San Diego County Fair Opens At Del Mar Fairgrounds

DEL MAR, CA — "Get Out There" and enjoy the San Diego County Fair this summer. The 2023 San Diego County Fair opened Wednesday and runs through July 4 at the Del Mar Fairgrounds.

This year's fair theme is "Get Out There," a celebration of the great outdoors and all that the county has to offer, including the long-running fair. The 22-day fair will feature exhibitions, games, rides, food and live entertainment.

The 139th annual fair kicked off at 10:45 a.m. Wednesday with an opening ceremony featuring the Hilltop High School Emerald Effect Band and Color Guard. Grammy Award-winning band Train will help kick off opening night at 7:30 p.m. on the Corona Grandstand Stage, the fair's largest venue.

Other featured concerts and performances in the Toyota Summer Concerts Series lineup include Kevin Hart on Friday, La Adictiva on Sunday, Carly Pearce on June 14, Lynyrd Skynyrd on June 17, Grupo Bronco on June 18, Boyz II Men on June 22, Stephen Marley on June 24, Los Tigres del Norte on June 25, Nelly on June 28, Elle King and Randy Houser on June 29, Alabama on July 1, and Switchfoot on July 3.

The Chevrolet Paddock Concert Series will feature a variety of other musicians. Paddock shows are free with fair admission. Dozens of other performers and variety acts are scheduled throughout the fair.

Special events include Out at the Fair on Saturday, The Toast of the Coast Wine Festival and Asian & Pacific Islander Festival on June 17, the Gospel Festival on June 24, and the International Beer Festival on July 1.

There will be more than 80 rides, including two Ferris wheels that offer ocean views and several new attractions. New rides include The Joker 360, a 16-seat pendulum ride, and Medusa, a long propeller arm ride. Rides are primarily located in the fair's Fun Zone and Kids Zone.

There will be 115 food vendors serving the fair this year, including nine new food stands.

The San Diego County Fair began in 1880. Last year, nearly 1 million fairgoers visited the Del Mar Fairgrounds for the return of the fair after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2023 San Diego County Fair will run through July 4 at the Del Mar Fairgrounds at 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd. It will be closed Mondays and Tuesdays in June. The fair is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays and Sundays and from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.