Marin County Fair
San Rafael · Family / Fair / Music
The Marin County Fair - One of California's Most Award-Winning County Fairs, Right in San Rafael's Backyard
Every summer, for five glorious days in early July, the Marin County Fairgrounds at the Civic Center in San Rafael transforms into one of the most vibrant, joyful, and genuinely surprising community celebrations in all of Northern California. The Marin County Fair is not just a fair - it is Marin County's premier annual gathering, a multi-generational tradition that draws families, music lovers, artists, foodies, and the simply curious together under the summer sky for an experience that somehow manages to feel both timelessly nostalgic and uniquely, unmistakably Marin.
Now in its 82nd year, the award-winning Marin County Fair is the county's premier community event with annual attendance that reaches 100,000 people. That number tells you something important: this is not a niche event or a quiet local gathering. It is one of the largest and most beloved annual events in the entire Bay Area - and it has been earning that reputation for over eight decades.
The Most Award-Winning Fair in the Industry
The Marin County Fair has been awarded the Western Fair Association's prestigious Merrill Award - the highest award in the fair industry - an unprecedented six times. The Merrill Award is presented to a fair that clearly demonstrates innovation, vision, and excellence, and six wins is a record that no other fair in the country can match. It is a remarkable achievement for a community fair, and a reflection of the genuine ambition and creativity that the organizers bring to every single edition.
Celebrated as the Healthiest and Greenest County Fair on Earth since 2008, the Marin County Fair strives to reach a 92% waste diversion rate, making it not just the most fun county fair in California, but arguably the most conscientious one as well.
Everything Included in One Gate Admission
The fair is a one-price gate: 28 carnival rides, exciting exhibits, spectacular fireworks displays, first-rate concerts, and attractions are all included with admission. That extraordinary value - concerts by nationally recognized artists, nightly fireworks, carnival rides, and live entertainment all bundled into a single ticket - is one of the biggest reasons Marin families come back year after year.
The Concerts - Headline Acts Included in Admission
The music program at the Marin County Fair is genuinely remarkable for a community event. The fair presents a wide range of musical acts included in admission, with concerts typically starting around 7:00 or 7:30 PM nightly on the Island Pavilion stage. Past lineups have featured legends and crowd favorites across reggae, classic rock, soul, and country. Stage access opens at 6:00 PM each evening and earlier on July 4th - one of the fair's biggest nights and one of Marin County's standout Independence Day celebrations.