As the San Diego County Fair comes to a close, the annual event’s Guest Services office is reminding the public how to retrieve lost items.
According to the fair, more than 30 items are found daily and dropped off at Guest Services at the Del Mar Fairgrounds during the event. This year alone, more than 200 cell phones and more than 150 credit cards were taken to the lost and found area of the fair and organizers are hoping the rightful owners of the items will pick up their belongings.
“We do not want this stuff," Tristan Hallman, Chief Communications Officer for the 22nd District Agricultural Association, said in a statement. "Please, claim your things. Having them does not bring us joy — but reuniting you with them will."
To report a lost item, call 858-794-1124 and Guest Services can check its inventory for you. The office may ask you to describe in detail what you are missing so employees can return the correct item to you. According to the item, fairgoers should do the following:
Get San Diego local news, weather forecasts, sports and lifestyle stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC San Diego newsletters.
How to claim a found item during the fair (through July 4)
- Drive past the main parking lot entrance and proceed to the Ride Share parking lot. Look for the Purple Banners. Park and walk to the main entrance and go to Will Call.
- Tell Will Call that you are going to Guest Services to retrieve an item. You will have to buy a ticket, CASH ONLY, but this will be refunded to you when you return to Will Call.
- Go to the Guest Services office (1st floor, east end of the Grandstand building), get your item, return to Will Call for your refund, then return to your car. If you take more than one hour to retrieve your item, your car may be towed.
How to claim a found item after the fair (after July 4)
- Call 858-794-1124 to set up an appointment to come and retrieve your lost item. Someone will be on site July 10-15 to assist. All non-claimed items will be donated in September.
In addition to reminding the public on how to retrieve lost items, the fair also revealed its list of lost and found by the numbers:
- 1 Drum Set Seat
- 3 Cameras
- 17 Water bottles; Hydro flask and other brands
- 29 Kids clothing items
- 30 Pieces of jewelry
- 41 Identification Cards or Driver’s Licenses
- 42 Pairs of eyeglasses
- 48 Sets of Keys
- 58 Wallets
- 67 Backpacks and lunch boxes
- 159 Credit cards
- 227 Cell phones (210 had been returned to their owners as of Monday).
