The Abridged version:
- The California State Fair will be shifting from its traditional summer schedule starting in 2027.
- Citing rising summer temperatures, the California Exposition & State Fair Board decided the fair will now run from Sept. 17 through Oct. 3.
- Next year’s fair will still take place during the second half of July.
The California State Fair may feel a little different starting in 2027.
After years of discussion and planning, the California Exposition & State Fair Board has decided to shift the dates of the beloved fair in hopes of avoiding increasingly unbearable midsummer heat. Instead of taking place during the second half of July, the 2027 fair will run between Sept. 17 and Oct. 3.
“For years, our team has been evaluating the best way to provide a more comfortable and enjoyable Fair for everyone,” Tom Martinez, CEO of California Exposition & State Fair, said in a news release.
It’s just too hot
According to the state’s climate change assessment for the Sacramento Valley, temperatures in the region stand to rise significantly in the next century. The move from the state fair board is a response to that prediction.
“With rising summer temperatures, shifting to the fall season allows us to create a more pleasant environment while maintaining the traditions Californians love,” Martinez said.
Alex Alcantar, business development manager for California Exposition & State Fair, said that the No. 1 complaint they have received over the last few years is the July heat.
“It’s just too hot,” he said.
But this year, a spell of cooler temperatures hit Sacramento just as the fair opened its gates.
Attendance grew this summer
Attendance saw an 8% bump from 2024, which officials attributed in part to the unseasonably low temperatures.
“On Saturday, July 26, an unusual stretch of fall-like weather brought out large crowds, with the largest single-day attendance. More than 90,000 people entered the fairgrounds,” Cal Expo said in a news release issued after the event ended.
Though discussions had already begun about shifting the dates, Alcantar said the success of the 2025 fair provided more evidence in favor of the change.
“This past summer fair really highlighted the fact that a move to the fall would make sense for us in a way,” he said. “Many of our fairgoers and some of our exit polling said, ‘move to the cooler temperatures.’ So that’s what we’re doing.”
4-H leader ‘kind of pleased’ with the change
Some in the region are hopeful that the move will help attendees avoid the worst of the summer heat.
Jen Henkens, regional program coordinator for Sacramento 4-H, said that the weather has contributed to very low participation at the fair’s 4-H events in the last few years.
“In the barns, it gets even hotter,” she said. “If we’re not blessed with the Delta breeze, it can get pretty unbearable.”
In addition to the heat, the California State Fair has traditionally fallen right around the same time as the California Youth Ag Expo in Tulare, which pulls many 4-H participants away from Cal Expo.
Because of that, Henkens said she is cautiously optimistic about the shifted dates.
“I’m kind of pleased and curious to see what will transpire,” she said.
Fair during school year could be a challenge
The change does mean that the fair, traditionally held during summer break, will now come during the school year.
Alcantar said that this was considered when the board was making its decision. Officials hope they can work with school districts to get field trips and groups of students to the fair during the school year.
He also noted that the fall season and its proximity to harvest allow fair organizers to add new exhibits and events that educate attendees on the region’s agriculture.
“It creates a great opportunity for us to do things that are a little bit different than what we did not have necessarily in the summertime,” Alcantar said.
That programming is still being planned and won’t come for at least a couple of years.
The change is scheduled to be implemented in 2027. The schedule for next year’s fair will remain the same, running from July 17 through Aug. 2.
Daniel Hennessy joins Abridged from the California Local News Fellowship. He’s a reporter covering Yolo County.