California Mid-State Fair is back. Here’s your guide to concerts, tickets, parking and more
The California Mid-State Fair returns to Paso Robles on Wednesday with concerts, carnival games, food, livestock shows and more.
The fair, which runs through July 31, is under new, yet familiar, leadership this year.
Colleen Bojorquez officially took over as CEO in March, after serving as the fair’s interim executive director since March 2020. She began working at the Paso Robles Event Center as a ticket operator, according to a fair news release.
“We feel fortunate to have someone with Colleen’s experience, integrity, creativity, and passion for the Fair and our community,” fair board president Krista Sabin said in the release.
The Mid-State Fair was canceled in 2020 during to the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and organizers hosted a modified fair in 2021, fair spokesperson Tom Keffury said.
Now, Keffury said, fairgoers are eager to return to normal.
“We get a lot of feedback that people are ready and wanting to get back out,” Keffury said. “And you know, there’s nothing more normal in the summertime than a county fair.”
Carnival rides and games
Several classic carnival rides are available at the fair this year, including bumper cars, a Ferris wheel and a carousel. There are also lots of games to play in the midway.
This year’s carnival features a new Cub Country section for kids, which includes the Cub Country Fun House, Wild West Inflatable, Crazy Taxi, Frog Hopper and Turtle Races. Each ride has a height requirement, while the Bubba Bear Attraction can be viewed by everyong.
Single-day carnival wristbands, which cost $30 to $80 in advance for unlimited rides, are available for sale online. They’re sold separately from regular fair admission.
Concerts
Fairgoers can catch live music at four separate areas.
Classic rock band Journey kicks off the Michelob Ultra concert series at the Chumash Grandstand Area on Wednesday.
Other big-name acts scheduled to perform include Santana, Darius Rucker, Old Dominion and John Fogerty. The arena will also host the Country Rodeo Finals on July 30 and the Tractor Pull & Freestyle Motocross event on July 31.
Ticket prices range from $20 to $175 each and are available for purchase online.
Concerts at Frontier Stage and Mission Square are free with fair admission. The lineup includes Sheena Easton, Al Jardine, Foghat and AC/DC and Led Zeppelin tribute bands.
The Silo will host U2 keyboardist Terry Lawless in the Sweet T’s One Man Caravan show, Thursday through July 31. Lawless will be onstage daily at 6 p.m.
Livestock
Livestock showing starts Wednesday morning with the Poultry and Turkey Show at the Paso Robles Pavilion. Showings will continue through July 31. An in-depth viewing schedule is available online.
Participants will also dairy and pygmy goats, rabbits, sheep, dairy cattle and swine.
Horse shows follow a separate schedule, beginning with the Cutting Horse Show on Tuesday and Wednesday. Horse shows will continue through the fair with a break in events on July 25 and 26.
Wine and cocktails
Sample the best beverages the Central Coast has to offer at the fair.
At Friday’s Wine Industry Awards & Tasting at Mission Square, attendees can participate in a walk-around tasting of the Central Coast Wine Competition gold medal-winning wines. An awards celebration will be held for 2022’s top “winery, winemaker, wine grape grower and wine industry persons,” according to the website.
On July 24, Mission Square will host the Get Crafty Mixology and Tasting event, featuring a mixology competition and unlimited cocktail tasting.
Attendees must be 21 and older to participate. Both events are free with fair admission.
Parking and shuttles
Finding parking near the fairgrounds can be a challenge, so the fair offers a free shuttle service with pickups and dropoffs in different parts of the city.
Stops are located in the Albertsons parking lot at the city bus stop and City Hall at 10th and Spring streets on the westside, and the Lowe’s Hardware main parking lot on the eastside.
Tickets
Fair admission tickets are available for purchase via the fair website for $12, or $11 for seniors and $9 for youth ages 6 to 12.
At the gate, tickets cost $14, or $12 for seniors and $10 for youth.
Season passes are $70 for adults and seniors, $35 for youth.
Children 5 and under get in free.
There are special admission rates on Seniors Day (Friday), Kids Day (July 29) and Armed Forces Day (July 30). More information is available on the fair’s website.
Most vendors are cash only, according to the fair website. Entry gates and box office accept Visa, MasterCard and American Express credit cards in addition to cash for purchase. ATM machines will also be available for use.
“We can’t wait to see the people come through the gates on Wednesday,” Keffury said.
More information
The California Mid-State Fair runs Wednesday through July 31 at the Paso Robles Event Center, 2198 Riverside Ave. in Paso Robles.
The fairgrounds are open 4 p.m. to midnight Monday through Thursday, and noon to midnight Friday through Sunday. The livestock show and horse show have different hours from the fair.
For more information, call 805-239-0655 or 800-909-FAIR (3247), or visit www.midstatefair.com.
This story was originally published July 20, 2022 at 5:00 AM.