I love fair season! The Sonoma County Fair is super nostalgic for me. I went on the last day and it was packed, almost too crowded, but we still had a great time. I went on four rides, had some really good food, and of course got a funnel cake. The only downside is having to pay for both admission and rides, which feels like a bit much compared to other fairs. But overall it was a fun time. read more

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Had alot of fun walking around. Eating Amazing food, great beer and the hall of flowers was off the charts Great, I got my lady friend some stuff that she fell in love with..I got a gray fedora hat. Please go one time this Year.. read more

We usually attend the Fair every year and decided to meet some friends again this year. As with everything, the cost has gone UP. Parking is $15 unless you purchase in advance and the price of admission is now $20. When we arrived, there was a long line with no organization apparent as several people had to get out of line to purchase tickets once they realized it was the entrance line. Once you enter the pavilion, you could see that there are fewer vendors in the building. The Hall of Flowers was great but the dinosaurs theme has been done before. I know it has to be challenging to keep coming up with fresh ideas but I feel that has been done in the recent past. I looked at the drink menu while in the Hall and it was $14 for a can of beer. Yikes that was out of my price range and the folks we were with. They missed out on some revenue with those prices. There were fewer choices for food as well and overall, did not have the Fair feel that we usually enjoy. Some of that is attributed to the lack of vendors and the overall prices for everything. read more

Sonoma County Fair - Festivals Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

The entrance fee is very overpriced. The rides were so old and ran down that I was scared while being on them. I couldn't even enjoy the rides because I was constantly thinking if it's gonna break the next second. Most of them had super bad squeaky noises, looked unsafe, and were really rough on the turns. I remember one that kept throwing us from side to side and when we were done my shoulders were hurting. I mean I can only compare it to Six Flags or Great America but it was so bad that I am never getting on them again! There was that one man who was letting people on the ride and he was super rude and looked like he didn't care at all about his job. We got fast passes and at some of the entrees, we were completely ignored by the staff. Like OK, I just paid extra to still be in this heat under the boiling sun for a while so just ignore me and take your precious time. The fast pass wasn't worth it at all because of that. Felt disappointed in myself for falling for that and completely overpaying. Bad overpriced food. The only thing to look at was animals and that's exactly why I give it 2 stars. They were super cute. Plus the dog show was fun to watch. I'll come back next year in hopes that some changes will be made. read more

Sonoma County Fair - My favorite goat from Sonoma county fair - Festivals Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

Parking and ticket prices are insane. The kids area was so disappointing. There weren't any other kids there when I took mine, that should say something. It just felt different and there were less things and it felt like they wanted to make room for other things and have less fun experiences. Overall expensive and disappointing. read more

Thank goodness it was senior day and we were able to get in for $1. I had fun but everything was quite expensive. I loved the flower show with the dinosaurs. It was a fun idea. People watching is also a grand thing to do. There is a lot to see there. I wasn't impressed with my food though. I had coconut shrimp and it was bland. read more

$30 to park at lot across street from gate???? I was only at the fair a short time when I realized I had seen no children in attendance. Very few kids throughout the day. So sad to see that families can't afford to give their kids this traditional summer tradition. Bought lunch. Not only was the food super expensive, portions got shrunk. read more

I've been going to the Sonoma County Fair for over 60 years. Some years have been better than others. But this year was just mediocre! I'm sure you've read all the complaints about the fair so I will only give suggestions to bring the fair from 'pass this year' to ' I'm excited to go this year'! *Parking needs to cost less! $20 is too much at the Vet's Building! *Admission prices on weekends should have a senior discount. Not all seniors can go on Fridays. *Bring in more interesting vendors for the Grace Pavilion. More local merchants, local organizations, less candy, no cars, no squirrels. *The flower show needs to be more spectacular! The flowers were okay but the water feature was meh! *The exhibit halls need more exhibits! Return giving $$$ to place winners, ask more Sonoma County schools to participate, give more incentives for entering art, quilts, Legos... *Bring back music bands! Abba cover band in 2023 was top notch! This year not so interesting. *I didn't go on any rides so I can't critique. The barns with animals are always fun. *One last suggestion: the fair theme needs to be more universal. Circus has been done too many times. I really hope the the Sonoma County Fair can become a bigger, more successful fair. I want to be excited to go to the fair, not a "pass on going this year". read more

I say we all boycott the fair in '25! Parking $20. Rides $20....food prices off the charts. What a turnoff! entrance fee $25! But hey, you get to "make friends" with Santa Rosa's BEST...YUK! Please make the FAIR organizers realize, they can't rob you to have a good time, Talk About an Oxymoron. read more

