SACRAMENTO, Calif. –The 2025 California State Fair officially concluded on Sunday, July 27, after 17 incredible days of celebration, competitions, family fun, and entertainment. The Fair saw an increase of more than 8-percent with over 700,000 fair guests.
On Saturday, July 26, an unusual stretch of fall-like weather brought out large crowds, with the largest single-day attendance. More than 90,000 people entered the fairgrounds. Families also embraced the new weekday opening hours, enjoying the Fair well into the evening. The packed carnival midways, exhibit halls, and nightly concerts made it clear that the fairgrounds was the place to be.
This year’s theme, “Times Like These,” celebrated tradition, resilience, and unity, offering guests a nostalgic yet forward-looking experience ranging from high-tech exhibits like POPnology, which blended pop culture and innovation, to timeless favorites like the traditional agricultural displays.
“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 Tom Martinez, CEO of California Exposition & State Fair. “We have welcomed hundreds of thousands of guests who came together to celebrate the very best in agriculture, music, art, and food.”
The Clear Bag Policy, implemented in 2022, helped expedite security checks. Lockers at the entrance gates provided guests with a convenient option to store personal items without returning to their vehicles. The Unaccompanied Minors Policy, which is also in its fourth year, continued to support a safe, family-friendly environment. More families, especially those with young children, stayed late into the evening.
Among this year’s highlights:
Cultural Exhibits: The “CaLOWfornia Love” Lowrider Cultural Exhibit drew over 150,000 guests, becoming one of the most visited attractions of the year.
Expanded Programming for Kids: Indoor shows like Jack Spareribs and Weird Science were standing-room only. It’s a Wild, Wild Adventure introduced families to exotic animals like capybaras, lemurs, kangaroos, and reindeer, while kid-focused exhibits and stage shows proved to be popular throughout the fairgrounds.
Livestock: Participation was up across multiple categories, including Jr. Beef, Market Goats, Jr. Sheep, Open Beef, Open Dairy Goats, Open & Jr. Boer Goats, Market Small Animals, and Rabbits. The Cal Expo livestock staff was able to work with the California Department of Food and Agriculture to present a dairy cattle show.
Concerts: The lineup for the Toyota Concert Series on the Sky River Casino Stage proved to be the a huge draw, bringing in massive crowds filling the venue with happy concertgoers for every performance with notable standouts such as Ludacris, Dirty Heads, Tesla, Air Supply, Tower of Power, and Cypress Hill. Other top-selling shows included En Vogue, Dustin Lynch, and Brothers Osborne.
DJ Diesel, a.k.a. Shaquille O'Neal and “Shaq’s Bass All-Stars” gave a high-energy performance at Heart Health Park on opening night, giving fairgoers a chance to party with the NBA legend.
Community Impact: Through SMUD Giving Fridays, several thousands of pounds of food were donated to the Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services.
Family-friendly pricing promotions, including $2 admission Mondays and Ride & Save Wednesdays, helped to make the Fair accessible for everyone.
Cannabis Exhibit Expansion: The California Cannabis Exhibit returned with a larger 50,000 square foot footprint, offering a comprehensive and educational look at California’s evolving cannabis industry. The 21+ exhibit continued to draw steady attendance throughout the Fair's run.
New Programs at the Michelob Ultra Racetrack Grandstands: At the Michelob Ultra Racetrack Grandstands, kids and adults felt the roar of Monster Trucks and Truck and Tractor Pulls powered by RAM.
Also held at the Grandstands was The Best of California Brewfest on Saturday, July 12 and the Bear Cup Esports Gaming Tournament, held over three days from July 19-22. The ever popular Drag Queen Bingo drew a fun crowd for Out at the Fair on July 19.
The El Gran Bailazo de la Feria, featuring four renowned regional Mexican bands, including one of the longest running and most successful norteño bands, Los Rieleros del Norte, drew a huge crowd on the last Saturday of the Fair.
International Spotlight: The California State Fair also received international attention this year with a 10-person crew from Japan. The Tokyo World Broadcasting System filmed a segment for their show, “What If You'd Compare the World”. Twins Kako and Ako ate a wide variety of fair food, from deep-fried peaches, to turkey legs and foot-long lemonade.
The Best Food Review Show host, Sonny Side, also filmed a segment. He gave viewers an inside look at the Fair’s most inventive eats, featuring behind-the-scenes footage of Juicy’s Cotton Candy Burger and Twinkie Burger, Boba King’s SPAM Fries, and Country Fair Cinnamon Rolls' newest award-winning creation, the Tres Leches Cinnamon Roll.
Other fun fair tidbits:
Social Media: more than 82-million impressions
RAM Truck Test Track: 10,500 rides
Milo’s Corndog Eating Contest: 279.47 corndogs eaten in 12 minutes for qualifying and the finals
Country Fair Cinnamon Rolls: One cinnamon roll sold every 20 seconds
California Counties: All 58 counties participated
The flags of Federally-recognized California tribes were proudly displayed in the lagoon.
The lagoon was filled water for the first time in over a decade.
Mariachi Voz Campesina from San Joaquin won the Youth Mariachi Competition.
As the Fair heads into planning for its 172nd year, organizers are already looking ahead while holding tight to what makes the Fair special.
“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.”
