Here's your ultimate guide to the 2026 San Diego County Fair
The San Diego County Fair returns to the Del Mar Fairgrounds on Wednesday for its 2026 run. For many San Diego County and Tijuana residents, the fair’s arrival marks the official start of summer.
For many fairgoers, it’s the annual traditions that make a fair visit special. Maybe it’s an ear of fresh-roasted local corn sprinkled with Tajin seasoning or a few rides and games in the Fun Zone. Maybe it’s shopping for gadgets in O’Brien Hall, watching the Swifty Swine piglet races or perusing the woodworking and art exhibits. Or it might be a concert on the Grandstand stage, a Monster Trucks event or a carry-home container of giant cinnamon rolls.
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All of those experiences can be repeated again this year, along with many new ones. Here are some good-to-know details to make your fair excursion easier and more enjoyable this year.
Theme
This year’s fair has a new theme, “Once Upon a Fair,” which will be featured in a walk-through, interactive exhibit for families near the fairgrounds entrance that celebrates children’s books and characters. Inside the exhibit hall, there will be read-aloud storytime adventures with guest readers, musical storytimes, readings for toddlers, a magic show, a story-themed scavenger hunt, KPBS Kids with Arthur story events and more. Here’s the details: sdfair.com/location/theme-exhibit
Tickets
This year’s fair will run from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Wednesdays-Sundays, June 10 through July 5.
Because just about everything is more expensive these days, the fair is highlighting affordability this year. On opening day, all tickets will be just $5 for those arriving before 5 p.m. And every day, children 5 and under are free. On Fridays, children ages 6 to 12 get in free, as well.
Adult tickets range from $14 to $25, with weekends at the top end of the price range. All tickets are $3 to $5 cheaper when purchased online in advance. Or you can purchase discounted tickets at Albertsons, Vons and Pavilion supermarkets for up to $8.50 in savings per person. And if you plan to visit the fair multiple times this year, a 20-day season pass, priced at $65, is the best overall option. Seniors over 62 are also eligible for discounts, as well as active military and veterans. For details, visit sdfair.com/p/tickets.
Parking and transportation
Fairgoers can park onsite at the fairgrounds for $25 (or $20 if purchased online at least 24 hours in advance). They can park across the freeway at the Del Mar Horsepark and take a free shuttle to the front gate for $15. Or they can park for free at Torrey Pines High School, 3710 Del Mar Heights Road, with free shuttle service. There’s also preferred parking next to the O’Brien entry gate for $60 ($55 in advance). Details at sdfair.com/p/plan-your-visit/parking-transportation.
Rideshare fans can catch an Uber or Lyft to the fair, which will have a special area marked with purple flags in its Blue Lot gate.
There are also Fair Tripper passes, which allow fairgoers to travel to the fair by bus, train and shuttle for one price. North County Transit District and the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System have collaborated on the one-stop-shop fares, which include round-trip transportation for $20-$23 on Wednesdays and Thursdays and $23-$28 Fridays through Sundays. In honor of Juneteenth on Friday, June 19, Fair Tripper passes will be reduced in price to $17-$19. Details here: sdfair.com/p/plan-your-visit/tickets-deals/fair-tripper.
Special discounts
Pay-One-Price Ride Days: On Wednesdays and Thursdays, fairgoers can purchase a wristband for unlimited Fun Zone and Kids Zone rides from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. The pass is $50 if purchased before June 10, and $55 afterward.
Game on Fridays: If you enjoy trying your luck at the midway games, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fridays, games in the Fun Zone and Kids Zone will only require four BlastPass credits to play.
Kids Day: Every Friday, children 12 and under get in free, plus they’ll receive a coupon for buy-one-get-one-free admission to Legoland California theme park in Carlsbad.
Passport to Savings: More than 50 of this season’s food vendors are offering discounts and specials that can be found in the Passport to Savings coupon books available at the fair’s information kiosks. These deals can also be found online at sdfair.com/businesses/food-drink/passport-to-savings.
New foods to try
Checking out what’s new to eat at the fair is the favorite pastime of many visitors. To encourage food vendors to reach for the skies with creativity for new menu items, the San Diego County Fair each year hosts its Fair-Tastic Food Competition.
This year’s contest, inspired by the fair’s “Once Upon a Fair” theme, encouraged vendors to come up with unique items inspired by their favorite books. Nearly 50 seminfinalist food items were chosen, and a team of judges will narrow the list down to the top 18 new food items on opening day. To whet your appetite, check out photos and descriptions of the semifinalists at sdfair.com/p/what-to-do/food-contest.
I attended the fair’s preview last week and had the opportunity to try many of the semifinalist dishes. Here are my top three recommendations:
The K-Pop Dream Cloud Ice Cream: This is a square ice cream sandwich on a stick, dipped in marshmallow fluff, then toasted with a torch and drizzled with dark chocolate sauce. Find it at the Dragon Street Eats booth.