I am so glad that they are having the fair this year. It was depressing in 2020 when it was canceled. I enjoyed the variety of food. The Greek vendors were friendly and patient when I asked for no onion in my salad. I got a ham and cheese gluten-free crepe that was yummy and plentiful. But watch out for the dessert crepes-they are small. All vendors accept debit and credit cards. If you want to sit down and see a picnic table that isn't full, you can ask the people there if you can share the table. Or bring your own chair. I really appreciate the bathrooms with flush toilets. In other venues, I don't like using porta-potties. We got there early, about 1:30 PM, on Saturday, July 31. At the carnival, the lines to go on rides were short. They got longer in the evening. Most of the rides were fun, but The Zipper is a problem. It's basically a cage where 2 people get into a harness. As the structure rotates, the cage swings any which way. You go upside-down a few times. The problem is that it jars your head. Two of the young ladies in my party stopped going on rides after going on The Zipper. One got nauseous/dizzy, but she is OK now. The other got a headache that lasted the rest of the day. A third lady is fine. So the reactions vary. I recommend avoiding The Zipper. There are other exciting rides that you won't regret. There was live music and dancing. Bring earplugs or stand off to the side. It's a bit too loud. read more

Sonoma County Fair - Festivals Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

Overpriced joke. The food is all overpriced. The rides are broken. The games are all rigged. According to the fairgrounds the fair is back in full swing. Really? If this is full swing I would hate to see it when it isn't in full swing. Ohh btw most of the flowers in the hall of flowers were dead. Save your money don't go. It's pure crap. read more

Way over priced as other have stated, but we got some discounted tickets from a friend and made the best of it. The rides were so expensive we did not purchase any tickets, but since our kid is only 4 plenty to entertain her with just the animals, free circus shows, and and kids play area. Food so expensive we just had shared a nacho, ice cream for the kid, and brought our own water. Thanks to the Clover booth for quenching our thirst for with chocolate milk free at end of day to prevent us from buying anything. Im not going to may $14 to 18 for an alcoholic drink either. At least the horse racing is free to watch if you want to stand at the bottom. I think for the entrance price, they need to have better free exhibits or have lower priced vendors. read more

I don't know why this is still a thing. The fair should be gone by the way side like the phone book and video rental store. Now onto my review. Now I know why I haven't been to the fair in 13 plus years. What a complete joke. Everything from the Hall of Flowers to the main building where they peddle garbage no one in their right mind would buy was nothing more than a big pile of sad. I bought some "fresh lemonade" fresh lemonade my ass, more like extremely watered down generic powder mix. I can't ever imagine a scenario where I would ever go back again as long as I live around here. Hell the controlled fire that SRFD is doing is more entertaining. read more

The Sonoma County fair doesn't disappoint when it comes to great bizarre foods and endless activities. Every single day, all day long there is something going on at the fair. Ot sure beats that Marin fair that happens in Petaluma. Let's start off with the cost. This year in 2019, parking was $9 and $15. Entry was $15 for adults with 6 and younger free. Most meals ran $10 - $15 on average and up to $18 for larger fancy plates. The beer, drum roll please.....$12 for a Coors light. That is seriously insane! Once inside the fair, you pass the kids area where they hold diaper derby. That is tons of fun. You then walk through the arts n crafts in the Garrett Hall. The Hall of Flowers has the most extraordinary plant displays I've ever seen. The Grace Pavilion holds some shopping. There is a little something for everyone in there. Walking out you can go get a Krispy Kreme donut burger or a captain crunch chicken sandwich. Dont forget to top it off with a cotton candy burrito. There is a petting zoo for the little ones. You can walk on water and bungee jump. Today there was sheep shearing and sheep dog trails amongst tons of farm animals imaginable. Cows, goats, pigs, ohh my. The possibility is endless here and it's easy to spend 5 or 6 hours here or as long as your wallet allows. read more

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Purchased more expensive race tickets for better seating online. When showing my tickets to find my seats, Box BB seats 3 and 4 to the fair employees, they said those seats don't exist. Super disappointed. There was another person asking about the same thing. Not really sure if I will be back. read more

