Lines for rides too long. Our kids got 1 ride for the 30 entry fee. Horrible bathrooms! Only a total of about 30 toilets in the entire fair grounds for thousands of people. Overpriced games - $10 each. This used to be a great fair and sad to see it go downhill like this. read more

County fairs are always a joy for me, earmarking summer and quality time spent with friends and family. This year, the Marin County fair has a set price at $25 (buy online only and scan ticket at entrance) including all rides except for 3 that is $5/ride. Parking is $20 card only. More vendors selling knick knacks this year and I noticed a Hawaiian shaved ice stand I didn't see before. My favs every year is the arts fair where you can purchase some local art and always the animal section (pig race, petting zoo, sheep shearing). This year there were a half a dozen spotted piglets knocked out from the heat you can pet. Adorbs. Note lines weren't bad for the rides until about 6pm when the night crowd started rolling in. And I think fireworks are daily at 9:30pm. Lots of people setup picnic spaces about an hour prior to that for optimal viewing. read more

Marin County Fair - Festivals Near Me - San Rafael, California

I can still almost remember that summer where I went to every county fair within driving distance. The entrance fees were cheap, the concerts were great, the rides were fun, and the exhibits were interesting and plentiful. NEWS FLASH: These times are not those times. Gone are the huge exhibit halls full of people hawking fascinating products that you didn't know you needed. (My Ginzu knives served me very well for many years). Gone too is the cheap entrance fee and my desire to wait in long, slow lines for any ride. But free admission (Senior Day) drew me to this year's Marin County Fair and there's a few good things to report. Here goes: * The price of admission here includes almost all of the rides. Admission generally runs $25/apiece so it's not an egregious price should you be someone who wants to go on rides. * If you can't finagle your way in on some sort of day that's free to you, purchase your tickets way in advance. That's when you get the biggest discounts. Get on their mailing list for advance notice of ticket sales. * The concerts are great (and also included in the price of admission). They no longer have seating for all and how you get a seat (other than arriving very early and sitting) and wristband is a mystery to me. Find out, then follow that lead. The Legendary Wailers show was fabulous. * I still enjoy looking at all of the art here, popping in to see the Livestock demonstrations (e.g. sheep shearing; I left with a huge bag of wool for mulching purposes), and eating (this year: corn on the cob, and kettle corn). And then there's the other stuff you should know: * Parking cost $20 this year. I avoided it by being local enough to now where I could park for free. Drive around a bit and you, too, can figure it out. * Nightly fireworks are included in the price of admission but these are what they call "low-level" fireworks. A description has never been so apt. If you've seen a real fireworks show you might not even want to stay for these. I did this time, but in the future? Probably not. Bottom line: I'd come back to the Marin County Fair again, but only on a day when it is again free to me. read more

Concerts and music a five for sure! The art is another five! The alcoholic drinks, however, a ONE!! They must be using watered down or fake booze. They do NOT have known liquors. Be warned. WHY do they do that? Is it to attempt to cut back on drunk violence?! BOOOOOO!!!! read more

As it is each year, the MarinCo Fair is a fun annual outing - rides, music, animals and carnival food. It's a great day especially when the weather is sunny and it's not too hot. It was nice to see some other new foods appear like birria tacos and gyros. The best food at the fair this year hands down was Chan's Chicken on a stick. A great value at $13 it was tasty, meaty goodness that you could eat hands free. read more

