Insiders Guide to the 2026 Marin County Fair

May 28, 2026

Who's ready for the fair?! The 2026 Marin County Fair opens on Wednesday, July 1 and runs through Sunday, July 5, at the Marin County Fairgrounds in San Rafael, near the Marin Civic Center. This year's Marin County Fair theme is "Stars, Stripes & Stories," which celebrates the 250th birthday of the United States of America.

The 2026 fair will once again feature both indoor and outdoor headline entertainment, exhibits, and interactive art experiences for all ages. Experience fair favorites like carnival rides, the Global Marketplace, the animals of the Barnyard, a wide variety of food and drink, and nightly fireworks over the Civic Center’s Lagoon Park.

Favorite entertainers and acts, like the Stilt Circus, Balloonacy, Jeremiah the Juggler, the Drumheads, and Hillia Hula Hoop Extraordinaire, will roam the grounds during all five days of the fair. As always, don't miss you chance to meet Storm Troopers and other favorite Star Wars characters at the Marin Galactic Outpost in the exhibit hall.

2026 Marin County Fair Hours & Admission

This year's Marin County Fair runs from Wednesday, July 1 through Sunday, July 5, 2026 from 11 am to 11 pm daily; last entry at 10 pm.

Discount tickets for the Marin County Fair are available through June 30, 2026. Tickets for July 1, 2, 3, and 5 cost $20 each. All tickets for admission on Friday, July 4 cost $30; no discount pricing is available for that day. A 5-day Fun Pass costs $85. Order tickets online here.

Any day tickets cost $30 each and are available at the gate starting July 1. Admission is free for children 3 and under and active duty military.

All admission prices include exhibits, entertainment, nightly fireworks (9:30 pm), and most carnival rides. (Some rides require an additional $5 ticket.) Wednesday, July 1 is Special Day: children 12 and under, seniors 65+, and veterans (with ID) are admitted free.

Marin County Fair

2026 Marin County Fair Concert Schedule

The Marin County Fair always presents a range of diverse musical acts, all included in the price of admission. This year's lineup includes a number of famous names as well as some of the best tribute bands out there. Concerts begin at 7:30 pm, except Stars & Stripes Music Fest on July 4 which starts at 3:30 pm. Stage access opens at 6 pm and 2 pm on July 4. The 2026 concert schedule features:

Wednesday, July 1: The Family Stone
Thursday, July 2: Steel Pulse
Friday, July 3: Linda Perry
Saturday, July 4: Stars & Stripes Music Fest with the best tribute bands covering tunes of the '70s, '80s, and beyond
Sunday, July 5: Lupita Infante

If You Go

The Marin County Fairgrounds are located near the Marin Civic Center in northern San Rafael, right off Highway 101. Parking for cars and motorcycles is $15–$20 in all lots. Free bicycle valet parking will be provided by the Marin County Bicycle Coalition.

The Marin County Fair is also serviced by several different Golden Gate Transit and Marin Transit bus lines as well as the SMART train; for more information, visit www.goldengate.org, www.marintransit.org, and sonomamarintrain.org or call 511.

To get to the Marin Country Fairgrounds, take Highway 101 to the North San Pedro Road exit and head east on North San Pedro Road toward the Marin Civic Center. Turn left at the stop light onto Civic Center Drive and look for parking — you'll find it near the Lagoon Park and around the Marin Veterans' Memorial Auditorium. Additional paid parking can be found in lots off civic center drive just north of the fairgrounds.

Ice chests, coolers, pets, cans, or glass bottles are not permitted, and the Marin County Fair is a smoke- and vape-free event.