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

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 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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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

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 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

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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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

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

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 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

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

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

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 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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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

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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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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Hello. Just want to get the message out that the fair needs some improvement. I don't know what the fair planners are up against in this post-covid landscape, but there has absolutely been a noticeable decline in quality. This year I feel the musical acts of Patti LaBelle and Melissa Etheridge were strong so I want to support that. But the vendors were not. For food vendors it would be so much better if you had more local vendors and greater diversity. For example, we eat vegetarian and would love to have seen a vegetarian vendor, nope. There used to be more local food vendors in the food court, but not this year. The beltway food vendors were pretty bad. I got a pineapple whip with super low quality soft serve and low quality pineapple, not at all the pineapple whip of my youth. There are only so many low quality festival-wear booths I want to see at the fair. I really hope this isn't a sign that much of our local artisan talent has moved away because I did not see it much at the fair. And the animals...As a former 4H kid this was a real disappointment. I came on the 4th and wondered if they just didn't have farm animals for show or whether they all left early. Again it is possible as fewer farms exist, fewer 4H groups etc that the quality will inevitably decline. That would be so sad. Maybe more aggressive recruitment of Marin farm-related communities is in order. I saw no horses except for that one sad horse carriage ride out of another county that just goes around the decrepid arena. The horse arena needs sprucing up and better footing for sure. That bag and food policy was pretty backward and I'm glad they changed at least the bag policy midway through the fair. The food policy made me nervous because we keep a special diet that cannot be found at the fair which requires us to bring food in. Although they verbally told me it would be ok, it always makes me nervous when this type of policy is in place. And why? Shouldnt the food be so diverse and amazing that people want to eat at the fair? The check in was friendly and I appreciate that. Because I have a secret plan I did not incur parking issues or a wait in line but that is only because I have my own secrets for getting in quickly and getting a good parking spot that I'm not going to share :) Overall, I'm not sure if the fair is up against issues that are too big for it or whether is is just bad planning of the fair itself. But there is a noticable decrease in quality and I'm rooting for you to make it better. read more

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

Not fun. High prices. Huge traffic. Limited parking or pay $20.00 to a guy that put my money into his own wallet. Very inadequate staffing at gates so hour+inline just to get in. Aggressive barkers and sales people in the vendor area. Limited and unhealthy food choices. Water stations nowhere to be found. Limited security. I saw many dust ups over cutting into ride and concert lines with no security in sight 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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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