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I have been going to the Marin County Fair since my child was young and he is now a grown man . We always loved the gardens and the rides we felt safe we always had a lot of fun and it was always beautiful . However, tonight I just left and I can't even describe how disgusted and disappointed I was. I appreciate security officials and they are much needed in this world we live in now. I don't appreciate being monitored like I'm a shoplifter at Walmart. . My hubby is 66 and I am 60 we are clearly of drinking age and yet because our ID had an expired date we were not allowed to purchase alcohol at the fair . We wanted to look at exhibits but they closed early and the fireworks started without an announcement or anything to indicate they were beginning. It seemed like everything closed so quickly and we missed getting to see the animals or the art or the things that people made or children's creations. Hoping to rescue our night, we traveled over to the only spots open which were the rides and a few of the vendors that were packing up . We were unable to get on a ride because they went one more time and then they closed all of them even though the park was still very full . As we were leaving the amusement ride area to walk back to the parking lot across the lake, a large group of workers and security personnel shining flashlights at us informed us that the bridge was closed and we would have to walk all the way out and around . Unfortunately my husband had just had surgery and could not walk that far to the handicap parking. . We asked if somebody could escort us across and they refused, we asked for help and they seemed uninterested and told us to exit and talk with the parking officials. A group of younger folks that were volunteering tried to help find a a way to get us all the way around the lake to the handicap parking. As we were walking out there was security and people with flashlights ushering us to go faster to " move and dont stop". The grass is not grass it's dirt with holes and it was dark and I felt extremely uncomfortable hoping that my hubby wouldn't fall and screw up his leg again. All in all it was a really disappointing experience. We were there to have fun and enjoy the fair. it felt safe which was great but there was no fun, there was no excitement and even the people that were doing the games and rides seemed completely bored. Between the overwhelming security the dismissive attitudes and the basic rudeness of the people working there, it was just another disappointing change to a once loved tradition. read more

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I haven't been here in years, came for TLC concert, which if you don't get seats hours before, good luck seeing the stage from across lagoon, just a bad set up for a concert. Very very dusty, food vendors were mediocre, beer and wine only, you can't buy tixs at the gate, QR code only, and was very hard to connect to, very long lines to get in, only because the crowd doesn't know how to read and try's to bring in large backpacks and blankets and then tries to argue with security about it and hold up the lines even more. The fireworks were good and plenty. Smart train runs late for fair, so huge crowd thank you to them, very crowded so you know, thanks Marin but I'll stick to other fairs. read more

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This was our first time attending the Marin County Fair. We rode the SMART train to the fair to see the fireworks included in the $25.00 per person admission. That's $50.00 per couple. I anticipated generous fireworks seating options on a rolling lawn. Dirty picnic tables, seating in the dirt, or crowded standing were the options available to fair ticket purchasers. I did see lots of 'good' available seating on the opposite side of the lake on an actual rolling lawn. When we headed that way and were told those seats were not available to fair ticket purchasers, and that we could leave the fair to sit there but would not be permitted to return to the fair. The 'good' seats were available to the general public for FREE! So we forfeited our $25.00 tickets and headed over to the lawn. Our view was ideal, there were zero crowds, and we were able to reach the train quickly following the show. What frustrated us, as first-time Marin Fair attendees, about the free lawn seating was that the fair did not mention this nice option anywhere. As for the fair itself, I'm not sure where to start. Our previous fair experiences were the Sonoma County Fair and Mendocino County Fair, so I think our expectations were set way too high to begin with. The Marin Fair offered dirty -no, filthy- portable potties, or 30-minute waits in line for a plumbed toilet for both males and females. I didn't see any 'family' or non-binary restrooms, which I definitely expected to see. The shopping 'experience' was outdoors in a gravel lot and consisted of the exact same merchandise options sold at different booths. Maybe it's hard to find vendors?The food booths were adjacent to pavement (in some areas) but all food -from corn dogs to funnel cakes- was served cold. I'm not going to comment much on the art/food or the award-system for such, but we had questions. read more

I always try to make it to the fair--it only comes once a year, so why not! The desserts are my favorite part. Funnel cakes are a must, and I went for the Nutella one with ice cream--$21, a little pricey but totally worth it. Also grabbed a Nutella crepe for $10 and a falafel gyro for around $20. Prices have definitely gone up, but a tip: book your tickets weeks (or even months) in advance to save some money. The rides range from easy to intense, depending on what you're up for. And if you're going, July 5th is a great day--the lines move surprisingly fast! read more