Firstly, I love coming to the fair every year with my friends. It's usually such a good time! But this year was such a disappointment! The Hall of Flowers was mediocre. The shows were... fine. Grace Pavilion was underwhelming (and with the crowd he drew, Twiggy should have been outside). I agree with most of the critiques of other commenters, but I'd like to focus on the carnival: By combining the kiddie carnival and adult carnival, there were fewer rides for the teen and adult audience (especially ones who did not want intense thrills) (meaning that it's pretty much impossible for kids or adults to get their money's worth on a wristband), and 10+ minute wait times for every ride. There were two rotating pendulum rides and three different variations on the "Flying Elephant" ride model (elephants, pirate ships, and helicopters), but not a single normal swing ride. Out of the six funhouses along the midway, only one had any mechanical parts that worked, but even among the non-mechanical parts, mirrors were broken, rollers were rusty, and slides were shaky. The carousel shook and played no music, the Wacky Worm lost both antennas and the lap bar would not lock, the Dizzy Dragons SCRAPED against the mechanical arms and tilted when we turned the center plate, and both the haunted house and Pole Position Roller Coaster broke down multiple times during our trip... Needless to say, we did not trust the more thrilling rides that were offered... 40 dollars for a wristband with this experience is insane when the adult and child midway are combined like this. I would not have gone if I hadn't gotten in for free. Hopefully, the Sonoma County Fair and Butler Amusements get their act together next year and are able to make a more thoughtful, safe, ride experience. read more

It's meant to be fun for 'everyman', but it's not really affordable, the parking, the entry fee, the rides, the food, the water. It's too expensive, especially if you have kids. Shame as they will price out all the customers, and then there will be no fair anymore.... read more

I will never go back. With 25 bucks to get in, 20 to park, even for disabled folks. You can't bring your purse it's all clear bags, so everyone knows your business, not safe in my opinion and feels like an invasion of privacy. For fish and chips and curly fries it was over $42. You can't even use cash to play games it is all electronic ride tickets to play games, and it is 10 tickets which is like $10 to play each game! what happened to the charm of the midway games throwing coins onto dishes or quarters onto a rainbow. 20 tickets for 18 is the lowest amount you can buy. Music on the midway, what music?!? The carnival rides were silent even the carousel. The kids section moved from a very convenient place to an area by the Cris beck arena?? For a Saturday night there were no large crowds. OH yeah, $30 for a turkey leg! Sonoma County Fair you have done so well at ruining the county fair experience. Pushing out those less fortunate and families with the high costs. NEVER GOING BACK. Grace Pavilion had to have Peggy Sues cars in it to take up space as there were very few venders and I saw 0 demonstrations. Spike the prices and it isn't worth the vender's time and money to be there. Gone are the days of the fun family fair, being completely stressed over prices the entire time we were there...brought to me by Sonoma County Fair. You too can experience this if you can afford to get thru the gate. This is why the Gravenstein Apple fair has lost business also, jack the prices run the customers away. read more

Had a great time at the fair, and I really have to mention how awesome the model railroading was. It was nice to see all the effort put in by the guys on their trains. I can't believe I couldn't find any pizza by the slice. The Elvis show was lots of fun over there Buzzy Martin, and the buzz tones made it all that much better. read more

We went on opening day this year. It appears that there are less and less vendors in the main pavilion and outside food vendors as each year passes. Perhaps it is a sign of the times but sad none the less. It was not very crowded at all, which made walking along easier. However, when we went to sit down and eat our annual 1/2 and 1/2 spaghetti, we had a hard time finding a place. There weren't as many benches or picnic benches in the area as previously. We did not stay for the midway to open, but the crew at the children's rides were friendly and our grandson enjoyed himself, even pointing out there were some new rides this time. Fortunately I took advantage of the advanced online ticket purchases so we did get a small discount along with going on kids free admission day. read more

Bay Area folks would have to think long and hard to come up with a reason to not visit the SC Fair (running through the 14th). It's a short hour away, it's in a land where the sun actually shines with regularity, it has clean restrooms. This, I believe, is the next nearest fairgrounds with a horsetrack (Alameda County Fairgrounds being a shade closer). Unlike AC, the track at Santa Rosa dominates the fair itself, looming large on the west side of all the other action. In the afternoon it casts its shadow on the smallish 4H ring. Overall, the layout is of a size easily managed on a visit after work (whereas for to do AC you need to be getting to the lot at 10 in the morning). As with the other venues, the fair food is marvelous. The hall of cooking shows, chamois, and trinkets is as it is everywhere - weird and dependable. The midway has straw over the dirt trod by happy people. More dark hair here than in Pleasanton. Aside from the fact that you have to pay to sit in the grandstand at the track and the pari windows are staffed by fewer real humans, the track is comfortable. Viewing is on the sunny side; the paddock is spiffy. I put $5 on the 33 to 1 in the 8th race and came away $170 richer than I was moments before. Had I put $5,000 I would have almost made up for what the market took from me earlier that same day. Picasso is sweet, surely, but it's inside. Check out the blue period after the 14th. Go get your vitamin D on in Santa Rosa first (Moma always looks better with a tan). read more