There are a handful of local county fairs in the Bay Area and the Marin County Fair is by far one of the best laid out and organized in the area! Why do I say that? Well for starters, it's held annually, the most recent being the seventy-fifth anniversary, in San Rafael's Lagoon Park right next to its storied Civic Center. This fair is so compact, you can literally do a full walk around in about one hour to get yourself situated. It only lasts five days and is held annually around the Fourth of July weekend. Which is perfect because they have the best fireworks spectacular, bar none, set to music while on the lagoon. And since it is so short, they have some of the best free entertainment around, underneath a huge white tent. Admission is only twenty bucks per person and parking, if you can find it close by, can be as low as 10 dollars a car. As always with these kinds of slash and dash kind of events, it's best to see where else you can park to see if there are more affordable options. My dearest friend of the North Bay Christine R., managed to finagle a few tickets and asked me if I'd like to come along with her family on a Saturday night. I immediately said yes but was curious of where we should meet up, she suggested the Northgate Shopping Center which is literally only a mile away from the fairgrounds. After meeting up, we then proceeded to drive close to the fairgrounds only to find a ton of traffic waiting for escorts to guide cars into the main gravel lot. When we decided to take our chance and try for street parking to no avail, we decided to see if the nearby Autodesk building, which we saw was charging ten dollars a car in their private lot, had any more parking available. Just as the parking attendant said we were out of luck, we see a car pulling out and ask him if we could take that spot. Success! Which of course meant this was going to be a great day! And what a great day it was! Luckily the Marin County Fair is one of those fairs that still let's you take closed food and drink containers into the fairgrounds. Yeah, any size, as long it's not in glass or can beverages, you are good! How awesome is that? I was smart enough to head to the store and get us bottled sodas and snacks while my friends went to her favorite Vietnamese sandwich shop to get us some delicious Bahn Mi sandwiches. See we're smart and thrifty the perfect combination. With a quick check through security we were off to was is known in the fair as "The Island" where all the concerts take place, which tonight was the glamorous Shelia E! By the time we arrived at 3pm the grassy area where you can catch the show for free (a seat under the tent will cost you) was pretty full but we managed to find a space and lay out a blanket and set up three folding chairs to watch Shelia E rock it at 7:30pm and the fireworks spectacular at 10pm. With time on my hands, I got a quick chance to walk around as well. I noticed that the Marin County Fair still is one the few fairs that has all of its vendor areas outdoors instead of in an air conditioned building. It made for a nice flea market vibe, as people shop for their retail goods by the lagoon. And then there are the rides, in which a long lasting tradition still holds, that practically all of the rides at this fair are FREE with admission! Which remains a nice thing to happen in this day and age. Most of the rides are on the further side of the lagoon but some like the Ferris Wheel and carousel are located within the food and retail areas. There are some rides that require admission near the food area as well. Speaking of which, we did managed to nosh on some traditional fair foods while there, as the funnel cakes were as deep fried as ever and the watermelon lemonade was a nice a refreshing afterthought. From there, I also managed to catch some of the fair exhibits which included a nice homage to Star Wars and a salute to the history of the Marin County Fair. I like the way this fair is laid out with the Marin Center, which normally hosts concerts, being used as a local art showcase and a horticultural, crafts and pie eating contest being held in another events building. There were live shows by local talent in one tent with aforementioned concerts being held in the island. All of which is super easy to get around, even with a huge crowd this Fourth of July weekend. With someone parked at the island with your belongings waiting for the shows to start, everyone can just do their own thing while taking in the fair's sights and sounds. After Sheila E. rocked the glamorous life to end her set, we took in the fun filled fireworks show set to patriotic music. From there, it was one final ride on the Ferris Wheel where we took in a gorgeous nighttime view of everything we just experienced that day. A fair that's fun, easily accessible, and affordable. The Marin County Fair is the glamorous life indeed. read more

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Where else can you see awesome fireworks and see a rock concert for $20.00. Yes the rock group Foreigner. The fairground surrounds a lagoon where the awesome fireworks is displayed at 9:30 pm. No fog to ruin the fireworks because of the protection of the surrounding hills. Lots of circus rides, booths full of gimmicks ie. hats, sunglasses and airbrush t-shirts. I didn't see too many corn dogs or cotton candy. The beer booths were drawing big crowds. I had a big lunch so I settled for an ice cream cone and kettle korn. No funnel cake touched these lips. Just a note, parking is limited and a pain to get out of the parking lots. Don't park on the side street McInnis Parkway, about 50 of us lucky recipients received parking tickets. Ugh! read more

