Carnival & Fair News

Running February 28 to March 16th, and themed as “Valley Gras,” the 2025 California Mid-Winter Fair in Imperial, Calif., added an additional weekend and more hours for attendees to enjoy everything from additional carnival rides, to attractions, shows, and of course, deep fried foods.

Fair admission was priced at $12 for adults at the gate, $10 for pre-sale purchases; kids and seniors were admitted for $10 at the gate, $8 for pre-sale purchases. Parking was $10 on site, or $5 if purchased in advance.

The carnival unlimited ride wristband was available for $35 pre-sale and $50 during the event; a ride wristband with line-eliminating WOW express added was $75 during the event and $55 when purchased pre-sale.

There were two special discounted ticket days, “Wacky Wednesdays” and “Bogo Thursdays.” The Wednesday admission price was $20 and included not just fair admission but all carnival rides. The Thursday event provided a buy one, get one free, carnival wristband promotion.

The carnival, which was provided by Helm and Sons, this year the midway expanded it ride offerings by 30%. Top rides this year included thrillers such as Avenger, Zipper, and Blackout, as well as new rides like the Hyper Drive, Star Fighter, and the Conjuring, all of which were popular. There were seven new rides in all, with the star attraction being the company's mammoth Diamond Observation Wheel, a Lambrink 33m Giant Wheel, and made its debut as the largest Ferris wheel ever in the Imperial Valley. Other popular rides included the Wacky Worm family coaster, Zero Gravity spinner, Rampage and Alien Abduction.



Steven Wilkins, Helm and Sons Amusements' entertainment coordinator, described the increased number of rides and new offerings as making the carnival better than ever “because the rides that we've debuted over the last couple of years will be here as well as the new rides.” He described the Diamond Wheel as impressive even for non-riders, noting “you see the lights on” from a wide range of locations both on the fairgrounds and even passing by.  



Other top attractions were the dirt track events sponsored by the Heritage Foundation, including USAC CRA Sprint Cars, Go-Carts, and Heritage cars. USAC sprint car racing tickets were $10 for those 18 and over, with ages 17 and under admitted free. The Heritage Demolition Derby and Heritage Dirt Kart events were free with fair admission. Race highlights included a second event win for Californian Ricky Lewis for USAC/CRA Sprint cars. There were five days of racing in all.

There were plentiful food concessions as well this year, including four new concessions and favorites such as giant pretzels, a mac n' cheese booth and a tamale trailer. There was also birria pizza along with more traditional toppings from Antonio's Pizza; a bacon-wrapped chimichanga; Flamin' Hot Cheetos corn on the cob; and the new Boba King concession, which also sold spam fries. The fair's food court itself was improved with new paving.



Fair CEO Alan Phillips stated that the decision to make expanded dates for the fair was due to the fact that “We're always looking to provide the best experience possible for our community.”

Providing an additional fair weekend was a part of that, with the fair closing on its typically less-busy Mondays and Tuesdays, so that staff could continue to keep the fairgrounds ready for guests.

Phillips noted that “We're trading weekdays, which have our lowest attendance, and giving an additional weekend to come enjoy the fair,” Phillips said, adding that the fair was really open “three extra days” and that adding an extra weekend made sense given that those dates are always the best attended of the fair. It took over two years to make this change, with outreach to the community involved. “The majority of the feedback that we received about going to the three weekends was very, very positive,” Phillips stated.

The longer fair run time benefitted the junior livestock exhibitions, including market and auction events, allowing easier attendance by spreading them over three different weekends, from small animals, horses, dogs, breeding animals, and pygmy goat events in the first weekend, to larger animals including sheep and steers on the second weekend, and livestock auctions on the third weekend of the fair's run.


Music abounded this year with performances by Valley Jazz and Pure Majik, as well as the Bayou Brothers Louisiana's Cajun and Zydeco sounds followed by New Wave tribute act Checker'd Past. Eleven popular tribute bands performed in all, starting out with the yacht rock mellow sound of Yachty by Nature, and continuing with tribute acts to musicians such as Dolly Parton, Keith Urban, Kenny Chesney and Miranda Lambert at the Fair's Country Music Fest held March 1st; The Olivia Show tribute to Olivia Newton-John; and a Red Hot Chili Peppers tribute act as well. In honor of Blue Angels Day, the U.S. Navy Destroyers rock band performed on March 13th after an appearance by the Blue Angels team themselves. There was also a karaoke night at the fairgrounds' Rustic Bar.

Along with the music, the fair's mini-muralist program returned, allowing local artists to create painted pieces live on stage. According to Phillips, fairgoers could “interact with the artists” and after the event, the fair itself has been able to add a “beautiful collection of local artworks that we can put throughout the fairgrounds.”

Roving acrobats and comedy acts offered even more entertainment throughout the grounds. There were also parade floats; art installations, including painted themed cow sculptures; and a themed fair arch in the Casa de Manana building, which itself saw many visible upgrades.

According to fair board member Linsey Dale, “We've replaced the floor, the walls, everything that makes it more of a rentable facility” outside fair time. Additionally, Dale notes that siding on barns and arenas were added to block wind and improve the visual look of the grounds, and in the last several years the fair's old electrical system was updated.

Competitive exhibits were also big this year, with art, LEGO sculptures, floral arrangements, and crochet, and baked goods among them. Overall, one annual fair event reigned supreme: High School Madness, a premier event involving games and barn competitions held in the fair's grandstands.

But along with all the other fair fun, Dale stresses that “our primary focus is agriculture” along with offering the spot for family fun in the Imperial Valley.

While over 350,000 fairgoers attended in 2024, this year's attendance number has yet to be released. There were a few inclement days – some rain on a Thursday and some wind on a Sunday that closed some attractions, which may have impacted some attendance. However, Phillips relates that “This is where our people come together and become a community.”