Carnival & Fair News

The Big Fresno Fair retains its title of big, with the 12-day event offering spaces to hundreds of vendors and exhibitors. With good weather and a robust concert line up and carnival midway, the fair more than made up for the cancellation of horse racing at the fairgrounds tthis year.

Running from October 1st through 12th, admission discounts were in full force on many days, from a $5 opening day to a $6 “Fill the Need Day,” on which half of all ticket sales benefitted the Amendola Family Student Cupboard at Fresno State.

Seniors ages 62 and above were admitted for free until 1 p.m. on the 6th of October; on the same day those with disabilities were allowed into the fair for free until 1 p.m. as well.

Those who connected with the fair via social media promotions could enjoy a $2 "Fans & Followers" Happy Hour Entry on Tuesday, October 7th, while on Wednesday the 8th, Sun Maid Kids Day provided $2 carnival rides and free fair admission for kids under age 12 arriving with a paid adult.

Regular fair admission was priced at $15 for adults and $8 for seniors, kids over age 5, and military. Discounted tickets available at local stores Save Mart and Food Maxx lopped $3 off adult admission and $2 off seniors, kids, and military pricing; discounts of $7 were also available in advance of the fair at these venues for unlimited carnival ride wrist bands, regularly priced at $40 Monday to Thursday and $45 Friday-Sunday.



The fair's 15th Annual “Pint for a Pass” Blood Drive held with the Central California Blood

Center took place from August 26 – October 12, with 10,029 people showing up to donate blood to receive free fair admission, 375 more potential donors than last year.

While total admission numbers were not provided by the fair at press time, fair media reps pronounced the year “record-breaking,” and the crowds packing the concerts held at the Paul Paul Theater on the fairgrounds proved the point. West Coast hip hop artist YG was sold out, and close-to-sell-out crowds showed up for Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, Dustin Lynch, The Commodores and The Spinners, and Alt Rock Rewind with Lit, Fuel, and Eve. Other concerts tthis year included La Arrolladora Banda El Limon de Rene Camacho, and I love the 90s night with Vanilla Ice, and country performers Trace Adkins and Preston Cooper among others.

At the Brian I. Tatarian Grandstand, while horse racing wasn't a part of the venue's entertainment this year due to racing board decisions, an exciting lineup took its place. Making its debut tthis year was The Big Fresno Fair Rodeo, which ran October 3rd and 4th, with bull and bronc riding, miniature bull riding, mutton bustin', and roping events. Motor Sports Weekend brought the Arenacross Nationals Tour and the Big Fresno Fair Car Show to the grandstand, as well as the Monsters of Destruction Monster Trucks Show.



The fair's 10th Annual Beer & Wine Fest drew over 856 attendees to tastes of 40 breweries and wineries October 11th, while on the fair's opening day, more than 6,500 Fresno County Students, along with parents and educators, packed the grandstand for the 15th Annual 4.0 & Above program, where $108,000 worth of scholarships were awarded.

Separate from that event, the fair's education program brought in 24,131 students and teachers tthis year from elementary through middle school students for fairground tours.

Outside the stadium, free entertainment also abounded, with interactive exhibitions including the All-Alaskan Pig Races, the sea lions of Seal Lion Splash, and Jurassic Dinosaur Adventures, being among the biggest draws. Additionally, the grounds featured strolling musical and comedy entertainers, balloon artists Balloonacy, gold panning and leather working in the Miners Town space, and produce carving demonstrations from Chef Ray. There were five free community stages as well.

Livestock exhibits were also popular, with over 882 animals auctioned at three livestock sales, raising over $1.36 million dollars. From baby lambs – 32 born during the fair, to goats, dairy cattle, and swine, a wide range of animals were presented at the fair. The Fresno Animal Center & Central California SPCA offered a different kind of animal exhibition, with 32 cats and dogs adopted during the fair.



Fair merchandise thrived at the Living Local Marketplace now in its 5th year of showcasing small local businesses. Sales in this area reached $143,289, topping last year's sales.

In the exhibit halls, Fine Arts & Photography, grape varietals, Poetry & Art, and Floriculture all drew crowds. In the Greenhouse exhibit building, local award-winning exhibits ranged from plants to miniature houses; while competitions were lively and eagerly sought out from a Pie Contest to the Save Mart-sponsored Sugar Contest.

Also sought after was a new addition to tthis year's fair, the Ivy Bar, located in the Paddock at the racetrack. Other new additions were the Candy Maze Selfie Trail, the Jurassic Adventure, and the Sea Lion Splash.

And what would a fair be without food? On the popular $3 Bites Thursday afternoons, fairgoers could munch on mini corn dogs, cinnamon rolls, funnel cakes, and tacos among other choices. The top fair treats tthis year included Meatball Mozzarella on a Stick from Chicken Charlie's, fruit galore from Pepe's Fruit & Aquas Frescas; Dubai Chocolate Strawberries, and funnel cakes. Favorite funnel cake flavors were strawberry, original powdered sugar, Banana Split, and Oreo ice cream flavors. Deep fried pickles, Sharky's Lobster Fries, and Country Fair Cinnamon Rolls, the latter in its 47th year at the fair, were also popular food choices. At Corn Stars, over 10,000 ears of fresh corn were devoured, with a new addition to the menu a special hit, an elote baked potato with butter, corn kernels, bacon, and Chipotle mayo.

Naturally, the carnival, provided by Butler Amusements since 1981 at the fair, was a major draw tthis year, too. Divided into two separate experiences, the main carnival and the Kiddie Land Carnival, eager riders enjoyed Ex Scream Machine, Invader, The King XXL, and the Ring of Fire, Zipper, Starship 3000, and the Giant Wheel were also big draws.

Tthis year's fair marked the event's 142nd year, as well as paying tribute to recently deceased fair pioneer John Harris with a plaque and ceremony, at which fair CEO Christina Estrada noted that Harris' legacy “will always have a home here.”

Adding a welcoming touch, there were a number of just-like-home touches at the fair tthis year, including the Mommy Zone, a private, air-conditioned space for moms and dads to change and feed the smallest fairgoers, and the Found Children's Gingerbread House, designed as a comfortable space for kids separated from their families as well as housing the Fair's Guest Services Headquarters.

Fair promotion for 2025 was wide-reaching, encompassing social media, television and radio, and billboard ads. A whopping total reach of 29,889,989 was had from the Fair's followers on Facebook, X, and Instagram posts during the fair's run alone. As the largest event in the Central Valley, according to fair media rep Danielle Griffin, attendance at the fair is usually over 500,000, with tthis year appearing to be on track for more of the same.