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

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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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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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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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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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

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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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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I enjoyed the State Fair this year 2025. It wasn't as hot as it usually is. Honestly hope they move the fear into later months so that more people can enjoy getting out. The food is outrageously overpriced, I don't know how a family of four can even afford going here. Luckily I got some extra tickets and was able to go out and ride the rides, taking the sites. All the animals were gone though, that was kind of weird and the monorail was down. So those were the two cons and issues they should consider fixing with the fair. I wouldn't have loved to have caught some shows, but there was no one playing really good read more

California State Fair - Festivals Near Me - Sacramento, California

Every few years I'll go to the California State Fair and spend money on overpriced food. Lol the cost of our donut sundae was $1 shy of the general admission- $18. Crazy! Of course, you can't go and not try the fried oreas or other expensive food items. The website said it's $2 off if you pay at the gate. Well when we got there the machines to pay with credit card didn't work only cash. So had to buy it online... we went in the evening for cooler weather and there was just as many people out. Ohhh parking was $15. So I'll pass on the next few years to go again. read more

California State Fair - Festivals Near Me - Sacramento, California

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Its been 4-5 years since I've been to California State Fair. Arrived and Parked Approx 10:20 got first row parking it was a Saturday. Line to get in was short and quick! Plenty of police and security so We felt safe. Heads up Bring clear backpacks. We dont go for the rides, but for the buildings A,B,C. Food demos. Art work etc. cool to see local celebrities like Michael Martin, Tina M etc. we spent 6 hours just mingling around and enjoying ourselves. The garden area and Master gardeners was informative and nice to envy. We go early and on a Sunday so be don't have to deal with the "night crowd". Totally worth it! read more

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The state fair is underrated! So much better than I expected! Worth the drive for us. So much food and attractions, after attractions! I've lived here all my life and this is the first year we came and it didn't disappoint! Sooooooo much better than Alameda county fair!!! So many fascinating exhibits and so much more animals to see!!! Loved it!!! read more

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I used to get free tickets for submitting artwork to their art exhibits through school. I don't know if they still do this. I used to go every year with family and friends. I liked going because of the exhibits and carnival games. It was a tradition to ride the monorail around the fair and see all the sights. The fair now went way downhill. Everything is overly expensive, don't even want to say the price for food and beverage! There are way less exhibits, to me the exhibits were the best part. Now if you are visiting the State, it may be worth checking out just for the experience. There is always something new to see each year, there is a different event each day and sometimes they have some really awesome fair food. read more

Had such a great time at the fair! From the moment I walked in, it felt like a blast. Signed up for a bunch of freebies. walked away with some cool Chevy t-shirts, a water mug, and even a free stuffed pup (adorable!). Oh, and they were giving out kiwi fruit, too. Unexpected, but fun! The rides did not disappoint. I braved the 360 Joker's Jinx or whatever it was called it's that upside down make your heart thump ride, and another coaster, both were thrilling and well worth the adrenaline. Definitely a must-do if you're into fast spins and big drops. They average about 8 tickets I think you get like 14 for 20 bucks or so. Food-wise, the French fries loaded with cheese and bacon were an absolute banger. Yes, prices are on the higher side (lemonade was about $8), but hey--it's the fair! For a once-a-year treat, I don't mind splurging a bit. It's all part of the experience. Can't wait to come back next year. There's just something magical about the fair! great energy, good eats, and fun surprises around every corner. Parking was about 20 bucks. read more

Haven't been in years. Thought it'd be fun to get the teenager out of the house. Bought tickets online $18/ticket. Parking $17, but we decided to park near Kaiser Point West and walk over. 83 degree day and we arrived around 7pm. Tickets per ride vary, but rides were 2 tickets each (Kids day), which was a great deal. Kiosk for selling ride wristbands. Bought wrist band for 17 rides for $20. Son ended up riding 6 rides, which was still a good deal. We caught the Tina Marie, the hypnotist and Zuzu African Acrobat shows. Then checked out the Conservation Ambassadors Wild Things. Learned a few things about reindeer, porcupine, and lemur. Tried the turkey leg and fried pickles tonight. Both were good. As others have pointed out, prices vary from booth to booth. Overall, nice day at the fair. Good weather. Check the FAQs to see what you can bring in from outside (bottled watered/clear bags/outside food). read more

California State Fair - Lowrider exhibit - Festivals Near Me - Sacramento, California

