Your Family's Summer Starts at the Marin County Fair July 1-5
Marin Mommies presents a shout-out article from the Marin County Fair in San Rafael.
The Marin County Fair returns July 1-5, 2026, and this year it's more than just a fair; it's a celebration. As America turns 250 and Marin County marks its 175th anniversary, the theme "Stars, Stripes & Stories" invites families to be part of something bigger than funnel cake and carnival rides.
The Fair is open 11 AM to 11 PM each day at the Marin County Fairgrounds in San Rafael. Nightly fireworks light up the lagoon at 9:30 PM, and all concerts are included with general admission. On July 1, admission is free for kids under 12, veterans, and adults 65 and older.
Special Activations
This year, the Fair is doing something a little different. Community members are invited to write Letters to the Future as part of Marin County's 175th anniversary commemoration, which will be preserved as a living record of this moment in county history. Kids and families can also contribute a 6x6 inch square to the community paper patchwork quilt, available for pickup at the Fair Office at 20 Avenue of the Flags before the Fair, or at the theme activation tent during the event. And don't miss the Stars, Stripes & Stories Scavenger Hunt, which takes fairgoers through the history of the Fair itself, or the Marin History Museum photo exhibit tracing Marin 4th of July parades through the decades.
Concert Lineup
All headline concerts are on the Island Stage and are first come, first served:
July 1: The Family Stone, 7:30 PM
July 2: Steel Pulse, 7:30 PM
July 3: Linda Perry, 7:30 PM
July 4: Stars & Stripes Music Fest, starting 3:30 PM (Pete Floyd, Mustache Harbor, Super Diamond, Fleetwood Macrame)
July 5: Lupita Infante, 7:30 PM
Competitive Exhibits
Do you or a family member make the best cookies in Marin? Have a garden that deserves a ribbon? Competitive exhibit entries are open now across categories for both adults and juniors, including arts and crafts, decorated cakes, preserved foods, creative writing, and more. Enter at MarinFair.org/exhibits.
Discounted tickets are on sale now through June 30 at MarinFair.org!
