ride by your bar code. You can check remaining value at the kiosk or buy more. There are a good variety of rides to give you a thrill or help you lose your lunch with a splitting headache. We took the Sky Ride back to see some animals, lots of goats hanging around, the cows were heading home. But there is a great Sea Lion show like at Sea World. There is also a garden area, and you can see veggies growing, like corn, cucumbers, bell peppers, watermelons, chili peppers, tomatoes, stuff you could set up in your own backyard or urban farm plot and grow yourself, given the high price of groceries with ICE raids and tariffs kicking in, not a bad idea to grow your own. We ate some of the healthy fair food you expect at a State fair, Corn Dogs, Churros, Soda, but they had some teriyaki bowls, burgers, BBQ, too. And alcohol, too, like frozen margaritas for those hot Sac nights. There are a few small entertainment venues near the food, and a main stage. Most of the entertainment is Country though, nothing Urban or even Pop that I could tell. But this is held in Sac of Tomatoes after all. read more

Probably the worst state fair I have been to in the 42 years I've lived here! What happened to the county exhibits? ( Now replaced with vendors.) I felt like it was one gigantic shopping mall. Come on California, we can do better than that! read more

very fun, very good food, tickets r very cheap, had an amazing time 5 stars' ya read more

This year, my annual trip to the fair was on the very last day. I enjoy trying fair food, the exhibits, and at least an aerial view of the fair on the monorail. This year, there were less county displays, and other exhibits than there were in past years. It must be up to the groups, agencies and vendors whether or not they can represent this year due to their budgets. One area i enjoyed was the cooking demonstration at the Save Mart Cooking Theater. Today we were entertained by Martin's Street Tacos preparation of their El Pastora street taco. They also made a mild salsa and spicy salsa. The street taco we sampled was very good, made with pork, pineapple, and a poblano pepper seasoning, but the spicy salsa was pretty hot. If you can't handle spicy hot, ask for the mild salsa. It's really good. We stayed for the free concert, featuring En Vogue. They were great. The music was wonderful and brought back great memories. We ventured out to the food area after the concert. Fair food looked great, but can be pretty pricey, so we settled for a corn dog for $7, since we had a street taco earlier. The fair was pretty easy to navigate, but you'll need to spend more than 5 hours to really get through the entire fair, and be sure to wear your most comfortable walking shoes. read more

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I'm surprised I never visited the CA State Fair when I went to college close by. There are both indoor and outdoor exhibited and activities, tons of food to buy, games, and rides! They have concerts every night and different types of themed days. This year kids on Tuesdays kids are free. It is pretty big and tons of variety for all ages! read more

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