Concerts, cookoffs and cannabis: California State Fair returns to Cal Expo starting Friday

A celebration of California’s progress, advancement and diversity is returning to Cal Expo this weekend.

The 2024 California State Fair runs from July 12 to 28, and will feature a variety of classic fair fare: State exhibits, eating competitions, concerts and rides. But there are a number of new features that visitors can expect to see at this year’s iteration of the event. 

For the first time, fairgoers will be able to legally purchase and consume cannabis on the fair’s grounds. They’ll also be able to check out a brand-new California High Speed Rail exhibit, which will include life-size mock-ups of both stations and trains and feature a history of the project (which hasn’t been smooth). 

Sacramento is also in the midst of an overbearing heat wave and has seen nine successive days of triple-digit temperatures since the start of July. Though temperatures are expected to ease down to the high 90s by the weekend, fair officials say they’ve put together a plan to help keep visitors cool.

California State Fair Media Manager Darla Givens spoke with CapRadio’s Chris Nichols to talk about what fairgoers can expect to see this year.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Interview highlights

How does this year's festival reflect the state's diversity?

Every year we strive to make sure that we have everyone represented at the California State Fair. So when you walk through those main gates, you feel at home, you feel comfortable, and this is your home. If you're coming during the weekday, say from about 11 [a.m.] until 11 at night, if you want to hang around that long, we have everything. 

The one thing we really like to focus on is the hard work that our FFA and 4-H students participate in all year long, raising their animals and showing their animals, winning awards at county fairs that lead to the state fair. So for them to show their accomplishments, that's amazing. 

[Another] thing about the state fair is it was created by the governor's office. State legislation also says that we are supposed to have the state fair [annually.] The fair initially came about so that farmers could see the latest and greatest in farming equipment, but as we've grown as a community as a society, we have everything now here at the California State Fair.

Let's get right to the cannabis topic. This year's fair is going to see a big change — it will be the first year visitors will be able to buy and consume cannabis at the state fair. How did that change come about and what's been the reaction so far?

So this was legislation that came down from our state Legislators, they developed a bill, the governor signed the bill into law and deemed us — as Cal Expo and the California State Fair — being that history-making location.

Cannabis cannot be consumed all around the fairgrounds. There is one designated spot [for consumption] where it's going to be closely guarded and you have to be 21 years of age. There's an area where you can purchase [cannabis]. It's at the Expo building where the cannabis exhibit is going to be located. So you purchase it there and then a security guard will walk you to the consumption area — and the consumption area has been put on by [cannabis company] Embarc, and they have done this type of exhibit across other festivals. But this is the first time ever that a fair is going to have consumption. 

We want to make it clear that people cannot walk around the fairgrounds and smoke anywhere they want, consume anywhere they want. It is in an isolated, remote area as that is 21 years or older and your ID will be checked. This is a family friendly event, but you know, a lot of adults come out and want to have their date nights or what have you. We want to put parents' minds at ease that no, cannabis is not going to be consumed all across the fairgrounds.

Aside from now allowing cannabis in that one area, what are some of the new additions or changes to the fair this year?

We’re always looking to bring in new exhibits and new activities for everyone. For the first time this year, we have a barbecue competition. This is going to be set up right outside of our farm area in the back, our Save Mart farm, and we'll have three pitmasters that are going to fire up their grills and see who will come up on top. So that's going to be something that is going to smell good throughout the fairgrounds.

The 2024 fair includes quite a few concerts. Who is going to be performing?

We have free concerts every night, all 17 nights of the California State Fair. On Friday night we open with All-4-One and Vanilla Ice, so that brings back some memories from our teenage years, maybe our college years. We also have Wilson Phillips and Cole Swindell for this first weekend of the California State Fair. Once again with our music selection we like to try to have something for everyone, so we have [performances] from country to classic rock. 

We do have the Beach Boys coming on Friday, July 26. Those reserved seats sold out very quickly, but you can still come to the concert and see them for free. In addition to the Beach Boys, we also have Bush and some classic War. … Sunday [July] 28 is UB-40 featuring Ali Campbell, so that's going to be some nostalgia. And of course, let's not forget, the queen of soul, funk and R&B: Patti LaBelle.

How is the fair preparing to keep visitors cool during the heat wave?

We have four designated spots called our Bonney Cooling Stations. They're located strategically across the fairgrounds and they will have misters, fans and a seating area where you can come in from the heat and cool off a bit. 

We also have our 13 air conditioned buildings. That means our Expo buildings. If you take your time in our Animation Academy — that's one of the exhibits that we have in the Expo building — it will probably take you a good 30 to 45 minutes just to walk through that building and see all the hands-on experiences. In the morning [visitors might] spend their time outdoors looking at some of the exhibits and attractions outdoors, and then in the heat of the day, we recommend you come inside those buildings, our Expo buildings. Our Save Mart California Kitchen, they're doing cooking demonstrations all day long in that building. So that's another area where you can go in and cool down. We also have our commercial building where you can buy a massage chair, like I did a couple years ago, or something small like salsa or shoe charms. 

So there are places where you can go to stay cool. We just want people to know if you're with someone make sure you guys stay hydrated. And before you even get to the fair think about what the weather is going to be like that day. Wear a hat, sunglasses, cool clothing, and be sure to drink plenty of water. You can bring in a plastic refillable water bottle, but none of the hard style water bottles.