Photos by Chris Stone
The San Diego County Fair opens at 4 p.m. Friday, June 5, at the Del Mar Fairgrounds with the Balboa Park Centennial theme of “A Fair to Remember.”
The O’Brien Gate Opening Ceremony is at 3:30 p.m. as the fair kicks off with a flag-raising ceremony followed by music, celebrity guests and surprises.
Cost of the fair Friday, June 5, and Saturday, June 6, is $4. Discount tickets are available at participating Albertson’s and Vons stores, with a $10 minimum purchase.
Highlights on opening day:
- The Theme Exhibit and experience the 1915 Panama-California Exhibition held in Balboa Park.
- The Paul Ecke Jr. Flower and Garden Show will be “A Walk in the Park,” presented by Think Blue.
- The First Annual Southern California Regional Oxford Sheep Show (June 5 & 6).
- KC and the Sunshine Band performs at the Toyota Summer Concert Series on the Heineken Grandstand Stage at 7:30 p.m.
- Rattz (Tribute to Ratt) performs and the Coors Light Rock On Stage at 9 p.m.
About the fair
The fair will run for 25 days — through Sunday, July 5, and will be closed on Mondays and the first two Tuesdays.
The San Diego County Fair is the largest annual event in San Diego County and one of the top 10 fairs in the United States and Canada, drawing more than 1.4 million visitors annually.
Admission is $15 for adults; $8 for ages 6-12, and 62 and older; free for ages 5 and younger.
Get the Best Pass Ever season pass for $25 at the Fairgrounds Box Office and online at Best Pass Ever.
The Fair Tripper ticket includes round-trip transportation using the North County Transit District’s COASTER, SPRINTER, and BREEZE plus fair admission for only $16.
Late night trains north and south go every day of the Fair. Details at Fair Tripper. A valid NCTD, Amtrak or Compass Pass is required to ride the free shuttle to the fairgrounds from the Solana Beach Train Station.
