California State Fair draws 700K visitors, its highest attendance since 2015
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- California State Fair drew 700,000 attendees, up 8% from 2024 totals.
- Fair attendance rose despite 21% fewer operating hours versus previous year.
- New exhibits like lowriders attracted over 150,000 visitors, boosting turnout.
The California State Fair ended Sunday, completing 17 days of concerts, competitions and carnival rides that entertained the event’s largest crowd in a decade.
This year’s fair drew 700,000 visitors, according to Cal Expo media director Darla Givens, measuring an 8% uptick in reported attendance.
The reported growth builds on a 10% increase in reported attendance last year and marks the highest number of reported fairgoers since 2015, when 787,833 people visited the grounds.
The fair reported the increased attendance despite a sharp reduction in operating hours. The fair’s weekend hours were consistent with past years, but the weekday schedule was tightened and closing night was cut short.
In past years, the fair was open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Thursday. This year, the fair opened at 4 p.m. Monday to Thursday, and the final day finished at 8 p.m. rather than 10 p.m. Compared to last year, the fair featured 42 fewer hours of operation — a 21% decrease.
Givens declined to share day-by-day attendance but noted that July 26 was the most visited date with a reported 90,000 fairgoers.
“The goal of the California State Fair has always been to offer a place where families can gather, create new memories, and build traditions that last a lifetime,” said California Exposition CEO Tom Martinez. “We have welcomed hundreds of thousands of guests who came together to celebrate the very best in agriculture, music, art, and food.”
The fair’s connection to California agriculture, though, has weakened in recent years. Its Agricultural Advisory Council, used to design farm-oriented programming at the fair, has faced personnel shortages since the pandemic, according to previous Bee reporting, and has struggled to staff its events.
As the fair strays from its agricultural origins, it has added new offerings to draw visitors like CaLOWfornia Love, an exhibit which displayed souped-up and brightly-colored lowriders alongside their owners’ family photographs and mementos. The lowriders comprised one of the fair’s most popular exhibits, attracting more than 150,000 visitors, according to Givens.
The state fair continues to balance traditional offerings with innovative events as it recovers from a years-long decline in attendance from 2015 to 2018 and suspended operations during the pandemic.
“As we look ahead to 2026, we do so with momentum and gratitude,” said Martinez. “The California State Fair is more than just an event, it’s a tradition, a destination, and a reflection of who we are as a state. We’re proud of what we accomplished this year, and we’re already working to make next year even better.”
This story was originally published July 28, 2025 at 3:49 PM.
