California State Fair sees ‘unprecedented’ closing weekend for attendance at Cal Expo

The California State Fair ended its 17-day run on Sunday, recording the largest four-day attendance figures for its closing since the COVID-19 pandemic, according to officials.

The State Fair had a record 65,000 guests on Saturday, an unprecedented number of visitors. Total attendance for 2023 has not yet been released, though attendance in 2022 showed an increase from pre-pandemic numbers.

Tom Martinez, CEO of Cal Expo and the California State Fair, cited investments made to the fair’s concert lineup and children’s programming as factors in the success of this year’s exhibition.

“It’s all about letting everyone enjoy the best of what California has to offer,” he said in a news release. “The success of this year’s event demonstrates our commitment to offering an unforgettable experience.”

For the first time, all 58 California counties participated in this year’s state fair. Other notable statistics include over a million rides tallied by the Butler Amusement Midway and 50,000 rides on Cal Expo’s monorail.

This story was originally published July 31, 2023 at 11:28 AM.