My family and I look forward to the fair every year! We went early this morning and stayed for...7 hours! We started at the exhibits - candy, animals, cannabis! So much to look at! The new animal exhibit this year was our favorite - they had a Capybara, Kookaburras, Alligators and even Reindeer! The cannabis exhibit allowed for attendees to purchase and partake - a first this year! They even offered CBD Slushes which were great to enjoy while walking around! So much food - Turkey Legs (so good, but pricey at $25!), Raclette Sandwiches (will have to try next year!) and even our new favorite - Cinnamon Rolls! Holy cow - a must try! We unfortunately didn't try nearly half of the food we wanted to try, but the options are endless. Lots of rides too - I love that they separate the adult rides from the kid rides. We could stay in this area all day especially with the long lines. They also have horses, a petting zoo, camels, face painting, a garden area...you can even learn about the CA High Speed Rail. The list goes on and on! The only reason I'm not giving 5 stars is because everything is sooooo expensive! I feel like the cheapest thing I bought all day were the actual fair tickets. Still looking forward to attending next year though! read more

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California know how to party!! Sacramento is home to the California State Fair so making the annual pilgrimage to Cal Expo is a must. This year the family and I waited until the last day to go. And oh man am I glad we did! It was the coolest day since it had been opened at a breezy 87 degrees. My favorite bites I had were the fried zucchini, corn dog of course, dole whip (strawberry), loaded asada potato, and finally a corn dog covered in hot Cheetos dust/crumbs. I was at first very skeptical of the Cheeto covered corn dog my son (14 years old) ordered but after having the last few bites I was happy to discover the mad idea is a big hit! The batter on the fried zucchini was a big hit. The loaded baked potato with asada with huge and full of cheese, sour cream, chives and meat, all toppings I chose and boy did they deliver! This hefty potato cost me $22 but I'd order it again no hesitation. The live animal exhibits are always fun and my son loves petting the different ones in the big barn. We make great memories every year and this was no different. The state fair includes a lot of walking but if you're able to go I suggest it! There are people out there who no longer can for many reasons (health or money) so take the family and enjoy it while it's here. read more

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California State Fair 2025 Change of hours was a dumb idea and most people share that same sentiment. New hours are 4pm - 10pm which creates a ton more of traffic during the weekdays because of everyone in the area that's getting off work around that time. 4pm is also super hot (thankfully the weather hasn't been too bad tho) and from my understanding that changed it to 4pm so vendors aren't there all day. But that's a double edged sword because a cut in hours also means less money earning potential. Which brings me to my second bummer for the fair, the exhibits. They were so empty! I remember them so full of various vendors and now they are so scarce and lots of huge empty spaces. Food vendors were all the same, not much variety and all insanely expensive. We came in a Tuesday which I'm hearing is kids day and all rides were only 2 tickets but I saw no signage of that. Lines were super long tho, but that's always the case for rides. Parking was $15 and entrance for an adult was $16. It's honestly gone really down hill over the years and it's not something we look forward to every year anymore. read more

A fun outing with the family. It's hot as it always is these days. The fair opens at 10am on the weekend. We arrived before 9:30 and got a great parking spot in the shade. They had some new exhibits. A building that went into the fundamentals of animation. It even taught you how to draw a ball and make it bounce. It also showed old school cartoons such as scooby doo. Another building had exotic animals that people used to have for pets and other rescued animals and now a preservation group looks after them. There were alligators, kangaroos, reindeer, otters, bald eagle, and others. The reindeer had fuzzy antlers. The candy building was back with selfie opportunities. In one of the buildings they had a kids area. Giant bubble wand, giant checkers, foam pit, ect. read more

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I love going to the state fair! Since COVID and moving away from Sacramento, I haven't had the chance to go to the state fair in a few years. This year I was able to take my boyfriend for his first time and I think he enjoyed it more than me! Everyone is well aware of the negatives for the fair: its held in the hottest month of the year (ugh!), the price is going up on everything (parking, food, admission, food, drinks, rides) and the exhibits are dwindling. We started the day early and went straight to the CBD stand. I had a bad back at the time and I am still waiting for surgery on my knee. I haven't tried any CBD therapy for this yet so it was neat to be able to test it out at the state fair. We went to the wine garden, watched some of the cooking shows to enjoy samples and AC, got some fair foods to share, and walked through the candy exhibit. The monorail was broken down for half the day but we were able to ride it before leaving. For my expectations, I got what I planned for. It can be pricey and hot but it is cool to experience and get exposed to new things. read more

California State Fair - Festivals Near Me - Sacramento, California

11am. Opening time on a Wednesday. Easy parking, $15, and a pleasant walk to the main gate. Security was enforcing the clear bag requirement and measuring size of bags brought in. Saw numerous folls walking back to their cars to divest themselves of bags. Silly note: pack a folded tote bag into a gallon size ziploc. Then, once in the fairgrounds, use said tote bag. We then headed for exhibits, a la home arts, aka fiber arts, etc. Got waylaid at the Cantina for refreshments: a Michelada for her and a virgin margarita for me. Stopped by the Bonney cooling station, which has benches and huge swamp cooler fans. Very refreshing! read more

