The California State Fair is addressing one of its biggest complaints from attendees: the heat.
Cal Expo and the State Fair Board announced Monday they have voted to move the two week event to the fall in order to escape the region's triple digit temperatures.
“For years, our team has been evaluating the best way to provide a more comfortable and enjoyable fair for everyone,” said Tom Martinez, CEO of Cal Expo and the California State Fair, in a press release. “With rising summer temperatures, shifting to the fall season allows us to create a more pleasant environment while maintaining the traditions Californians love.”
Sacramento experienced a record-breaking summer in 2024, logging 45 days with temperatures reaching 100 degrees or higher.
“One of the biggest headaches we’ve had was the summer heat — ‘it’s too hot, it’s too hot, it’s too hot,’” said Alex Alcantar, business development manager for the California State Fair. “The number one feedback we got afterward was ‘this is the reason to move the fair to cooler weather.’”
In 2027, the State Fair will run from Sept. 17 through Oct. 3. The 2026 fair will mark the final time the event is held during the traditional summer season and is scheduled for July 17 through Aug. 2.
Alcantar said the shift couldn’t happen sooner because of long-term planning commitments with vendors, partners, and other stakeholders.
“It’s very difficult to do that overnight,” Alcantar said. “We have to work with all of our different stakeholders and vendors on what they’ve already programmed for 2026. This was a long-term decision.”
Fair officials emphasized the move is permanent and not a trial period.
“These are the dates we’re going for from now going forward,” Alcantar said.
The decision follows a successful run for the 171st annual State Fair in 2025, which saw an 8% increase in attendance compared to the previous year, drawing more than 700,000 visitors, according to a press release.
Officials credited part of that increase to an unusually cool stretch of “fall-like” weather and changes to weekday operating hours, with the fair opening from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday instead of the traditional 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. schedule. While popular, officials say it is too early to determine whether those hours will continue under the new fall dates.
Martinez said the move aligns California with other state fairs across the country that already operate in the fall.
“We’ve spoken extensively with our vendors, community partners, concessionaires and key stakeholders, and everyone understands the need for the date shift,” Martinez said.
Alcantar said vendor feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, noting many workers spend long hours in extreme heat.
“They have to endure this in 100-degree weather just like we do,” he said. “For them, the feedback was very, very positive.”
The fall timeline also aligns more closely with the fair’s agricultural roots.
“It kind of goes into the harvesting time of the year,” Alcantar said. “Our fair is built on agriculture, and that’s a great time to showcase the best of California.”
Prior to 2010, the State Fair was typically held later in the summer, often stretching into August or September, before shifting to mid-July in part to avoid conflicts with school schedules. Fair officials say those considerations were part of the analysis and are not expected to negatively impact students.
Officials say the 2026 fair will serve as a sendoff to the event’s summer era, with special promotions planned to mark the final July fair.
CapRadio provides a trusted source of news because of you. As a nonprofit organization, donations from people like you sustain the journalism that allows us to discover stories that are important to our audience. If you believe in what we do and support our mission, please donate today.
Donate Today
