After the fair was closed down in 2020 and scaled-down in 2021, the San Diego County Fair will be making a full return to the Del Mar Fairgrounds with the theme “Heroes ‘Re’Unite.”
This superhero-themed fair is expected to pack a punch from June 8 to July 4.
Here’s everything you need to know from activities to parking.
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Fair Admission
The fair will be open every day, except for Mondays and Tuesdays, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weeknights and until 11 p.m. on weekends.
- On Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, adult tickets (ages 13-61) are $20.
- Wednesday and Thursday tickets are $15.
- Friday, Saturday and Sunday senior tickets (ages 62 and up) are $17 and $12 on Wednesday and Thursday.
- Youth tickets (ages 6-12) are $17 on Saturday and Sunday and $12 on Wednesday and Thursday and free on Friday.
- Children 5 and younger get in free anytime.
Make sure that you don’t bring any dollar bills because the county fair has gone cashless. In an attempt to make things a bit cleaner and easier, the fair has eliminated the need for cash and will be relying on a “cashless payment experience,” according to the SD County Fair website. They also will be selling all tickets and parking passes in advance here and you will not be able to buy a ticket or parking pass at the door.
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Concerts & Festivals
The fair will be filled with fun activities such as classic carnival rides, eating greasy fair food and even concerts. Some of the big names coming to Del Mar include Jason Derulo, Sam Hunt, The Goo Goo Dolls and more on the packed list here.
If you like to Rock 'n' Roll more to old school, there’s an entire line-up of tribute bands, as well as the classic fan favorites.
Drinks
You may get thirsty from singing at the top of your lungs at all these shows, so don’t worry there are three different drink festivals to quench your thirst. These feature different award-winning spirits, San Diego’s favorite beers and wine from all across the coast. General admission ranges from $30-$60 depending on the festival.
- Toast of the Coast Wine Festival, June 11
- San Diego International Beer Festival, June 18 and 19
- Distilled Spirit and Cocktail Festival, July 2
Activities
Each day is jam-packed with different activities to participate in or observe from afar.
You can see pig races, watch a goat get milked, or dig for treasure. There are plenty of up-close and personal demonstrations of wildlife, including plenty of farm animals, because who hasn’t wanted to see a cow milking demonstration! For a full list of activities here’s a daily calendar.
The fair will also include classic carnival rides and games with the purchase of “FunPass” tickets. The fair allows you to buy these ahead of time online as well as through the fun pass app.
The fairgrounds will also feature different exhibits brought to you from the community and local San Diegans competing for ribbons and cash prizes. Some of these fun competitions include the Jr. livestock auction, student art showcase, garden show and more.
Parking
Parking-wise, it can also get a little bit competitive. There are three main parking lots that the fair recommends. These are the preferred parking right by where you enter the fair, general parking that is first come first serve as well as offsite parking at Torrey Pines High School where the fair provides shuttles to transport you back and forth. The fair also provides a tram service to take you to the fair from the closer parking lots.
- Preferred Parking is $30 and opens and closes an hour before and after the fair
- General Parking and Horse park are $15 and open and close an hour before and after the fair
- Torrey Pines High School parking is free and it opens at 10 am and goes until an hour after the fair closes
The return of the San Diego County Fair is sure to bring back all the nostalgia of a fun family-centered summer day with crazy rides, delicious food, a little friendly competition and music to tie it all together.
For more information visit their website, here.
