Monster trucks, antique cars, motorsport professionals, talented performers and horses bring daily excitement.
Del Mar CA— During the 2016 San Diego County Fair, presented by Albertsons│Vons, the Del Mar Arena offers FREE daily entertainment including motorized events, such as demolition derbies, motorsports competitions, equine events, talent competitions and a smorgasbord of other programming.
Opening weekend will feature a Fire & Safety Expo and Firefighter Demolition Derby, presented by San Diego City Fire Fighters Local 145, and a Mariachi Festival. The Fire Expo is a firefighting skills demonstration and demolition derby competition among firefighters from all over San Diego County on June 3 and 4. This popular event raises funds for an important cause, The Burn Institute. On Sunday, June 5, the Mariachi Festival, featuring Mariachi Garibaldi, is a day full of lively mariachi music, folklorico dancing, and other attractions, which are also part of the Fair’s Sunday programming and Dia de la Familia.
The Charity Fair Horse Show, from June 8 – 11, has been a part of the Fair for more than 30 years. It is a benefit for the Pet Encounter Therapy and Therapeutic Riding programs at Helen Woodward Animal Center, and the Don Diego Scholarship Foundation. The show features American Saddlebred Horses, Hackney and Roadster Ponies, Morgan Horses, Friesian Horses, and Equitation and Medal Classes. The Del Mar Classic Horse Show features riders in Hunter/Jumper classes, on June 15.
Sunday, June 12, is the day when one of the biggest competitions of the Fair season, Best Dance Crew showcases the talents of professional and amateur dance groups of five or more. The Asian Festival, also on June 12 and back for the second year, will bring the best of Asian and Pacific Island culture to the Fair. It features music, dance and martial arts performances, as well as fashion and community based organizations representing China, Philippines, India, Korea, Japan, Hawai’i, and Vietnam.
Come and enjoy some of the best beers in the world at the 10th Annual San Diego International Beer Festival, Friday, June 17, through Sunday, June 19. Last year, more than 10,000 beer lovers joined in on one of our five tasting sessions, sipping their way through their choice of hundreds of varieties of ale, cider, porter, stout, mead and more! Winning breweries and beers will be featured at the festival, and “Best of Show Beer” will be announced at the Awards Ceremony on Saturday, June 18, at 12:30 p.m. See the entire list of results from the 2016 San Diego International Beer Competition on the website, www.sandiegobeerfestival.com. Purchase VIP Lounge ($110) or General Admission ($61) for one of five sessions:
Beer Festival Dates/Times:
SESSION 1: Friday, June 17 (noon – 4 p.m.)
SESSION 2: Friday, June 17 (5 – 9 p.m.)
SESSION 3: Saturday, June 18 (11 a.m. – 3 p.m.)
SESSION 4: Saturday, June 18 (4 – 8 p.m.)
SESSION 5: Sunday, June 19 (noon – 4 p.m.)
| Ticket Type | Cost | Includes |
| VIP Lounge | $110 | Festival and Fair admission + early VIP lounge entry, VIP seating, food and beer pairings, unlimited grazing for the first two hours of the session and a 6 oz. souvenir glass |
| General Admission | $61 | Festival and Fair admission and 1 oz. souvenir glass |
Beer Festival Tickets are available at http://sandiegobeerfestival.com and at the Del Mar Fairgrounds Box Office.
Experience the thrill of a Mounted Shooting Western Competition on June 21 and 22. It brings together distinguished riders from beginner to pro divisions, turning the Del Mar Arena into a mecca of Western realism and traditional Americana. The Roy Rogers Rangers Mounted Shooting Club of San Diego County will produce this fast-paced, timed sporting event that requires high-level riding skill and superb pistol handling. Black-powder-only blanks with a maximum reach of 20 feet are used, so you can be assured of spectator safety. See real cowboys and cowgirls performing cutting-edge mounted shooting with all its flair, precision and energy.