Sonoma County Fair - Staple. - Festivals Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

The fair is a must...... It is just to bad that it is so expensive. You have to pay to park...lucky when I got in for a $1.00. Bank of Marin was giving away coupons for Aug 7 ....... such a deal... Love the shopping in the home center. . Love the flowers . it was a holiday theme with multiple cultures. Lots of animals. And of course music, beer, wine, cocktails, (too expensive) $12 for a beer. most everything crazy expensive. French fries $9 they should lower prices and they would probably sell more! read more

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"You can't eat this soup standing up. Your knees buckle." Jerry Posole soup at the fair 1st thing when we got there set the stage for a GOOD day. Hot-steaming and chok full of goodies (pork chunks, chilies, hominy, topped w/ 2 plate covering crisp corn tortillas... Mmmmm! 6 carnival rides later, we're sniffing for our next taste... How about a basket of curly fries the size of a loaf of bread, a Monster Corn Dog, Deep fried Artichoke hearts, and Watermelon Agua Fresca? Cruise the Mechanical bulls, livestock, some carnival games, a few more rides, and yes... more food! Garlic Chicken Kabobs, Shave Ice, Carne Asade Torta, Root Beer float, and a Cantalope drink. Expo hall, Hall of Flowers, then popcorn, water, and yes, apple pie, cotton candy. Next year we'll stay the night and do two days... one is not enough to see it all Rodeo, horse racing, monster trucks, sheep shearing... gotta see that! read more

Sonoma County Fair - Giant Loaf of Curly Fries $8 - Festivals Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

I brought friends from Marin county to our fair, and they were crazy for it, they said they were spoiled after our fair and didn't want to go to the Marin county fair again! I realized they were absolutely correct! We have blues and brews the bands are always fantastic and the horse races too always big fun the food the hall of flowers free music stage by the track we have lots of entertainment bands not free and of all sorts of great fair food! Deep fried everything funnel cakes and lots of great things to shop and browse and a great time was had by all thanks Sonoma county fair great job!! read more

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Disappointed yet again. After paying $15-$30 to park, you are then required to pay $20/adult and I believe $15 per kid over 7? For your $20 admission plus parking, you are greeted with... all "free things closed" the hall of flowers which is included in your ticket, closed, the kids animal section, closed, nothing is included with your ticket besides those items and music. Although the music is always great, this is not a review of the bands, this is the scam that is the fair. Every other thing here costs extra, making you wonder, what did I just pay for? Even if the hall of flowers and kids animal section was indeed open, it would not warrant a fee to enter. I know inflation is out of control and everything has gone up in price, but how does a family afford a nice day out at the fair with kids? Rides are expensive, run down, unsafe, filthy, the grounds are absolutely atrocious, I personally tripped over not one, but 4 sections of exposed power cords, the clean up crews sat around for 15 minutes on their phones as we watched countless people just throw their trash on the ground. Horribly run, overpriced, and absolutely filthy. I think it's time things change around here... read more

Wow, this was so bad. It's been awhile, but still I expected better, better food and exhibits. It's like a fair from 10 years ago. Over priced food, games that didn't seem fun, it was a turn off to have people yelling at us to try the games "hey be a man, win something for your girly..." really? Seesh. Not to mention the food looks like it hasn't changed in years, all the same things. Now I know why we haven't gone back in years. Not to mention there weren't many things going on, not much of an animal area either. Good news is that know not to waste our time there ever again. read more

Not the same as it was before the pandemic. No livestock. Very few food vendors. Horse races only on weekends. Entrance fee way over priced. Sorry to see this happen to one of our favorite county fairs. Such a shame. Won't be returning. read more

The fair this year was super lame expensive way to kill time with way less activities, food options, shopping booths and animals