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Grew up in Marin and this year the fair was absolutely terrible. Everything across the board was not well planned, or thought out. This was America's 250 birthday and the fair should have been more positive! read more

It's so expensive! I get that you are supposed to get more bang for your buck by paying more at the gate for "all inclusive" - but there is no bang once you get in. Entry was $30 per person, even for kids! The food/drinks were also absurdly expensive!! A lemonade was $14! A hot dog was $13-14???, MOST rides were included but they were all subpar and pretty lame. We had to spend MORE $ to play the games, and you could only buy a wristband at self service kiosks that had a $3 "convenience" fee, I got $20 worth of tickets (begrudgingly). This is where I really lost it; my kid played the basketball game and we went to go play another game and they told me I didn't have enough tickets left??? So it costs $20 to play one game? I was done. The animal/livestock area is usually my favorite and it was so meh! There were a few rabbits and chicken displayed. Lastly, parking is $25! Thank goodness I know the places to park around there and didn't have to pay, but that was truly the only win of the day. Skip it! There are so many other fairs that are better. read more

As much as I enjoy the fair, I do find it disappointing that the admission price is now 30. Especially when they know you're going to buy tons of things inside. I find it more insane to charge $20 for parking on top of the $30 you pay for admission. I do enjoy all the food, family fun and crowds. But spending that much on a fair can really take away from that. I also do feel like $16 for a spiked agua Fresca with well rum is kind of steep. It should be at least a brand name for their alcohol. On a lighter note, they do have lots of food and drink options available for everyone. I enjoyed looking at the farm animals and seeing the art exhibit. The live music on 4th of July was also great. read more

Marin County Fair - Festivals Near Me - San Rafael, California

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It makes no sense that tickets are only available on line. There is NO reason that an ecard reader was not available. $25/person plus $20 to park makes for a very expensive start to a family outing. A county fair should be for the entire county, not only those who can afford to attend. We all know food and drinks are going to be pricey at an event like this. to add this kind of entry fee, especially when the exhibits were limited, and not nearly as broad as they have been in the past, is unconscionable. read more

A great place to enjoy the fireworks, carnival rides, games and food but be warned, the food is expensive plus the entrance fee as well. read more

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This is not a county fair. It's a city festival with nothing but vendors and they're all selling the same things. The music isn't good and only for kids. TLC ? Give me a break. I come from the midwest. I've been in California for 40yrs but I can tell you that this is not a county fair. I grew up showing cattle at fairs both county and State. Go to a farming community if you truly want a real fair experience. read more

Went there for the foods because it was free seniors admission. The overall carnival was OK. As for the foods, nothing but unhealthy junk. My fish and chips was only cold to warm temperatures, tasted nothing close to fish and chips. The strawberry funnel cake was exceptional. Good thing, not difficult to find streets parking. read more

Worst fireworks show I ever saw! County must of saved a bundle of cash for that lousy show!

Has gone downhill. Used to be fun and interesting. Now all the local food vendors are gone (Girl Scouts, Marin Artists, Greek Church replaced by all corporate now), not as many fairgoers, and prices are way out of touch with reality. Ya think there may be a connection between these two?! Not sure what planet the Fair Management lives on, no longer family-friendly. Better places to spent family time and your hard-earned money. read more

Always so fun. I go every year and I like the rides, food music, the art work, the animals and petting area and yes the food. It is a little expensive $20 to park and ticket prices were high too $15 or $18 a person. And of course every night they have the fireworks! read more

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Overall a let down from what I remember. It was clean and the lines were short. We enjoyed the art, flowers, crafts and Star Wars exhibit. $25 is a bit steep and 4th of July sold out. Really? read more

