SAN DIEGO — Considered the largest and longest-running community event in the county, the San Diego County Fair will offer visitors the opportunity to participate in themed events this year, such as a storybook scavenger hunt, a story time read-aloud and enjoy comedy shows such as “The Flying Royals’.
Fair-goers can also attend lacemaking demonstrations and learn the art of chair caning, according to the fairground’s events schedule.
Fair dates and hours
The fair is open from June 5 to July 10, Wednesday – Sunday, and is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. The fair opens at 11 a.m. and closes at 11 p.m.
Activities, things to do at the 2026 San Diego County Fair
- Theme activities: At the themed exhibits, guests can attend “Once Upon a Stage” where featured performers walk the audience through storybook-inspired performances. Alongside this, there is also a magic show that runs throughout the duration of the fair, with captivating tricks that invite guests to become part of the magic.
- Animal-related activities: Guests can attend horse shows, a petting farm and even see pig races where they guess which pig will make it to the finish line first.
- Culinary Cookoff: Between 5:30 p.m. and 6:15 p.m., guests can watch professional Southern California chefs compete in a culinary showdown.
- Contests: Attendees can participate in competitive exhibits and one-day contests in a variety of categories.
- Bow-Tying Lessons: Guests have the chance to learn how to tie a bowtie to get them ready for any ballroom-style events.
- Monster Trucks and Motorsports: Fair-goers can listen to the loud engines of monster trucks from July 1-5 at the fairgrounds.
Lineup for the 2026 Toyota Summer Concert Series
From country to EDM, San Diego County Fair visitors can enjoy a wide range of artists and performers on the Corona Grandstand Stage for 20 nights from June 10 to July 5. Tickets to the Toyota Summer Concert Series include same-day admission to the county fair.
Here is the lineup of performers:
- June 10 – Chicago
- June 12 – Koe Wetzel
- June 13 – GRiZ
- June 14 – Los Tucanes de Tijuana
- June 17 – Bret Michaels and Night Ranger
- June 18 – Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias
- June 19 – Marshmello
- June 20 – Good Charlotte
- June 21 – Banda Machos
- June 24 – Demi Lovato
- June 25 – Nelly
- June 26 – Maren Morris
- June 27 – Jekalyn Carr with Darnell Davis and the Remnant
- June 28 – El Coyote and Chuy Lizárraga
- July 1 – AJR
- July 3 – Warren Zeiders
- July 5 – Conjunto Primavera
Ticket Information
Ticket prices vary by age and the day when visitors plan on attending the fair. Purchasing tickets in advance rather than on the day of the event will be cheaper by $3 to $4.
- General Admissions: On Wednesdays and Thursdays, general admission for those between the ages of 13 to 61 costs $17 if they purchase tickets in advance and $20 on the day of. From Fridays through Sundays, tickets cost $20 if purchased in advance or $25 the day of.
- Senior tickets: For those who are 62 years old or over, will cost $14 if purchased in advance or $17 day off on Wednesdays and Thursdays. From Fridays through Sundays, it costs $17 if purchased in advance and $22 the day of.
- Youth tickets: Visitors ages 6 to 12 will need to pay $14 for advance tickets and $17 day-of on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Youth tickets are free on Fridays. For Saturdays and Sundays, it costs $17 for advance and $22 for day-of tickets.
- Children: Guests 5 years old and younger have free entry to the fair every day.
Season Passes are available for those looking to attend the fair multiple times. It will be valid for all 20 days of the fair, and the pass starts at $65.
Parking information
Visitors will have to pay to park at the fairgrounds, but there is a free parking option off-site. To save $5, visitors can pay for parking online at least 24 hours in advance…