Paso Robles Event Center, Paso Robles
Paso Robles Event Center is the California Mid-State Fair's fairground, a large complex of halls and pavilions, barns and stalls, a grandstand arena and open grounds. The whole facility is ADA accessible, with ramps wherever the ground rises, elevators in both multi-story buildings and a blue-curb drop-off at the main Riverside entrance. For the Firestone Walker Invitational, paid parking is in the main lot on Riverside Avenue across from the Event Center, with complimentary shuttles, and nobody under 21 is admitted.
Before you go
- Indoor or outdoor
- Both: indoor halls and pavilions plus barns, a grandstand arena and outdoor grounds
- Official site
- midstatefair.com
Worth knowing before you go
- Nobody under 21 gets into the Firestone Walker Invitational, babies and children included; bring valid ID.
- Only empty or sealed water bottles come in as outside drinks; outside food is allowed for dietary needs.
- Accessible parking spaces in the paid lot can fill early.
- A car left overnight at the Invitational must be collected by that edition's Sunday deadline.
- Do not assume every tap or hose on the fairground is drinking water.
Is it for you
Choose it if
- You want a fully ADA accessible site with ramps, elevators and accessible seating.
- You want an intimate beer festival of a few thousand rather than a huge crowd.
- You want a venue with paid parking across the road and shuttles laid on.
Think twice if
- You are bringing children to the Firestone Walker Invitational: it is strictly 21+.
- You want to bring your own drinks: only empty or sealed water bottles are allowed.
Getting there and parking
The Event Center is a big site, with Adelaide Hall, Estrella Hall, Frontier Pavilion, Ponderosa Pavilion, The Silo, barns, stalls, a grandstand arena and outdoor grounds, so an event may use several parts of it. The Firestone Walker Invitational is not tied to one hall; its map or app is the place to find pours, stages, entrances and restrooms for the year you are going.
Festival-specific · Firestone Walker InvitationalPaid parking is in the main lot on Riverside Avenue across from the Event Center and complimentary shuttles are planned. You can leave a car overnight, but it must be collected by that edition's Sunday deadline. Other events use the Event Center's own parking map, so arrangements differ by booking.
Accessibility
The facility is fully ADA accessible, with ramps where the ground changes level, elevators in its two multi-story buildings, 12 ADA restrooms, a blue-curb drop-off at the main Riverside entrance, and ADA grandstand access and designated seating. Paid parking includes accessible spaces, which can fill early. Mobility equipment can be rented during Mid-State Fair hours; the beer festival may use a different temporary route, so ask about its plan for the year.
Confirm your specific needs with the venue before you travel (accessibility).
Camping
We don't yet have confirmed information about camping at Paso Robles Event Center. The venue's own pages are the place to check: midstatefair.com.
Food, water and what you can bring
Festival-specific · Firestone Walker InvitationalYou sample beer and food from local artisans and restaurants. Outside food is allowed for dietary needs, but the only outside drinks permitted are empty or sealed water bottles. It is a 21+ beer-tasting event: nobody under 21 is admitted, babies and children included, and you need valid ID.
The wider fair has its own food and drink vendors and a hydration station on its layout; do not assume every tap or hose on the fairground is drinking water.
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Quick answers
Is the Paso Robles Event Center wheelchair accessible?
Yes. The facility is fully ADA accessible, with ramps, elevators in both multi-story buildings, 12 ADA restrooms, a blue-curb drop-off at the main Riverside entrance and ADA grandstand seating.
Where do I park for the Firestone Walker Invitational?
In the main paid lot on Riverside Avenue across from the Event Center. Complimentary shuttles are planned, and accessible spaces can fill early.
Can I leave my car overnight at the Event Center?
Yes, for the Firestone Walker Invitational, as long as you collect it by that edition's Sunday deadline.
Can children come to the Firestone Walker Invitational?
No. It is a 21+ event; nobody under 21 is admitted, including babies and children, and valid ID is required.
Can I bring my own water to the beer festival?
Yes, if the bottle is empty or sealed. No other outside drinks are allowed, though outside food is permitted for dietary needs.
Which events are held at the Paso Robles Event Center?
The California Mid-State Fair, which opened in 1946, and the Firestone Walker Invitational, held here since 2012, along with concerts and community events.
Can I rent a wheelchair or scooter at the Event Center?
During Mid-State Fair hours, yes; mobility equipment rental is available then.
Is the Firestone Walker Invitational indoors?
It is not confined to one hall. The Event Center has indoor halls and pavilions as well as outdoor grounds, so use the event map or app for that year's stage and pour locations.
A little history
The California Mid-State Fair opened here in 1946 as the San Luis Obispo County Fair and has hosted concerts, livestock, agricultural displays and community events since. Firestone Walker's invitational has been held at the Event Center since 2012, an intimate beer-culture event for more than 2,500 people whose proceeds benefit the community's Pioneer Day tradition.