Spent the 4th here. It was a great day. Very warm, so bring your sunscreen. You can bring sodas in as long as they aren't in cans or glass bottles. You can bring water containers and fill them once you arrive (or get a nice bag-checker like I did and bring your own water in). Food was typical fair food. Overpriced, but you know that going in. Wait in the longer lines for the better food, it's worth it. We only went on one ride, the big ferris wheel. The other rides are in a different section which has MANY more kids than the other sections. The art exhibits were really nice. We spent quite a bit of time in there. Interesting art and cooler temps were a win, win. The fireworks were spectacular! We put down a blanket and a little cooler by the lake when we arrived at 2pm and it was there, untouched, when we came to watch fireworks at 8:30pm. We checked on it a couple times to get a drink and no one messes with the stuff. It was a good call because by the time it got dark, the place was pretty crowded. read more

Marin County Fair - Festivals Near Me - San Rafael, California

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Probably the cleanest most spacious well planned fair i have been to. Buy tix online so youre ready to go. Pettingzoo is best in morning. So fun. Really cute bunnies to see. Plenty of portapotties scattered around. Pretty clean for most of the day until about 5pm when the crowd surges and it can get gross. Parking ranges from $15-$20 depending how close you want your lot to be. Choose the first lot closest to Civic Center Drive for carnival entrance, free to choose your spot. Last lot for island entrance, Attendants guide youwhere to park. Line forms about half hour before the gate opens. Line and security check moves fast thankfully! People set their picnic chairs and blankets early to hold a spot for fireworks. Island lawn is good for concert and view of carousel and carnival. Lawn in front of ferris wheel is close to the marketplace and food choices. Bring large blanket, sunblock, mosquito repellent, sandwiches, snacks, hat, sunglasses, no glass bottles, at least 3 bottles water per person. Many food stands. Lines get long at night. Everyone needs dinner! Giant chicken kebab was tasty and plenty to eat! Do everything in the morning then take it easy for the rest of the day. Rides are FREE! Yesssss! Line for bumper cars is so deceiving, looks short but takes only 7 people at a time so supperrrrr slow. Ride operators are generous and give you plenty of ride time, making the wait worth it. Auditorium and indoors are air conditioned so take a break in the afternoon in there! Fireworks shoot from middle of lagoon. So close! Glowsticks would be fun. Everyone is generally friendly and happy. Safe. Only grumpy person i encountered was a woman setting up her blanket next to mine and arguing with me even though i was there first 4 hrs before her to begin with and she was stubborn and mean. Ugh. Everyone else was full of love and kindness. Great bunch of people! Leaving parking lot is total nightmare. Left at 10 and didnt get out of parking lot until 1130pm. Pure gridlock. Only 1 car moved in 1 hour! Best to take day after off work so youre not worried about being exhausted. Namaste read more

This fair's the most expensive to attend, but usually never disappoints. '19 will go down for me as a year in which they laid a few eggs. And, I'm not talking about something that happens in their barn coops. $20 adult entrance and $20 to park will set a person back $40 just to get inside the gate. My gripes this year were: super hard-to-find hydration stations where they were supposed to be, disorganized show times, shyster carnies and a less-than-energetic set from the main concert act (Steel Pulse). Perhaps the saving grace and best part of this fair are the fireworks, which are 2nd to none. Absolute best fireworks show year-to-year that I've ever seen. read more

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Marin County Fair 2022. Welcome Back! We went mostly for the music and fireworks. Pablo Cruise was good on Thursday night. The seating and standing areas for concerts are better than in the past. The stage and lights are professional and the sound is powerful. The big surprise was the quality of the fireworks this year, which are amazing ! There have apparently been advances in fireworks, and you have to see it to believe it. Some of the fireworks are spectacular, filling the sky with big bursts of color. The accompanying music is great too, conveying pride in the USA in our time of too much national political division. Bring a trash bag or mat to sit on near the edge of the water for the full effects of the fireworks that start after the concerts at about 9:30 pm. The exhibit halls are not open yet this year. The rides and booth areas are crowded. It can get chilly at night with a breeze. Thanks for the free entry for senior citizens on Thursday. read more

Warning: The Marin County Fair is in decline. Fewer food booths, fewer rides, more expensive, nobody at the ticket booths, no onsite ticket sales, no auditorium show (due to renovations) to beat the heat, no garden exhibit, much smaller art, food and craft show. The limits on items you could bring into the fair was ridiculous. The only positive was that the fireworks show was better than past years. This may be my last year. read more

