Got the back-to-school blues? The 2026 Santa Cruz County Fair is the cure!
With “Apple Pies and Starry Skies,” enjoy five days and nights of family fun, craveable food and entertainment for all ages.
This year features two nights of Monster Trucks (additional ticket required), plus live concerts with Santana lead singer Andy Vargas, American Idol alum James Durbin and The Lost Boys, and Los Mismos (think Los Bukis).
Explore the universe with UCSC Astronomy, or catch Twinkle Time, magician Frank Thurston, Michael Mezmer, Jeremy the Juggler, Cisco Jim and Powerhouse!!! Percussive Dance.
There’s even more: hands-on Slime Lab, carnival rides, horse shows, livestock, professional wrestling, a circus and tractor parades. Come hungry for Fair favorites from funnel cakes and cinnamon rolls to fried artichokes and BBQ kabobs.
After dark, the ‘Apple Pies and Starry Skies Drone Show’ lights up the night—it’s worth staying up past bedtime! (Friday-Saturday-Sunday).
Opening Day is a bargain: in honor of America’s 250th birthday, admission is just $2.50 per ticket (cash only at the gate).
For the full entertainment schedule and pre-sale ticket deals, visit santacruzcountyfair.com.