California State Fair - 7/17/24. Remember when there weren't any fences at CA state fair. - Festivals Near Me - Sacramento, California

July 14, 2024 -- It's been unbearably hot in Sacramento. Days of triple digit weather. The weather can make or break your day at the fair. Fortunately, on our "Day at the Fair", we had overcast skies with cooler temperatures. Yay!! If you plan ahead, you can get a pretty sweet deal by purchasing a "Fun Pack" in advance. The Fun Pack was only available to purchase up to July 11 (the day before opening day). It was well worth the advance purchase. We received: 4 Single-day General Admissions, 4 Ride Tickets (each good for one ride in the Carnival or on the Monorail), and 1 Parking Pass for $54.49. So quite a good deal! We also arrived right at gate opening time (10 am), and were pleasantly surprised that it was not as crowded as we thought it would be on a Sunday. It is so hard not to compare the fair to prior years (the good old days), but we enjoyed our time. I think what we miss most of all are the county exhibits. We enjoyed the High Speed Rail Exhibit, but the Rustic Charm Marketplace Exhibit was just home-crafted stuff for sale, and the Candy Maze Selfie Experience was mainly candy for sale. We enjoyed the wine garden, as we always do, as a chance to sit and relax, listen to music and sip some wine. This year's wine garden did not have flights, although you could try 3 wines before choosing the one you wanted to buy. VERY CONFUSING though was the "glass" price. The wine menu shows the bottle price and the glass (plastic cup) price. After trying 3, you were asked if you want a glass (you're thinking, yes a glass, not a bottle). But then they pour your wine into a "State Fair glass" which is $15 (not including wine). We saw this happen to a number of people, who then paid $48 for 2 glasses of wine in a "souvenir" glass. The wine staff should have been more up front about the "souvenir" glass price. Not cool.... We always like to ride the monorail, but it was not working and was under maintenance all day. So we used our carnival ticket to ride the Ferris wheel. Overall, we had a fun time and enjoyed our day. read more

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Pepe's Mexican Stands are horrible 9 dollars for agua Fresca and fish taco so small and mostly breading. Tasteless too and 8 dollars each. Pathetic. read more

Good fun, however, games and rides are kind of old school. Meaning there are better places to go if you are well adept and knowledgeable at your local areas to go to. Meaning no seasonal time limit, no crowded mess, no overpriced foods. To be fair, you go here for the ambience, the large crowds, the large visuals and the atmosphere. There is almost a little bit of everything here. My toddler was surprised at everything and for a while gaping looking around in his stroller. I highly suggest you look at their map before coming and going to the information booth to get a map when you are on the premises. Remember the landmarks where you parked at. You look at the map beforehand to see what kind of events are planned etc. as well. EG. You are going mainly for your kids, park in the East parking area as that is where the kids' section is at. I highly suggest going on the train metro train ride to get a good visual. 5 bucks per person. There is an area on the oncoming ramp at the metro, when the sun goes down just right, you can get a great picture or selfie pic with the sun and State fair in the background. If you are coming with children that need diaper changes, I suggest having them wear long shirts to cover them if you are changing them on your stroller. There is a surpassingly lacking options and or areas to change your child here. Easy fix since they have the lounge areas. Just need curtains and stalls. Beware of hidden cameras. You can change your kid in the handicapped stalls; however, the bathrooms sometimes smell bad. musty and you may get dirty looks for both parents coming in. No go for changing diapers. Back to the point. Read on the rules and you will be fine. Like a clear backpack, no aluminum cans and a cooler is acceptable. Which I would advise as a water bottle can cost you 3 to five bucks. Fast food packing options where you can eat and get from A to B is what you want, sitting down to order and eat overpriced foods is a mistake. You lose a lot of time doing this. Which is why I would recommend the ice cream and or corn dogs or hot dogs if you are buying food or carry a backpack cooler with foods you can eat at room temp or cold. If you can imagine spending about 50 bucks per person you will be fine. For me it was 2 adults at 16 each, and my toddler was free. 15 for parking. 50 for infinite wrist band and 40 for random extra stuff for guaranteed prizes to play and or accompanying toddler on rides. 20 bucks each person to fill up and ten bucks for extra desert or protein. Each band credit costs 1 dollar to refill. That being said, you can just get the cheapest option and refill as needed. There seems to be zero or no gain to buying a large amount at once. I find that bad business. Especially when you are the sucker for not seeing it or realizing it. That being said, the ride lines on the weekend are a lot longer than the weekdays. But the weekends you get fireworks at 10 pm. Plan accordingly. Keep in mind, that it is best to be mobile and look around with a plan in mind. There is a kids center as well, that will burn a lot of your time and may trap you if your child refuses to leave the play center. There are a lot of things for kids and toddlers to do here, not many rides they can go on and you may be out of luck if they are not at least 36 inches. That being said I find it weird that the state fair lacks a lot of areas for children to change their diapers. There are hidden areas to get a personal changing area. But they are really hidden, and we mainly just changed our toddler's diaper in some secluded area, and his T shirt was covering him. To the point, this place is priceless for memories. Security is ramped up with Sheriff definitely visible, and there are bike cops and random Sheriff Officers Patrolling the grounds. There are even Sheriffs stationed at posts. That being said, no more security, the game has been upped for safety. Prepared to get low level documented by getting your pictures taken as you pay to enter (cameras), and even more so when you get stopped at the gate to take direct pictures. Do not stir trouble here, you will get caught or found later. Ignore the voluntary police. Ignore the Sheriffs and or Parole Officers hanging out in large numbers who cannot give you accurate directions and or don't know the exits by name or direction. Really bad seeing a cop who can't tell you where west is. Or where the named exits are at. Don't they have prep meetings for this? I know the Sac PD does prep meetings. Why is not HAVING KNOWLEDGE WHERE TO FLEE TO THE EXIT IS AT readily available or known by said cop? A cop that doesn't know where the entry and exits are at, so bad. Especially when they are grouped together. That being said. Thank you, Officers who were patrolling, diligently and taking the job seriously. I appreciate you, the community appreciates you. And we understand that there are people that make you look bad. You have our undying support. read more