The greenest Fair on Earth! This fair is all about the solar-powered carousel and solar-powered stage. Did you know this Fair was the first in the country to ban smoking and to mandate each food vendor have a healthy food option? Fireworks every night during the Fair. There's so much to do and see, something for everyone - must check out the acrobats. Take a picture with your favorite Star Wars character. Get inspired by the Bonsai tress, view the artwork inside the Marin Veterans' Memorial Auditorium, sit through a demonstration of cake decorating, enjoy a live concert, eat some oysters, eat ice cream, etc. Bring chairs, blankets, hats, jackets (gets cold after sunset), and a small cooler. If parking lots are full in front of Civic Center, park in the back of the courthouse, wear comfy shoes. Admission price gets you in along with rides. It's extremely safe, officers are present at all times ensuring public safety. Sit back, relax, and watch the sky illuminate with beautiful fireworks. Happy Fourth of July! read more

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I heart fairs a lot. From maybe the day when the traveling oddities gypsy caravan used to stake out the field down the road from my great-uncle Arthur's summer place in rural NJ when I was wee and it was still cool to call freak shows freak shows I think that was when I understood that I was wired to groove on scenes like this. Or maybe I didn't understand, but I grooved. Of the Bay Area fairs I do believe I like this one the best. The tenure is brief, and it's over already, but thanks to good fortune and timing I was able to meet Davey and spend a perfect summer's afternoon this last Friday at the fairgrounds, kicking dust and hay, riding a Gravitron, winning me a minion at squirt gun. For the mental bookmarking next year: Parking is close in and cheaper than AC Fair. Gate fee is higher, but the rides are free and that's hella worth it. Even if you can't say hella in Marin. Vendor booths are cool and maybe the same as other places but they seem a little more hippie but that could be the settiing or my imagination. Can't get Marin Brewing Company ales in Pleasanton. Nuff said. read more

Marin County Fair - Whee! - Festivals Near Me - San Rafael, California

Moron County fair more like it. Have never seen a more disorganized, incompetent fiasco in my life. Will never make this expensive mistake in my life. Lived in Marin for 10 years, never went. This year we decided to go. Horrors. read more

The Marin County fair is only a shadow of what it was just several years ago. It no longer feels like it's connected with our community! It's misnamed at this point and should be called a carnival instead. Who is responsible? read more

I love going to county fairs. There are so many happy people walking around, interesting rides, great exhibits that it is easy to spend a day at this fair. Marin is still vying for the best fair with an East Bay fair. I guess I will have to back to both them to decide. I suspect there will tie. I enjoying this fair for all the same reasons that I mentioned in my previous reviews. The parking is difficult and getting out of the area can be time consuming. I just consider these to problems to be part of the fun read more

As fairs go, this is a fun night out. We rolled in about 6:30 and got a spot right in front for $10. Compared to previous years it seems parking costs have gone down. We strolled in by the kids section with games and rides and headed toward the pavilion for the evenings concert, Kool and the gang. I go every so often for the concerts and they seem to pull some good names year to year. We didn't try to push forward in the pavilion, we had a great viewing spot to the side where refreshments are sold. Sound is excellent and perfect amount of space to dance and shake a tail feather. I'm not sure how long it's been a thing but the fair now sells tickets for the concerts above the standard $20 entry fee. We kept it at the general admission since we weren't bent to be up close. It's good to know it's an option if there is a band you are super excited about seeing up close. Rides are free with the entry; lots of shopping vendors, food options that do extend beyond the usual fair food like corn dogs and funnel cakes. And of course, civic center as a backdrop makes this a beautiful place to spend a summer evening. read more