As in past years, the Del Mar Arena schedule includes a whole lot of tires, torque and testosterone with 10 days of motorsports competitions. Terracross Championships RZR, on Friday, June 24 and Saturday, June 25, at 1 and 5 p.m., is raced on a short, rugged course made for only the toughest off-road enthusiast. Check out the head-to-head competition against the toughest, roughest and muddiest terrain. Premier classes of racing include Pro Polaris RZR 1000, Pro Women’s, Pro 4×4 Quad and Quad Speeding with Style.
Don’t count out the old-timers because the Antique Car Races will also occupy the Arena’s dirt track first for some auto racing from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 25. Check out the
Vintage Moto X Racing & FMX Demo on June 26, at 1 and 5 p.m.
Tuff Truck Open Class competitions are on June 28 and 29, at 1 and 5 p.m., followed by a day of Beach Buggy Racing and Street Class Tuff Truck Racing on Thursday, June 30 at 1 and 5 p.m.
To close out the Fair, high octane fuel and decibels abound for the Monster Trucks, Mini Dwarfs & Jr. Outlaw Sprints starting on July 1, and running through Monday, July 4, at 1 and 5 p.m.
Full Calendar Line-up for the Del Mar Arena:
June 3 – 4: Fire & Safety Expo, presented by San Diego City Fire Fighters Local 145. 4 – 8 p.m.
June 4: Fire & Safety Expo and Firefighter Demo Derby presented by San Diego City Fire Fighters Local 145. 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
June 5: Mariachi Festival. 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
June 8 – 11: Charity Fair Horse Show. June 8 -10, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. and June 11, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
June 12: Asian Festival/Southern California’s Best Dance Crew. 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
June 15: Del Mar Classic Horse Show. 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
June 17 – 19: San Diego International Beer Festival, sponsored by Don Julio Tequila –
Sessions: 6/17 – 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.; 6/18 – 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. & 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.; 6/19 – 12 Noon to 4 p.m.
June 21 – 22: Mounted Shooting Demonstration. 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
June 23: VIP Class Demolition Derby and Fight Against Cancer Demolition Derby. 1 and 5 p.m.
June 24 and 25: TerraCross Championship RZR. 1 and 5 p.m.
June 25: Antique Car Races. 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
June 26: Vintage Moto X Racing & FMX Demo. 1 and 5 p.m.
June 28 – 29: Tuff Truck Racing – Open Class. 1 and 5 p.m.
June 30: Beach Buggy Racing & Street Class Tuff Truck Racing. 1 and 5 p.m.
July 1 – 4: Monster Trucks, Mini Dwarfs & Jr. Outlaw Sprints. 1 and 5 p.m.
About the San Diego County Fair
Start your summer with Adventure and Imagination!
“Mad About the Fair” is the theme for the 2016 San Diego County Fair, presented by Albertsons|Vons which will open at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, June 3 and run through Monday, July 4th. The Fair will be closed Mondays (except July 4th) and the first two Tuesdays.
Make every day of the Fair a “Frabjous Day” with the Best Pass Ever! ONLY $26 gets you into the Fair for $1 a day! Valid every day the 2016 Fair is open, June 3 – July 4. Come to the Fair whenever you want and stay for as long as you like every day, “Callooh! Callay!” (Tickets for general admission are $16 per day). The Best Pass Ever is non-transferable and valid only for admission; not valid for rides, food, games, parking, or any concerts that require a separate ticket. More info at sdfair.com/bestpassever.
Let the COASTER be your designated driver to the Fair! The $17 Fair Tripper ticket includes Fair admission and round-trip transportation using the North County Transit District’s COASTER, SPRINTER, and BREEZE. A valid NCTD, Amtrak or Compass Pass is required to ride the free shuttle to the Fairgrounds from the Solana Beach Train Station.
The San Diego County Fair is the largest annual event in San Diego County and one of the 10 largest Fairs in North America, drawing more than 1.5 million visitors annually. Visit sdfair.com