I used to enjoy the state fair every year! But this year it seems that prices have went up a lot. Like one game is $10! I could get over the prices but could not get over with how rude some of the staff is this year! Specifically one of the photographers at the entrance, they're the first ones to greet you so it sets the tone for the day. I politely declined the pictures because I know at the end of the day we have to pay for those. And instead of saying "no problem. Have a nice day." Or just a plain "ok". She tells my husband "no good luck for her then!" Wtf? lol Get more professionals instead of someone who's trying to start conflict. read more

If you can't have fun at the fair then what the heck? There are rides, games, shows, exhibits, and so much weird food to try. It's even fun just to walk around and people watch. Definitely expensive but we all know that already. read more

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don't get your corn dogs here at "Juicy's"! they wanted $22 for a fricking corn dog. we found another place that only wanted $10. crazy or maybe he just wanted to take advantage of me???? hmmm. read more

California State Fair - $22 for a corn dog?! Nope - Festivals Near Me - Sacramento, California

I was scammed yesterday at the fair. I paid a hefty amount for a skin care product called Stemtox. The sales person was Ayala in the vendor building. The sale went through under Lana Products. Do I have any recourse? read more

2025 STATE FAIR July 11 - 27 The State Fair was Much Better This Year We didn't go last year, because there has been less to do and see there in recent years, but this year, it's worth going again... THE GOOD EXPO CENTER alone is worth the price of admission. In addition to the much improved air conditioning... In the EXOTIC ANIMAL BUILDING there's a Kangaroo, a Capybara, two Reindeers, two Lemurs, a HUGE Owl... and more... BEAUTIFUL CLASSIC LOWRIDER CARS These really shine. It's an amazing art form. Some of the most impressive cars I've ever seen are here. In the POPNOLOGY BUILDING there are many SCI-FI PROPS that may or may not be replicas, including the DeLorean. Even the QUILTS seem better this year. There are DANCING WATER FOUNTAINS w Colored Lights. Not like DCA but better than nothing. The THAI FOOD place on the north side of Food Row under the Monorail is very good (and WAY less expensive than the other Thai place). The Captain Jack Spare Ribs show can be found in the Vendor buildings east of the Counties Buildings at the big old Pirate Ship. It's too bad his show seems to be designed for little kids. He really does a very good magic act, and is a very good Ventriloquist. I'd say he is technically better than Jeff Dunham, Shari Lewis, and of course, WAY better than Edgar Bergen. THE BAD THE FOREST closes at 7pm. Glad we made it in time this year but the stream is dry, so a good part of the peaceful beauty and appeal aren't there. THE GARDENS are still gone. 100% Wine now. What if you don't like Wine? But seriously the Gardens just outside the east end of the Counties buildings used to be beautiful. Speaking of the Counties buildings... Three tiny COUNTY EXHIBITS in The COUNTIES BUILDINGS This is the most disappointing thing. There used to be huge displays from each county featuring Mines, Caves, Rivers, Farms, General Stores, Houses full of Animatronic People... even a complete authentic Gambling Room from Bodie!! No bleachers for HORSE SHOWS any more. No Dinosaur Building (it used to be where the Hot Tubs are). No I Love Lucy Apartment Exhibit (it used to be where the Kiddie Carnival is). No Folsom Valley Railway Train (it also used to be where the Kiddie Carnival is). RECOMMENDATION Over all though, I can recommend going, and if you get there at about 4:00 or 5:00 pm and save the carnival for last, you will probably be able to see everything (including one show). read more