Carnival & Fair News

The 2026 San Bernardino County Fair celebrated its 79th year with two weekends of attractions, running May 23–25 and May 29–31. This year's theme, “May the Fair Be With You,” brought a Star Wars-inspired atmosphere to the event.

While no intergalactic spacecraft landed at the fairgrounds, attendees enjoyed a wide range of attractions, including concerts, carnival rides, food vendors, exhibits, a car show, tuff truck competitions, bull riding, and a demolition derby. Admission at the gate was $20 for cash purchases and $20.98 for credit card transactions. Carnival ride wristbands were priced at $55, while advance-sale wristbands were available for $40. Guests purchasing the WOW Pass, which provided expedited ride access, paid a presale price of $60. Game passes and family food passes were each priced at $55.



The fair also featured several promotional offers. On May 29, guests could take advantage of a $10 “truckload” admission special that covered all properly restrained passengers in a vehicle and included parking. On the same day, carnival operator Helm and Sons Amusements offered a buy-one, get-one-free carnival wristband promotion.

The Star Wars theme was most visible through limited-edition fair T-shirts, marketing campaigns featuring galactic imagery, bus and billboard advertising, and themed activities incorporated into the Fan Fest and Car Show.



During the first weekend, visitors enjoyed a variety of free grounds entertainment. Attractions included Drumming with Chazz, Steve's Fun Balloons, and the Freckle Farms Turkey Races.

The Western Heritage Pro Open Bull Riding competition, High Point Dirt Series Tuff Trucks, and the weekend's featured Demolition Derby delivered plenty of excitement. The derby drew large crowds and filled the grandstands, while the bull riding competition also proved to be a major attraction. Grandstand entertainment tickets were priced at $5.75.

The second weekend featured the Route 66 Centennial Celebration Car Show and Fan Fest at the fair's 84-acre event center in Victorville. The Sunland Ford Concert Series included a performance by country music artist Colt Ford on May 30, followed by Latin Night on May 31 featuring Voz De Mando, Los Cadetes de Linares, and Conjunto Elevado. Concert tickets ranged from $16 to $17. The San Bernardino County Fair's Junior Livestock events also took place on May 30.



Agricultural exhibits remained a central component of the fair, alongside displays highlighting youth achievements in welding, woodworking, and other technical skills. Agriculture Mechanics exhibits showcased projects created by local youth and provided opportunities for attendees to purchase selected items through an active silent auction.

The local 4-H and FFA livestock showcases, along with the Agriculture Mechanics silent auction, continued to be among the fair's most anticipated traditions. Livestock auctioned this year included rabbits, swine, beef cattle, lambs, goats, and poultry. Top honors went to Ashlynn Dabell for Market Beef and Chloe Westerkamp for Champion Market Lamb. Westerkamp also earned the Overall Supreme Champion title.

Additional exhibits featured food products, home furnishings, gardening displays, and crafts. Vendors throughout the grounds offered products ranging from home improvement items and fashion accessories to toys and novelty merchandise.

Among the most popular grounds entertainment offerings were the educational yet comedic Sea Lion Splash show, the pirate-themed variety act led by sword swallower Jack Spareribs, and live guitar performances at the Tiki Shack near the fair entrance.



Guests also enjoyed a food-eating contest, balloon artistry, animal exhibits featuring puppies and baby goats, performances by Chazz Ross and his Jungle Drum Circle, and face painting activities.

Helm and Sons Amusements presented a diverse midway lineup that included both thrill rides and family attractions. Crowd favorites included the KMG Blackout, the Zipper, and the Medusa. Pharaoh's Fury remained a popular attraction, while warm weather drove strong participation on the Big Splash water ride. Helm and Sons' new Pearl Wheel attracted attention with its extensive LED lighting and elevated views of the fairgrounds.



Popular midway games included Ring a Bottle, Lucky Duck, Balloon Pop, water races, and Hoops. Prize winners took home what the carnival operator described as “new scented plushies,” featuring aromas inspired by breakfast cereals and candies.

Food vendors offered a wide selection of fair favorites, including deep-fried Oreos, Twinkies, and Snickers bars, along with cotton candy, funnel cakes, and customizable slushies. Savory offerings included oversized asada fries, new cheese curds, corn dogs, burgers, garlic fries, and other popular fair foods.

At the Carnival Karaoke Chaos Stage, guests received raffle tickets for a chance to win a free bounce house. During the Karaoke Extravaganza, top-scoring performers earned golden tickets to return on the fair's final day and compete in a cash-prize sing-off, with awards ranging from $75 to $175.

Leading up to the fair, Helm and Sons Amusements also conducted daily giveaways throughout the High Desert region, offering unlimited ride wristbands, Double Your Fun game passes, and family meal passes. For winners, the promotions proved to be fittingly “out of this world.”

Attendance figures for the 2026 San Bernardino County Fair were not available as of press time.