Alameda County Fair 2025 Opens Friday

PLEASANTON, CA — There aren’t too many places where you can watch pigs race, then ride in a hot air balloon and a camel on the same day. But the Alameda County Fair, which opens Friday and is open Wednesday through Sunday until July 6, is just that place.

The festivities begin Friday night, with a concert from WAR, followed by a Fireworks & Drone Spectacular show at 9:30 p.m. Drone shows will take place nightly following each concert, except on July 4.

Concerts also will take place every Wednesday to Sunday night as part of the Big O Tires Concert Series, and will feature iconic acts like Air Supply, Sugar Ray, Gym Class Heroes, Colbie Caillot, and Too $hort. See here for the full schedule.

Opening weekend festivities also include the iconic Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest on Saturday at 1 p.m. Friday will also see the grand debut of the Safeway Barn, which represents Phase 1 of a $10 million educational and working farm showcasing the latest innovations in sustainable agriculture. The newly-open Safeway Barn showcases a variety of sustainable building practices, including bifacial solar panels and a rainwater harvesting system that helps recycle and reuse water for irrigation.

Other popular attractions continue, including:

• Movies on the Lawn every night at 6 that come free with fair admission tickets
• The Alameda Fair Carnival, which features famous attractions like the Giant Wheel, the White Water Log Flume, the Mega Flip, the Zipper, the Zillerator, and Vertigo
• All varieties of food, including fair favorites like ice cream, pretzels, nachos, burgers, corn dogs, and funnel cakes
• All varieties of shopping, with everything from jewelry to hats to henna to caricatures on offer
• Action sports like hot air balloon riding, the Rodeo Showdeo, tractor pulls, and a BMX stunt show
• Fiesta at the Fair on June 22, featuring live performances from around the world
• Animal fun like daily pony rides, camel rides, racing pigs, and petting zoo
###liWine Tasting Fest on June 28
• Livestock and small animal competitions

The fair is open Wednesday through Sunday until July 6 from 12 p.m. to 11 p.m., though admission gates close at 9:30 p.m. The fair is open July 4 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and admission gates close at 4 p.m. See here for more hours.

Tickets cost $19.80 for general admission, and $16.50 for children and seniors. Children 5 and under are free. Parking costs $15. Season passes cost $52.80, while a Premium Season Pass costs $99.55. See here for more tickets and pricing.

Visit alamedacountyfair.com for all other information.