The fair is on, that's a bonus. Understandably the fair is missing s number of regular attractions due to Covid, which would not have been so disappointing if they had updated their webpage to reflect current status. So I will do it here. The fair is about 1/3rd the size as a normal year. The large retail area (usually at the main entrance) is closed. No retail building. No flower show. There are some plants on display and some for sale, but there isn't much to speak of. No horse racing Fewer bands No livestock today speak of Yes, the midway is there, the rides were packed, face painting and food, some retail are there. There is a place to get vaccinated AND we stopped by a booth set up by the county. They were giving away free stuff if you could present a vaccine card. I don't know how often they will show up, but that was a happy unexpected surprise!! It's still worth it to go! We had a great time eating our favorite foods snd watching the fair goers. Oh, we also brought ice cold bottled water for the parking attendants who must stand in the hot sun all day. They were very happy to get the cold bottled water read more

Heading to the Fair sometime at the beginning of August is a family tradition that started about 30 years ago. I have been going ever since i knew how to walk and this fair seems to have it all. From the kiddy park to the adult rides there is surely something that spins and makes you want to hurl your newly downed slushy. The only thing I don't remember are the prices being so high. $9.00 to enter and nearly $5+ for all food items you want. Make sure to bring your pocket book so that you can keep up $20 wont get your anywhere now-a-days, and certainly not at the fair. Splashdogs is a new event that has been at the fair for the past year at least that's kind of fun. Watch locals compete with who's dog can jump the farthest into a pool while chasing a rubber toy. Spectator sport and fun for the kids. After that hang a left and head on over to the livestock to see the pigs, ducks, chickens, cows, sheep, goats, you-name-it. Built up your hunger again?... then grab a free ice cream cone from Clover from 1-4pm. This fair has everything you need, and even things you don't. read more

Sonoma County Fair - Sno shack - Festivals Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

THE BEST COUNTY FAIR IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA There I said it. Why is it? As a horse racing fan it is the only country fair in northern California where there are grass races. All the horse races in other county fairs are run on dirt. If you are a bettor having both grass and dirt races results better quality of race horses. Also horse racing is much more fun to bet when there different types of races that are run either on dirt or grass. In addition this fair represents the best summer atmosphere. First you're in wine country, which represents a certain theme and setting other county fairs in northern California can't provide. Second you're about twenty miles away from River Rock Casino if you still have the urge to continue gambling. What makes a county fair is the enjoyable is the food. The food while not spectacular is underrated. There are different varieties of food ranging from chicken leg quarters kabobs to smoked turkey leg. There are non-horse racing activities kids can enjoy. My review is based upon the horse racing scene. I read a book where one horse racing handicapper stated if he couldn't go to Del Mar Racetrack or Saratoga Racetrack in the summer he would go here to watch horse racing. And these two racetracks are nationally recognized in a thoroughbred racing. I admit I haven't been to other county fairs in northern California that's because on other county fairs all the horse races are on dirt. If I love this county fair so much, why not a 5-star rating? Like the rest of the county fairs in northern California it has about two or three non-thoroughbred horse races on the card, ranging from Arabian to Quarter Horses. The only horse racing I like is thoroughbred racing. As Hall of Fame thoroughbred trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, who is locally based at Golden Gate Fields, had said county fair racing are hurting the quality of racing in northern California. I tend to agree with him. Other than if you had to go only one county fair in northern California a year the Sonoma County Fair is the one to go to. read more

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EXTREME RIDES - probably the best/scariest carnival rides i have ever rode. there were carousel swings, merry go rounds, the zipper, legit mini roller coasters with drops, even ones that spun and inverted you in the air. what's nice is that for every "big person" coaster, there was a baby version on the other side of the fair PETTING ZOO!! - the best petting zoo i've been to! there's a bunch of attention hungry goats, a doe that will eat your clothing, baby pigs, a chicken with an attitude and everything was just too cute! i would spend all day in here if i could food - the biggest BLOCK of curly fries i had ever eaten. good to share with family members. - tons of shaved ice and do-it-yourself flavors - huge turkey legs Hall of Flowers - impressive displace of gardening, very unique and a spectacle to see and take pictures with. of course this place had the usual trickery carnival games, horrible unhealthy food, and stables for the show animals. all a part of the package overall probably the best county fair i have ever experienced (comparing to san mateo county fair, san francisco county fair and the state fair in sacramento) read more

We all need a little Sonoma County Fair in our lives! Simple and hasn't changed since my family were regulars in the 80's and 90's. What to bring: - Hat and sunscreen, it's always hot with not a lot of shade - Cash, a lot of the booths and vendors are still 'cash only' - Strong stomach for rides and greasy fair food - Love for livestock, it's amazing to see so many farm animals in one place Tips: There is a $10 lot just to the right of the entrance that is worth every penny. Especially if you have young kids and gear. Get there at 10:45am (fair opens at 11am) Stay for a few hours post opening and then get the heck out before the crowds arrive. read more

