California State Fair
- Dates
- Sep 17 to Oct 3, 2027
- Status
- Confirmed
- Venue
- Cal Expo (California Exposition & State Fair)
- Price
- Not announced
- Camping
- None on site
- Last checked
- Oct 15, 2026
California State Fair returns to Sacramento, CA, Sep 17 to Oct 3, 2027. Froligo tracks ticket prices, attendee feedback and travel details.
What to eat & drink
No current named 'must-try' dish was found on the organiser's pages checked; the FAQ instead answers a question about a long-running vendor, the State Fair Tacos booth, noting its owners 'have decided to retire' and that the booth will not return. Food-related competitions (Fair Food Competition, Milo's Corn Dog Eating Contest, Mac & Cheese Cookoff, HERO Chili Cookoff, Save Mart California's Kitchen Trivia) are the organiser's current food-related programming instead of a named highlights list.
The experience
What's special
The California State Fair returns to Cal Expo in Sacramento for seventeen consecutive days, now moved from its longtime midsummer slot to September 17 through October 3, 2027, an organiser-published calendar shift that pushes the fair into fall. The 2027 gate opens at four in the afternoon on weekdays and ten in the morning on weekends, both running to ten at night except an earlier eight o'clock close on the final Sunday. Ticket pricing for 2027 had not yet been announced at the time of this capture; the prior, 2026 edition charged sixteen dollars in advance or eighteen dollars at the gate for an adult, with lower tiers for seniors and children and free entry for children four and under. Carnival rides, run by Butler Amusements, are a separate purchase from gate admission, sold in 2026 as a Pay One Price wristband at forty five dollars on weekdays and fifty on weekends; reserved seating for the free-with-admission Toyota Concert Series on the Sky River Casino Stage is a third purchase again, starting at twenty five dollars a seat
What people love
The 2026 Toyota Concert Series named seventeen acts across its run, including Boyz II Men, Trace Adkins, KC & The Sunshine Band, Ja Rule and WAR, all free to see in general seating with a Fair admission ticket; every Tuesday of the fair, kids twelve and under get in free and every carnival ride drops to two dollars for guests of every age
Last time around
The 2026 California State Fair ran July 17 through August 2, 2026; no organiser-published attendance total for that edition was found on the pages checked
Music & entertainment
Lineup not yet announced. Email me the day it lands.
Getting there
How do I get to California State Fair?
By car
Most people drive to California State Fair. Check current road and traffic conditions before you set off, and see parking below.
By train
No direct passenger rail to the venue was found. Drive, fly in, or use a shuttle instead.
By bus & public transit
No scheduled intercity bus or public transit route to the venue was found. Drive, fly in, or use a shuttle instead.
Taxi & rideshare
Taxis and rideshare such as Uber and Lyft can be limited near the venue, especially late at night or in rural areas. Agree a pickup point and time in advance and keep a backup plan.
🅿 Parking
On site parking available. Cost $15 for the California State Fair itself; $10 for most interim events and shows; $20 for concerts (Maps & Directions page) though the FAQ separately states $15 for concerts; $15-20 for events at Heart Health Park. Cash and most major credit cards accepted. Bicycle parking is available at the Blue Gate, Main Gate and Gate 12. Accessible parking is closest to each admission gate (Main, Blue, Rodeo and Green Gates). All lots are patrolled by California State Fair Police 24 hours a day. Parking Lot B has solar-panel covered parking; Lot D provides access to Lot C, the Blue Gate and the Rodeo Gate
🚙 Car hire
Where
Venue
Cal Expo (California Exposition & State Fair)
Accessibility & comfort
What the organiser or venue publishes about getting around, and what they do not.
The FAQ states wheelchair and scooter rentals are available at a site across from the monorail near the Main Gate (stroller $15, wagon $20, wheelchair $30, scooter $70, scooter after 6 p.m. $45) and that accessible parking spots are available closest to each admission gate (Main Gate, Blue Gate, Rodeo Gate, Green Gate)
The FAQ names the Kaiser Permanente Cool Zones (near the Kids Park) and the Pepsi Promenade & Food Court (near the Main Gate) as the best places to sit and rest, both offering seating, shade and misters and surrounded by food vendors; additional seating is available near the Farm Presented by Save Mart and in the Forest Center
All youth under 18 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian (adult, age 21+) to be admitted; each adult may chaperone up to 5 minors, with an additional chaperone required for every 5 minors beyond that, and the chaperone must remain on the property while the minors are present.
Minors may be asked to provide a parent/adult's phone number on request. Organized, pre-ticketed group outings (school, church, corporate, camp, sports) are exempt from the escort requirement
Confirm your specific needs with the organiser's access team before you travel.
Pricing
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