2026 L.A. County Fair opens this weekend
- The L.A. County Fair is already open — and the key correction is the date. It began Thursday, May 7, at Fairplex in Pomona. - This year’s run lasts through Sunday, May 31, with grounds open Thursdays through Sundays and Memorial Day, plus concerts from WAR to Brad Paisley. - That matters because this is not a one-weekend pop-up. It’s a monthlong regional event with major-ticket entertainment, rides, exhibits, and crowds.
The big thing to know is that the L.A. County Fair did not just “debut May 8–10.” It opened on Thursday, May 7, and it runs through Sunday, May 31 at Fairplex in Pomona. So if you’re seeing weekend guides frame it like a three-day event, that’s the shortcut version — not the actual schedule. ### So when is it actually happening? The fair’s official 2026 run is May 7 through May 31. The operating pattern is Thursdays through Sundays, plus Memorial Day, with hours generally running 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. That means this weekend is the opening weekend, but not the whole thing. You’ve got the rest of May to go. ### Where is it? It’s at Fairplex in Pomona — the longtime home of the L.A. (lacountyfair.com) County Fair. That matters because “L.A. County” can make it sound like a central Los Angeles event, but this is really an eastern county destination trip. For a lot of people, this is a drive-and-park day rather than a casual pop-in. ### What’s the theme this year? The 2026 theme is “Play Your Way.” Basically, the fair is leaning into variety rather than one giant centerpiece attraction. (lacountyfair.com) The official pitch is rides, food, concerts, and family activities, but the daily schedule shows how broad that really is — livestock exhibits, a flower and garden pavilion, craft and culinary displays, a petting farm, historic trains, a tasting room, and themed zones spread across the grounds. ### What can you actually do there? The answer is the usual fair stuff, but scaled up. There are carnival rides and games all day, food vendors all over the grounds, and a long list of exhibits and demonstrations. On Saturday, May 9, for example, the schedule includes pig races, educational booths at The Farm, hands-on activities in Heritage Square, the NHRA Motorsports Museum, and multiple exhibit halls running from late morning into the night. (lacountyfair.com) It’s less one event than a stack of mini-events happening at once. ### Is there big-name entertainment? Yes — and this is one reason the fair pulls beyond just families with kids. The 2026 concert series includes WAR on Saturday, May 9, Banda El Recodo and Banda Los Recoditos on May 10, Brad Paisley on May 16, and Jeff Dunham on May 30. So the fair is doing the classic county-fair trick: daytime agricultural-and-carnival energy, then a ticketed night anchored by a recognizable act. (lacountyfair.com) ### How big is this thing? Pretty big. The fair is in its 104th year, and regional coverage pegs attendance around 750,000 visitors over the run. That helps explain why the event feels more like a seasonal institution than a weekend festival. It’s one of those Southern California calendar markers — like, once it opens, you know late spring is fully here. (lacountyfair.com) ### What about tickets? Advance single-day adult tickets start around $18 to $25, depending on the day. There are also separate planning pages for tickets, parking, and general visitor info, which is worth checking before you go because fairs are full of little cost traps — admission, rides, food, and concerts can stack fast. ### Bottom line? If you’re deciding whether you “missed” the L.A. (ocregister.com) County Fair opening, you didn’t. The real story is that it opened May 7 and keeps going through May 31 — so this weekend is the start, not the deadline. (lacountyfair.com) (welikela.com)