I feel like I am cornered to rate this fair 2ish stars because when I reflect on my experience I am left feeling, meh. The whole experience was underwhelming, even the people watching. What has happened to our economy to make even a little local fair so crapilicious. What a shame. I dined on a pronto pup, supposedly the original hot dog on a stick that has been serving fairgoers since 1956. It was decent enough, hot and fresh which is normally more than can be expected from fair food. I think my highlight was the homemade rootbeer at one of the stands. It was quite delicious and served in a true redneck fashionable tin cup with an oakey scene on it. Classic. Flower exhibit is worth a gander should you be going. One plus, I guess in this economy even the hoodlums have to cut back. There were far less questionable folks compared to previous years. read more

Lots to see, pretty much able to see & do it all in 5 or 6 hours. $20 admission for adults, without a ride bracelet, children under 2 are free. Love walking around sipping my tall lemonade, while hoovering a wide variety of fair foods. Gyros will make you salivate, along with the sugar-on- top of sugar & whip cream funnel cakes. Other healthy honorable mentions are the crab corn dogs & pulled pork BBQ sandwiches. Oh yeah there's more than food here. The rides are fun, the Zipper & ferris wheel are long-time favs. Horse races are a good time...never bet a lot of dough because I never win. The Hall of Flowers is always a must see, incredible living flower displays & when the fair is over you can purchase them for wholesale prices. It's the fair, prices are steep, if you choose to go multiple days you could end up homeless. read more

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Hello, so I am submitting my review quite a long time after my stay but it does not tarnish the value of my experience at Sonoma County Fairgrounds. My family and I stayed for a few nights to get the kids out for a much needed vacay from all of the Covid restraints. The fair is always lovely and the vendors and games during the day were fantastic and loud...just what we all needed! But what made each day truly enjoyable is that each night we were able to return to our campsite and get a good night's sleep. Not something u normally expect while camping, but seriously greatful for when it happens. I was at first uncertain about staying there but I don't regret the decision now. I owe this all in favor to the campground manager Danielle. Every night she was instilling the campground rules in a very polite and courteous manner. She would check on the campers to ensure a positive experience while making rounds and keeping loud party guests at bay and quiet. She was also very funny and a professional. I wanted to write this review because I hope she gets the credit she deserves and is appreciated by the Sonoma County Fairgrounds. I own a business and would keep her as a valued employee on my staff if I was her boss. Keep up the good work Danielle and we will return yearly to ur campground just because the safety and courtesy you have genuinely provided to myself and my children. cheers! read more

If you haven't been here it's a must to come out action packed full of vibrant people this fair is the tops in California for most fun excitement horse racing is top-notch and to note the picture of the spaghetti is the one at Ibletos in the fair bye the flower exposition please take time to eat this institution absolutely hands down the best food at the fair and old tradition read more

Sonoma County Fair - Festivals Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

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Just great down-home, family-oriented fun. This is a great opportunity to just be civil with folks and enjoy the simpler things in life---things that don't require a touch-screen! read more

I love the fair! This one is decently big compared to the Petaluma-Marin fair, whatever they call it. There's a ton of junk food everywhere...but best of all....THE ACROCATS! Yes, you heard me right. Cats trained to perform tricks! Cats trained to perform in a band! It's exactly what you'd expect it to be. They also had the aqua dogs or splash dogs or something. It was fun to watch and splashy. They had a good amount of bathrooms and there weren't long crazy lines like in other fairs. I wish there were more shopping areas, like local produce and products, but there wasn't really any. Also, I wish they didn't charge you $6 for parking in a field. It's a fair, and you pay to get in and eat junk food all day and look at farm animals and listen to random music. This delivers. read more

I have been coming to the Sonoma County fair since I was tiny and it has changed a ton over the years. I love the fair food and the ambiance of a small community and the focus on local farmers when it comes to the animals. Unfortunately, this year (2015) I did feel like the fair had a more "commercial" taste to it and I didn't appreciate the fact that a lot of the vendors were from outside of Sonoma County. I always enjoy walking the Grace Pavillion and didn't see anything worth buying this year. The flower show was also very disappointing and underwhelming in 2015, even though I thought the theme of barnyard animals was cute. This is a great place for kids but the food and drink is over the top expensive (trapped audience after all). My two year old had an absolute blast and I hope to continue to bring him as he ages. I hope that this fair will get back to it's Sonoma County roots more and be more local in the future though. read more