Sweet Mac n’ Heat Crunch Potato: An oven-baked sweet potato is topped with butter, mac ‘n’ cheese and jalapeño slices, then sprinkled with brown sugar that’s bruléed for a caramelized crunch. Find it at Corn Star & Hot Potato Club booth.
Crispy Chicken Shawarma Wrap: Chicken Charlie’s founder Charlie Boghosian is famous for his deep-fried Oreos, but his new savory offering this year is delicious and a big enough portion for two. Marinated chicken shawarma is wrapped with pickles and pickled turnips, fries, tahini and garlic sauce in a pita that’s seasoned and crisped on a griddle, then finished with a drizzle of pomegranate molasses. Find it at all Chicken Charlie’s booths.
Hidden bars
Every year, the San Diego County Fair opens at least one new speakeasy bar somewhere around the fairgrounds. This year there are two new hidden bars, one for adults and one for all ages.
The Loose Caboose is a 1930s train car-themed speakeasy that will be set up in the Arena Room of The Sound music club. Its signature cocktail is The Detective, a frozen espresso martini . Admission is reserved for ages 21 and up. Hours are 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. daily.
The other hidden bar, Shipwreck’d Grub & Grog, is a pirate-themed bar for all ages with both cocktails and mocktails. It will be located on the roof deck of the Farmer in the Del restaurant in the Plaza de Mexico.
Sports
Don’t want to miss the World Cup games while you’re at the fair? The fairgrounds’ Michelob Ultra Paddock Tavern will be screening soccer games, as well as Padres games, NBA and Nascar events daily. Here’s the schedule: sdfair.com/business/michelob-ultra-paddock-tavern.
Monster Trucks & Motorsports events will run July 1 through 5 in the fairgrounds’ Del Mar Arena. Besides full-size and mini Monster trucks, there will be children’s Mini Dwarf car racing, lawnmower racing and more. Schedule atsdfair.com/events/2026/motorsports.
One of the fair’s perennial favorite “sports” is Swifty Swine Racing Pigs, where five-week-old piglets run around a mini-track reward of an Oreo cookie at the finish line. The pigs race up to six times a day. Check in at the booth for the schedule or find it here: sdfair.com/events/2026/swifty-swine-racing-pigs.
Exhibits
This year’s fair will feature concerts at multiple venues and exhibits of artwork, woodworking, gardening, flowers, gems and minerals, hobbies, photography and K-12 student projects.
Festivals
This year’s cultural events include the Asian & Pacific Islander Festival on June 13, Native American Heritage Day on June 14, a Juneteenth celebration on June 19, Out at the Fair day for the LGBTQ+ community on June 20, a K-Pop Festival on June 28 and a Black and Brown Festival Showcase Presented by Movement BE on July 5.
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Animals
There will be continuous livestock competitions and auctions for animals raised in 4-H, FFA and Grange programs. There will also be open sheep, goat, pigeon, rabbit and guinea pig shows, and a junior dog show. The full schedule can be found here: sdfair.com/p/participate/entry/livestock
Daily events include the Great American Petting Farm, the Wild West turkey stampedes, goat-milking demonstrations, service dog demonstrations and story-reading with goats events, mostly at the Fairview Farm. The annual Charity Fair Horse Show will run June 10-12 in Del Mar Arena.
Bluegrass Festival
One of the fair’s hidden gems is the all-day bluegrass festival, this year from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on July 5 at the Michelob Ultra Avenue Stage. Four top bluegrass bands will perform, and there will be fiddling demonstrations. The fest highlight is the band scramble. Musicians of all skill levels, ages 5 to 100, are sorted by their instrument of choice, randomly grouped into ensembles and given just 15 minutes to prepare and rehearse a song before going onstage. The winning bands receive prizes. sdfair.com/events/2026/bluegrass-festival
Contests for kids
The Fairview Farm area, which families can learn about San Diego’s agricultural crops and history, is hosting free daily contests where kids of all ages can try their luck in corn-shucking, egg-spoon races, stick horse barrel racing, watermelon seed-spitting, agricultural trivia contests and more.
Demonstrations
Every hour there are speakers and demonstrations throughout the fairgrounds on a wide range of subjects, including beeswax candle-making, woodworking, roping, origami, butter-making, machine-knitting, beer- and wine-tasting, gardening and more. Schedule here: sdfair.com/events/demos-speakers.
Entertainment
Besides the evening concerts at the Grandstand, Paddock and Sound, live entertainment is offered all day, every day, at various locations throughout the fair, including live comedy and magic shows, jazz music, bird shows, ballet folklorico performances, line dancing, dance performances and more. Schedule here: sdfair.com/events/entertainment.
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This story was originally published June 5, 2026 at 6:16 AM.