Free Parking
Mondays & Thursdays before 4pm. (excluding Labor Day)
$5 Admission
Mondays & Thursdays before 5pm. (excluding Labor Day)
Kids Day Tuesdays
Kids Day is every Tuesday at the Fair; all kids 12 and under receive FREE admission all day. The RCS Carnival is offering $1 carnival rides for everyone until 11 p.m. (Minimum height and safety requirements apply to all rides).
Senior Fridays
On Fridays, admission is just $6 for seniors 62+, before 6 p.m. Here are some specials free to all seniors: Seniors ride FREE on any of the three Ferris Wheels and Carousel, courtesy of RCS. The Resource Fair, information and assistance to seniors, caregivers and the general public in the Promenade Area from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.
Wellness Walk Health Screenings- Blood pressure checks by Kaiser Permanente as well as diabetes and skin screenings in the Promenade Area from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Bingo at Laguna Brick Oven Pizza!
Wristband Days
Unlimited ride Wristbands can be purchased Fridays and Labor Day for $30. Buy til 8pm, ride til 11pm. All height and safety requirements apply.
Every Day Wristbands – NEW!
NEW! You can buy an unlimited ride wristband good any day at the State Fair. Just get a coupon from special displays of Coca-Cola 12-packs. Redeem the coupon at the Fair and you can buy unlimited ride wristbands for just $30 on weekdays and $35 on weekends. On Weekdays (M-Fr & Labor Day) the cost is $30 (Purchase Wristband by 8 p.m. and Ride Until 11 p.m.). On Weekends (Sat & Sun) the cost is $35 (Purchase Wristband by 4 p.m. and Ride Until 7 p.m.)
Read & Ride – Read 3 Books get 3 Free Rides, courtesy of Ray Cammack Shows. Grades 8 and below only. For forms and details, click here .
Trip A Day Giveaway – Everyday, one lucky fairgoer will win a trip for four to Universal Studios Hollywood, courtesy of the California State Fair, News 10, and Universal Studios. What better way to celebrate California culture than to visit not just one, but two of California's premier attractions! Visit the News10 booth at the Fair to sign up. (Some restrictions apply).
Opening Day Ceremonies – Lights, Camera, Big Fun! Join us for a red carpet ceremony on Friday, August 15 to officially mark the opening of the 2008 California State Fair. Various dignitaries and the public will watch as fair-time > traditions return each year, such as the annual ribbon cutting and the BIG FUN “Corn Dog Toast.” Program begins at 9:30 a.m. at the Main Entrance.
Armed Forces and First Responder's Day - First Responders Day is a salute to the efforts of the Armed Forces, Veterans and local, state & national law enforcement & emergency services in all branches of government & private enterprises. On Tuesday, August 19, men and women who serve as First Responders can enjoy FREE FREE admission to the Fair (with proper identification) in or out of uniform. In addition, there will be special exhibit areas throughout the Fair staffed by armed forces, veteran groups, law enforcement, fire & allied emergency service agencies highlighting their services as well as providing interactive activities.
Arts Day – Arts Day is Saturday, August 23. Come enjoy fabulous demonstrations, music & entertainment on several stages, PLUS interactive arts & crafts projects in the Kaiser Kids Park. The California Artist of the Year Golden Bear Awards will be presented to ceramicist and sculptor Ruth Rippon, furniture designer Sam Maloof and others. The entire day will be filled with performances, presentations & exhibits by celebrated California authors & visual artists.
Cattleman's Day – Cattleman's Day is on Wednesday, August 27 with a special tribute to the Agricultural Heritage Club and Rodeo Hall of Fame 2008 inductees. Activities take place all day and culminate with a special awards ceremony, barbeque, and lively western entertainment at the Rodeo Arena in the evening.
FREE Goodies
There are tons of Freebies at the California State Fair, get to know where you can get all these cool giveaways!
Free Water Bottles & Movie Tickets – Opening Day is News10 Red Day. Be one of the first in line wearing News10 Red and receive a limited edition FREE News10/State Fair water bottle and an IMAX movie ticket, courtesy of News10, IMAX and the State Fair! Gates open at 10am on Friday, August 15. First come, first served. Visit news10.net for details.
Free Trees – Come by the Forest Center all 18 days of the Fair and pick up a FREE tree, courtesy of the California Forest Products Commission.
Free Pedometers – The first 500 seniors to visit the Senior Area on Senior Fridays will receive a FREE pedometer, courtesy of Kaiser Permanente.
Free Food – Sample some of the best desserts, entrees and appetizers made by some of the best chefs in the area. For FREE food samples, just visit the Save Mart Supermarkets California Foodstyle Bldg., presented by Health Craft, in Expo Center Bldg. 2, any day of the Fair.
Free Admission Tickets – From Friday, August 29 to Monday, September 1, Poppy Pals Club members can visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium booth in Park and receive a free child admission ticket to the Monterey Bay Aquarium!
Free Hats – There will be two hat giveaways in the Miller Lite Grandstand. A Del Mar Hat giveaway will take place on Sunday, August 24, and a State Fair hat giveaway will take place on Saturday, August 30.
FREE Activities
All the thrilling stage entertainment and incredible exhibits and attractions are FREE with your admission the State Fair. But here are some of the additional FREE activities you won't want to miss!
Free Concerts – General viewing of all State Fair concerts is free with Fair admission. But there are a limited number of FREE seats at the Golden1 Stage. To claim your free seat, come to the Golden1 Stage at 4 p.m. on the day of the concert to receive a concert wristband.
Free Photos – You can be a News10 Weathercaster and get your picture taken doing it...free! Get your FREE picture taken in Air10. Every day in the News10 booth in the California Building.
Free Vacation – We're giving away admission tickets for four to Universal Studios Hollywood, courtesy of News10, Universal Studios and the California State Fair. Sign up for the FREE vacation at the News10 booth every day of the Fair. One winner per day. Visit news10.net for details.
The California Family Fitness Kidz Fitness Challenge – Open everyday, the all new FREE Kidz Fitness Challenge in the Kaiser Permanente Kids Park will show kids (and adults) just how fun it is to be healthy! This action-packed area lets kids test their fitness levels with stations like push-ups, jumping jacks, sit ups, a balance beam, hoop run, and more. Provided by California Family Fitness.
Camp Smokey – Everyday of the Fair, Kids 12 and under can receive a stamp towards their “Golden Passport to Fire Prevention” and receive a FREE Smokey the Bear Award by completing all the fire prevention tasks.
Farm Passports – Come to the Farm and participate in the Kaiser Permanente Passport program. Visit each farm location on your map and get a FREE prize! Fun for the whole family!
Hollywood Walk of Fame – Follow this star studded map and you will have taken 10,000 steps, the minimum amount of daily exercise recommended by health professionals. Pick up your FREE Walking Map any day at any of the information booths at the Fair and at the Senior Resource Area in the Promenade on Fridays. California Family Fitness and Kaiser Permanente are the proud sponsors of this program. |
