Your guide to the California State Fair 2022: Tickets, parking, concerts and more

After being postponed for two years due to the pandemic, the California State Fair returns Friday, bringing with it a traditional summertime essence.

The season may be incomplete without the aroma of fried food and the colorful carnival rides. Before you head out to the fair, here’s a guide on what you need to know:

Location and parking

The state fair will be at Cal Expo, 1600 Exposition Blvd, Sacramento.

There are various spots you can park. According to the fair website, there are accessible parking areas close to every admission gate and bicycle parking at the Blue Gate, Main Gate and Gate 12.

Costs for parking at the fair is $15.

Date and time

The fair runs from July 15 to July 31.

The hours for the fair varies depending on the gate you enter and leave, event and activity.

• Main Gate and Blue Gate: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday to Thursday; and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday to Sunday
• Green Gate: Opens 2 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday; opens 11 a.m. Tuesday; opens 11 a.m. Friday to Sunday
• Carnival: Opens 2 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday; and opens 11 a.m. Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday
• Kids Park: Opens 1 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday; opens 11 a.m. Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday
• Exhibit Building: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Thursday; 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday to Sunday
• Monorail: Opens 11 a.m. Monday to Thursday; opens 10 a.m. Friday to Sunday
• Skyride: Opens 1 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday; opens 11 a.m. Tuesday and Friday to Sunday

The closing hours for the final day of the fair may change, according to the website. Currently, it’s outlined that hand stamps won’t be provided after 6:30 p.m. and there will be no re-entry after 7 p.m. Parking gates close at 7:30 p.m. and there will be no entry after 8 p.m. It advises that you check the site for updates.

Admission costs and passes

General admission for adults is $14. Kids 4 and under are free, 5 to 12 years old are $10 and seniors 62 and up are $12.

If you buy tickets online in advance of the opening on Friday, you can knock a few dollars off. Adults will be $12, children 5 to 12 are $8 and seniors are $10.

If you’re planning on going on rides, you can get an Unlimited Ride Wristband for $37 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, and for $42 on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. You can also get these in advanced online for $35.

Carnival Fast Passes are $10.

There are also packages available for you to bundle costs:

• Fun Pack: For $49.99, you get four single-day admissions, four ride tickets — which are good for one ride each or the Monorail, and a parking pass.
• State Fair Season Pass: For $35.99, you can get daily admission to the fair.
• Blue Ribbon Season Pass: For $45.99, you get daily admission, unlimited Monorail rides and reserved seating for horse racing.
• Food Festival Pass: For $28, you get four food festival tickets.
• Three-Daily Parking Pass: For $30, you get one parking pass each day.

Activities

Other than the staple carnival rides, activities at the state fair include competitions for cannabis, wine, cheese, livestock and extra virgin olive oil. There’s also a food festival, cooking demonstrations, sampling booths and experience classes.

Concert line up

Concerts are free at the state fair if you have an admission ticket, except for the final night on July 31. You can also reserve a seat for certain artists.

Here’s the festival concert line up:

• Friday, July 15: Chaka Khan
• Saturday, July 16: Neon Trees
• Sunday, July 17: Night Ranger
• Monday, July 18: 24K Magic, a Bruno Mars Tribute
• Tuesday, July 19: Clay Walker
• Wednesday, July 20: KC and the Sunshine Band
• Thursday, July 21: The Guess Who
• Friday, July 22: ABBA the Concert, a tribute to ABBA
• Saturday, July 23: Los Lonely Boys
• Sunday, July 24: Mariachi Vargas
• Monday, July 25: Journey Revisited
• Tuesday, July 26: Queen Nation
• Wednesday, July 27: Chase Rice
• Thursday, July 28: TLC
• Friday, July 29: Blanco Brown
• Saturday, July 30: Smash Mouth
• Sunday, July 31: Quebradita Time ($50 admission, but includes fair admission)

Special events and promotions

The fair is hosting various special events during its run in July. This includes the Best of California Brewfest on Saturday, July 23, where you can taste craft brew samples from more than 30 breweries in California.

There’s also the 2022 California State Fair AG Breakfast on Wednesday, July 20, to celebrate families and businesses in agriculture.

At 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays, attendees can also enjoy the $2 Taste of the Fair, where food vendors offer $2 menu specials.

The fair is also offering promotions.

• July 19 and 26: Kids 12 and under are free and rides cost $2.
• Thursday, July 21: Active duty, reserve, veterans and active first responders are free.
• Monday, July 18 and July 25: Bring three non-perishable food items to the fair before 3 p.m. and get free admission.
• Throughout the fair dates: Kids can read two books, write a summary and submit it to the Guest Services office and get two free rides and a Monorail pass, as a part of the Read to Ride program.

This story was originally published July 14, 2022 at 5:00 AM.