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This was my first time coming here. I've gotta say I was kinda dissatisfied with the amount of rides vs games aspect. I didn't spend much time here, maybe just a couple of hours until there was nothing much else to do. Food and drinks are kind of expensive. $3 for a water bottle. They won't refill your water bottle at food stations, so they send you to get your own tap water. 3 stars for the fun house(s) and the snow cones. read more

Food choices are a bit scarce which was disappointing, considering fair food is usually some of the most unusual/quirky foods there can be. The most experimental food at the Marin County Fair seemed to be deep fried candy bars which are pretty ho-hum standard at all other fairs these days. That said, the fair is definitely large enough to spend a whole day at. There are a variety of exhibits and nearly all the carnival rides are free which is great considering others I've gone to charge each ride a la carte! This year there were also exhibits for virtual reality and Star Wars...kind of out of place....but kind of cool at the same time! Nights end with a short, but nice fireworks show which is visible from nearly any area of the fairgrounds since its shot from the middle of the lagoon. It was definitely a fun experience! read more

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Wow this fair is beautiful. I love that its situated right by the water which makes it such an enjoyable place for familie to camp out before the fireworks. I've been here a couple of times so im gonna sum up what i remember. They have 2 ferris wheels, 1 to see the whole park and the 2nd located in the carnival rides. The rides are free. Definitely recommend all of them lol. Theres your signature fairground foods, but this time there was a paella stand and that was delicious!!! It can get hot over there but thank god theres small breezes to take the heat away. DONT FORGET SUNSCREEN. I've watched the fireworks and the grounds can get crowded, should plan your activities accordingly. They also have cool (FREE) water refill stations which is recent, i dont remember those in 2015. Admission is 20$, parking is 20$ read more

Marin County Fair - Beautiful Marin County Fair - Festivals Near Me - San Rafael, California

This was our first time at a fair and we had an amazing time! We were there from 1-10pm, and spent $20 for parking, about $100 on food & snacks for a family of 4 & $100 on games where we got a card with 120 tickets. The fair was clean with lots of security around, really delicious food from gyro to paella, fun games with prizes & exciting rides, and we were impressed with the eco friendliness around the fair. We also saw lots of artwork! However, the Best Pie contest was boring since you couldn't sample the entries & they took forever in announcing winner since judges tried over 30 entries. They need to do selection process differently to get people more excited. Other than that we had a great time, and the best thing to cap off the night was the cool fireworks around the lake. read more

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This was my first time to the Marin Fair and I loved it! Beautifully laid next to the lake. I just did minus one star because I wish that it could be bigger and have more animals to pet and get closer to. I grew up behind the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds, before they tore everything down. So I know my fairs! Okay, what I enjoyed about this fair was that the rides were included and there were no tickets for the 28 free rides. My biggest beef, was there was not a single booth with cinnamon rolls. You can't have a fair without your super sweets. Oh and tons of older men were not wearing their shirts and it was disgusting to look at them. We went the day War was performing as the musical talent. The guy behind us, was not wearing his shirt and his nipples stood out like 1/4 an inch, gross! Why? In the end you have to love this fair. : ) read more

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Thanks again to the Yelp North Bay manager Kevin for tickets to the fair! I was really excited to be able and do something fun for the 4th of July since I worked all day. Getting there was pretty quick until the freeway exit. There was lots of traffic and right when it was our turn to get into the Lion's Club parking lot they closed it and initially didn't want to let us go in just to u-turn. Eventually they let us and the guy hit the side of our car with the foldable white and orange sign! We ended up parking at the mall and walking over which wasn't bad since we got to park for free. The fair had two Ferris wheels and a bunch of rides. The location was really nice since there was water in the middle. They had a little art gallery which was my favorite part, especially the Bonsai trees! We got corn dogs and a soda for $10.50 from the food court area before we noticed all the other good food. Spent like $20 on impossible games but it was still fun! The funnel cake line was super long (we waited an hour) and someone who didn't speak English cut in front of us but funnel cake is good so it was kinda worth it. The fireworks show was good as well! When I got home I did notice that there was a lot of dirt and dust that I breathed in. :/ Overall, it was a fun night and I would recommend going if you can get discounted tickets because $20 for the general public is over priced when you still have to pay for rides (unless you're coming for the concert). read more