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I love this fair . This review is for the 2016 Fair. We went to the fair on Opening Day, July 3rd. We parked in the first lot just as you pass the Marin City offices (aka the Space Bldg). The cost was $10 but well worth it since we were very close to the entrance. This is the entrance that is closest to the RIde Area. The ticket price includes admission to almost all the rides (there are a few in the area across the lagoon). There are rides for the toddlers, young kids and for those who don't mind getting spun, gyrated or propelled. We passed on those. This is not a massive fair......which I love. You can easily see all the exhibits, shows, performances, animals, etc plus eat to your heart's content. After 9pm they have a fireworks show which we didn't stay for. We did see the farm animal petting zoo, the rabbits, goats, chickens, sheep and some other critters. Clover Dairy gave out free samples of milk, or chocolate milk or yogurt. There are lots of food choices---funnel cakes, hot dogs, hamburgers, tacos, burritos, french fries, garlic fries, corn dogs, lemonade, smoothies and a lot more. There is a food court with more choices--Chinese food, Middle Eastern food, veggie burgers, tamales, and more. I got a veggie corn dog, lemonade while Mr Rinky got a kale salad. We both enjoyed our food. The prices were pretty decent. They also have an International Marketplace . I bought an embroidered Mexican peasant blouse. I'll try to add a photo of it. There was also a huge assortment of juried art with all sorts of baked goods, art works, photos, kids' art work and more. I of course loved the baked goods with breads, cakes and cookies. It was so tempting to try to pinch off samples but I managed to resist. They also had a wonderful Ikebana and Bonsai exhibits. There was a small Origami exhibit with elaborate insects, dragons, birds and other critters. There was a Star Wars exhibit with people dressed in costumes. R2 D2 was there too. I rode on the solar powered carousel. I was able to snag the cat to ride on even though I needed help from the ultra nice attendant who had a nice conversation with Mr Rinky about how much he enjoyed his job. We both rode on the large Ferris Wheel. Each cab can hold up to six people but we got our own as did most people since it was still early in the day. Wonderful views! We passed on going to the Chinese acrobat shows. We've been do the performances before so we decided to pass We did stay to see the International Film Festival which was excellent. It was 90 minutes of 6 or 7 heartfelt movies with movies about an Indian high school basketball tam in Northern Alaska, a film about how a rescue dog helped a man overcome his health issues, a film called the "Gnomist" about a magical ferry village that was built in Kansas along with three or gout other films. Here is the link to the "Gnomist." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLoBWpiOczQ ÷÷÷OP000000000000 I loved seeing all the families and kids, gflocks of tweens and teens, older couples and mobs of friends. Everyone was having fun! All in all a glorious , fun day. Can't wait for next year. read more

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The Marin County Fair has everything a great fair should have; great rides, yummy food, wonderful entertainment, beautiful scenery, colorful character, healthy clean animals, friendly staff, super fireworks every night, close parking $10, indoor & outdoor activities, water stations scattered everywhere, many 36" & 42" height requirement ride options, great weather, and so much more. Definitely a must do for all Marin families at least once a year during the 5 days they are here. Each year the Marin County Fair provides an exceptional experience for young and old alike. We always try to get there as the doors open so we can rush to the Great American petting Zoo before the mad rush. The animals are friendly, soft and clean. There are pigs, goats, small cows, llamas, ducks, wallabies, deer and they are all hand fed from birth so they are quite docile and personable. This year one of the wallaby had a baby in it's pouch... pretty amazing. After the petting zoo we make our way to the rides, because there too we want to avoid the lines that form later in the day and even longer in the PM hours. The rides are all free once you have paid the entrance fee $20.... which is AWESOME because my daughter, 4.5 years old, likes to go on as many rides as many times as she can. We even played a couple of the games this year, which at $5 a person per game can be a wallet buster. But of course it is an experience you never forget so once or twice each year is worth the memories. After the rides we head back over the bridge to find lunch and while we are at it support a local school, charity or heritage program by eating at one of the local food court options. This year we supported a local school program by eating Guatemalan food, a local homeless shelter program by eating Asian fusion tacos, and a Chinese Cultural center by eating Chinese food. I love that the Marin County Fair offers this opportunity to local nonprofits and school programs and also as a healthy alternative to "carny food". We watched singing and dancing on the small stage. Hip Hop and break-dancing youth competitions, Irish dancing, barbershop quartets, and all kinds of local talent competitions. My little one loves the "Something Ridiculous" guys on their ladders and unicycles throwing knives at each other while being silly to the extreme, she LOVES the Chinese Acrobats and all of their daring feats, she loves the one man clown unicycle juggling guy who absolutely knows how to entertain a group of young kids.... and I LOVE watching her LOVE it all. read more

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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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