The 2026 San Diego County Fair officially kicked off its community participation season on Thursday, February 26, at the San Diego Central Library.
The downtown venue was selected to highlight the Fair’s 2026 theme, “Once Upon A Fair,” which celebrates storytelling, literacy, and literature.
“It’s a theme that makes perfect sense for us, and it’s a location we love,” CEO Carlene Moore said in a press release. “In an age when we consume endless streams of headlines, video clips, and A.I.-generated content through our phone screens, your local library — like the San Diego County Fair — offers a respite: a place of authentic connection.”
Moore said the Fair, like local libraries, provides opportunities for learning and growth, calling it “the greatest story our community has ever told.”
To support the theme, the Fair is partnering with organizations including the Serra Cooperative Library System.
While the annual theme and partners vary each year, Moore emphasized that community involvement remains central to the Fair’s identity.
“Community participation is the heart of the Fair,” she said. “It’s what makes us unique — and one of the biggest reasons generations of guests return year after year.”
Organizers noted that while many people associate the Fair with its specialty foods, carnival rides, games, and major Grandstand entertainment acts, it is community engagement that distinguishes the event.
The Fair also recently concluded its Fairgrounds 2050 “Open House” series, with February stops in southeast San Diego, Carlsbad, and North Clairemont. The series began in the fall with events in Poway, La Mesa, Chula Vista, Balboa Park, San Marcos, and at the Del Mar Fairgrounds.
The 2026 San Diego County Fair runs June 10 through July 5 and is closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Hours are 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily, with gates closing at 10 p.m.