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Def one of the best fairs I have been to. Went on July 3rd with my family. Traffic was pretty crazy driving through San Francisco to get to the Golden Gate Bridge. We probably spent a good 45+ min in traffic from Lincoln/19th to the bridge. Parking was very convenient...there are a lot of parking lots and some surrounding businesses have opened up their parking lots for a fee. You can't beat $15/person admission..and $13/kids. That includes ALL carnival rides (except the Wacky Worm). Parts of the fairgrounds was paved, gravel, dirt...it was pretty well-kept and clean. Didn't get a chance to visit all the vendor booths but several of them were very generous in the freebies they were giving away. It was HOT. Don't forget the sunblock! There are a lot of food vendors here. This is what I had: -A bratwurst from the Sausage / Garlic Fry booth. The bratwurst wasn't bad. They had sauerkraut and ketchup as sides.The garlic fries were great! They used the skinny fries. We ended up getting two baskets! -Grilled Corn. AVOID! $4.50 for an overcooked ear of corn was a bit ridiculous. It is the same booth that sells the $10 giant turkey drumsticks. -Thai fried rice for $5 wasn't bad for a huge plate. It had great flavor but lacked much egg ,peas, carrots, onions... -Thai boba iced tea. This was pretty good for $5! A bit on the sweeter side but quite delicious. The lines for the carnival rides weren't too long. The staff there was professional and friendly. We felt safe seeing the armed police / sheriff around. The fireworks show was amazing! Great view from the carnival area! Will probably come back next 4th of July weekend....but need to figure a way to get around the traffic, if possible. read more

Marin County Fair - Ferris Wheel - Festivals Near Me - San Rafael, California

I have been going to this Fair for years now and still love it. It's pretty much the same Fair year after year but it's my home town and I still love going. Meeting old friends and watching some of the old bands is great. The fireworks are always a great show and the only show in Marin. Prices keep going up and parking is always crowded but it's worth it. Till next year. read more

Marin County Fair - The Zipper - Festivals Near Me - San Rafael, California

Last year it was the Temptations singing for entertainment pre-Fireworks. This year it was Eddie Money offering 2 tickets to Paradise. I have been to many county fairs, and usually it lets you know that there are a lot of people living in your county that have a totally different lifestyle than you have. You are surprised by the diversity outside of your bubble neighborhood, perhaps even shocked. But the Marin County fair has the smallest chasm between your suburban lifestyle bubble and the actual attendees to the County Fair. Most look like your neighbors, people at the mall, or people you know well, even though they only clean your house or tidy your lawn. The venue is great, basically a County Fair surrounding a large water pond, with one permanent round structure harboring artist exhibits/competitions, and a rear area with the 4H club and animals, and petting zoos. This is mixed with the traveling Carny crew with their fun rides and games of skill. And a fair amount of 10x10 booths for shopping, from hand made leather belts to trinkets not even a Fisherman's Warf tourist from Nebraska can resist. Even iPhone covers like at the Kiosk in the nearby Northgate Mall. (Which is a great place to park and then walk over the freeway to the Fair. It will save you 2 hours in post Fair no-move traffic! Food selections are good. I stayed over by the main stage, where Epicurean had some nice beer selections, tasty and creative food options, and the line wasn't very long. I had two Korean Tacos for $9. Not bad for County Carny food. This year didn't seem as crowded as last year, so it was easy to find seating to watch the great music synchronized fireworks (you can bring your own favorite lawn furniture made by Patti O'), with virtually little waiting in line for food, beverage or facilities. I even went to the permanent building to relieve myself instead of smelling the scents of the Porto-o-Potty after the hot heat. $16 for adults. Fireworks every night it is open at 9:30pm. Order and pay for tix on line to a bar code entry. It is sort of like Disneyland without the nightly parade, and without anything Goofy or the famous Mice. read more

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