Quick Take
The 2024 Santa Cruz County Fair will open Wednesday for five days of food, rides, agricultural exhibition and competition and entertainment including a monster truck show, a Taylor Swift tribute band and colorful nightly drone shows.
The fairgrounds on Highway 152 in Watsonville were transformed with a flurry of activity this week in preparation for a tradition that started more than 135 years ago. The 2024 Santa Cruz County Fair will open Wednesday for five days of food, rides, agricultural exhibition and competition and entertainment including a monster truck show, a Taylor Swift tribute band and colorful nightly drone shows.
Lookout photojournalist Kevin Painchaud was on hand Monday to capture preparation for this year’s fair and will be capturing the fun this week. See his photo gallery and all the details you need to prepare for your visit below.
Loretta Estrada, the Santa Cruz County Fair Board Director, doing some last minute garden preparation for this years opening of the Santa Cruz County Fair. Estrada has been working at the fair since 1965. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz 
Ron Haedicke, Marketing Director for the Fairgrounds Foundation, and his crew help prepare the grounds for opening day on Wednesday, September 11, 2024. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz 
Preparation for the 2024 Santa Cruz County Fair was in full swing Monday. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz 
Preparation for the 2024 Santa Cruz County Fair was in full swing Monday. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz 
Preparation for the 2024 Santa Cruz County Fair was in full swing Monday. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz 
Agriculture/ horticulture committee member Matt King helps prepare the horticulture building. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz 
Santa Cruz County Fair judges Marky Starks and Annette Longuevan examine an entry in the agriculture building. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz 
Preparation for the 2024 Santa Cruz County Fair was in full swing Monday. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz 
Flower judge at the Santa Clara County Fair, Sandy D’Amato, carefully inspects an entry in the junior flower arrangement category. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz 
Rafael Custodio is all smiles while he sets up his fresh mexican seafood tent at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz 
Preparation for the 2024 Santa Cruz County Fair was in full swing Monday. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz 
Agriculture teacher, Paulina Correia, helps her students judge flower entries at the Santa Cruz County Fair. Correia teaches global design at Watsonville High School. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz 
Flower judge at the Santa Clara County Fair, Sandy D’Amato, carefully inspects an entry in the junior flower arrangement category. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz 
Watsonville High School students Odalis Garcia, Analy Garcia and Araceli Navarro judge flower entries at the Santa Cruz County Fair. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz 
Owner of Brianna & Sierras Fresh Squeezed Lemonade owner Marty Kocher is looking forward to the Fair’s opening on Wednesday September 11, 2024. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz 
Owner of Brianna & Sierras Fresh Squeezed Lemonade owner Marty Kocher is looking forward to the Fair’s opening on Wednesday September 11, 2024. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz 
Department head of poultry, Pamela Flanders gets the chicken cages. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz 
Madison Alvernaz spends some time with her steer named Beefana. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz 
Fresno State student Vivienne Moran bales hay for steer named Terapia. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz 
Preparation for the 2024 Santa Cruz County Fair was in full swing Monday. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz 
Preparation for the 2024 Santa Cruz County Fair was in full swing Monday. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz
This year’s schedule
- Noon to 11 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 11. Click here for a detailed schedule of Wednesday’s events.
- Noon to 11 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12. Click here for a detailed schedule of Thursday’s events.
- Noon to 11 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13. Click here for a detailed schedule of Friday’s events.
- 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14. Click here for a detailed schedule of Saturday’s events.
- 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 15. Click here for a detailed schedule of Sunday’s events.
Ticket prices
Daily adult admission (ages 13-plus): $22
Daily child admission (ages 6-12): $11
Daily senior admission (ages 62-plus): $14
Wednesday Senior Day admission (ages 62-plus): $10
Monster truck and drone light show (Wednesday and Thursday): $15 for adults 13-plus and $7 for children 6-12.
Daily parking: $15
Daily valet parking: $40
Other ticket offers are available on the Santa Cruz County Fair website, including family packages that include parking for $60 and pre-sale carnival wristbands for $30.
Special discounts
Free admission to the fair will be offered for:
- Children 5 and under: Every day of the fair.
- Children 12 and under: Thursday.
- Active military (with ID): Every day of the fair.
- Veterans (with ID): Wednesday.
A special discount is also available ($6 off for adults and $5 off for children’s tickets) if you take a free Metro ride to the fair and purchase a special ticket.
Parking and transportation
The Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds are located at 2601 East Lake Ave. (Highway 152) in Watsonville. It’s accessible from the east via Freedom Boulevard and Casserly Road, from the west via Highway 129, from the north via Highway 101 and from the south via Highway 1.
General parking is available on site for $15, preferred parking closer to the entrance of the fairgrounds for $25, and valet parking is available for $40.
You can both avoid the cost of parking and get a discount on admission tickets by taking advantage of free rides Metro is offering during the fair.
To provide additional service to attendees, Metro has also created a special route, Route 79F, that will provide free daily service to the county fairgrounds outside Watsonville. Additionally, Metro will offer free service on the Route 79 weekend service and daily ParaCruz service to the fairgrounds in Watsonville. Fixed-route customers can utilize Route 79F to get to the fairgrounds daily, but Route 79 will provide service to the fairgrounds only during the weekend of Sept. 14 and 15.
Service will depart from the Watsonville Transit Center on the hour from noon to 10 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekends, with return trips from the fair at 25 minutes past the hour from 12:25 p.m. to 10:25 p.m. on weekdays and 10:25 a.m. to 10:25 p.m. on weekends.
Entertainment at the fair
All five days of the Santa Cruz County Fair will be packed with entertainment and competitions (see detailed daily schedules), but headlining the fair this year will be main stage entertainment including:
- Monster Trucks & Motocross: 7:15 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, Sept. 11 and 12.
- Antsy McClain and The Trailer Park Troubadours: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13.
- RED – A Taylor Swift Tribute: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14.
- Escaramuza Charra El Centenario Show with Lola Montas: 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 15.
- Los Tiranos del Norte: 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 15.
- Nightly Skye Dreams Drone Show: A next-level kind of fireworks show powered by drones will be on display for free every night of the fair, visible from the main lawn and grandstands.
Have news that should be in Lookout Briefs? Send your press releases, including contact information, to news@lookoutlocal.com.
