Get ready for five days of classic fair fun! The 2026 Santa Cruz County Fair returns Sept. 16-20 with live entertainment, carnival rides, local food, community traditions and plenty of surprises.
This year’s theme, “Apple Pies and Starry Skies,” celebrates the homegrown traditions of the Fair and the natural beauty of the Watsonville fairgrounds.
Rev your engines for Monster X
If you like your entertainment loud, the Monster X Tour is bringing two nights of high-octane action to the Fair on Sept. 16 and 17.
Watch 10,000-pound monster trucks crush cars and compete in racing and wheelie contests. Come early to meet the drivers, get autographs and snap photos, then take your own ride on a real monster truck during the Pit Party.
The Monster X Tour will also deliver jaw-dropping freestyle action. Additional tickets are required for Monster X Tour shows.
Local stars take the stage
The Fair is keeping its concert lineup close to home this year, with three nights of music celebrating local roots and regional favorites.
On Friday, Sept. 18, Watsonville native Andy Vargas, the lead singer of Santana, will perform with his band. His father, Javier Vargas, a longtime mariachi musician and Santa Cruz County Fair staple, will join him for featured songs.
On Saturday, Sept. 19, Santa Cruz native and American Idol alum James Durbin returns to the Fair with The Lost Boys.
“I am very proud of being a born & raised Santa Cruz local,” Durbin says. “I’m also very proud to be a 3rd generation resident of Watsonville.”
Durbin will return to the Fair’s Amphitheater Stage, where he has performed before, alongside his wife, Heidi, and their three children, who he says they are raising in the community.
On Sunday, Sept. 20, Los Mismos will take the stage. The celebrated Regional Mexican group emerged from the remaining members of the legendary band Los Bukis and has become one of the genre’s most recognized and enduring acts.
Look up at the stars
The Fair is also reaching for the stars this year.
In honor of “Apple Pies and Starry Skies,” UCSC Astronomy and Lick Observatory will host a booth featuring several telescopes throughout the Fair, including the Unistellar eVscope, Sky-Watcher telescope and Seestar S50 smart telescope.
Fairgoers can even capture their own image of the Moon. Use the Seestar app to take a photo through the telescope, and volunteers will email the image to you as a keepsake.
Experience a true community fair
For generations, the Santa Cruz County Fair has brought the Pajaro Valley community together. About 65,000 people attend the annual event to celebrate the creativity, talent and hard work of their friends and neighbors.
Across the Fairgrounds, you’ll find exhibits and competitions featuring agriculture, horticulture, livestock, poultry, home arts, amateur wines, fine arts, LEGOs, poetry, youth displays, handspun and handwoven crafts, quilting, photography, floriculture, collections and more.
Hundreds of volunteers help bring each department and exhibit building to life, while local children and adults put their creativity and passion on display through their entries.
And, of course, there’s plenty to see and do beyond the exhibits.
Take a spin through the carnival midway, watch a drone show, catch a magic or kids’ show, cheer on horse shows or professional wrestling, enjoy a circus, see tractor parades, listen to live music, watch dance performances and encounter roving entertainment throughout the Fairgrounds.
Then come hungry. From funnel cakes and cinnamon rolls to fried artichokes and BBQ kabobs, the Fair offers the sweet and savory treats you can only get once a year.
It’s no surprise that readers of the Santa Cruz Sentinel have voted the Santa Cruz County Fair “Best Annual Event in Santa Cruz County” for three consecutive years.
Join the community Sept. 16-20 at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds in the heart of the agriculturally rich Pajaro Valley and experience “Apple Pies and Starry Skies” for yourself.
Ready for Fair season? Get tickets, explore the entertainment lineup and plan your visit at santacruzcountyfair.com.
