SMC Fair 2018: Discount Ticket Deadline Nears

SAN MATEO COUNTY, CA — With the annual Memorial Day holiday complete, all eyes are focused on the next annual celebration, the San Mateo County Fair.

Pigs will be racing. Pirates will be juggling. Chinese acrobats will be chair stacking. Butterflies will be flittering. Drones will be flying. Cows will be mooing. Rides will be spinning and twirling. And, desserts will be frying. These are just a few of the many highlights that will draw thousands of families to the 2018 San Mateo County Fair. While the grand opening day of the San Mateo County Fair is just nine days away, another important day is Friday, June 8, the day before the fair opens. June 8 is the deadline to reap savings on discounted admission and discounted unlimited rides.

Fair-goers are encouraged to take advantage of the buy-in-advance savings, but time is running out. Discounted tickets can be purchased online at sanmateocountyfair.com or in person at the San Mateo County Event Center, 2495 S. Delaware (weekday business hours) now through June 8. The 2018 San Mateo County Fair opens for its annual 9-day run on Saturday, June 9 at 11 a.m.

Of course, admission and unlimited ride wristbands will be available for purchase during the run of the fair, but at regular price.

Discount (in advance) and regular (during fair) prices are:

• Adult Admission: $10 now; $15 beginning June 9
• Junior (ages 6 – 12) Admission: $8 now; $10 beginning June 9
• Senior (age 62 and over): $6 now; $8 beginning June 9
• Unlimited ride wristbands (good any day): $28 now; beginning June 9, $30 good any one day, Monday through Thursday and $35 good any one day Friday through Sunday

For concert lovers, Gold Circle admission is also discounted in advance, and is just $40 (all ages). For the first time ever, Gold Circle includes admission to the fair, in addition to a reserved seat at the night’s concert on the main stage in Fiesta Hall. Other benefits of Gold Circle include private entrance through Expo Café for the show, and easy access to the no-host bar and no-host food area. Gold Circle admission will be $45 during the fair.

Those who prefer to forgo the prime seating benefits of Gold Circle admission, are invited to attend the nightly shows for free, on an open seating, space-available basis. All concerts are free and included with fair admission.

Season passes are also on sale. Season passes will only be available on a pre-sale basis—season passes will not be sold at the gate during the run of the fair. Season passes, good for all nine days of the fair, are $45 for adults ($135 value), $30 for juniors ages 6-12 ($90 value), and $30 for seniors age 62+ ($72 value).

San Mateo County Fair’s 2018 FREE Concert Series features: Sheila E. (June 9); TLC (June 10); Sugar Ray (June 13), Pablo Cruise (June 14), Average White Band (June 15) and John Michael Montgomery (June 16). World-renowned Master Illusionist Peter Gossamer will perform on June 11 and 12. These shows are at 7:30 p.m. in Fiesta Hall.

The concert lineup for Dia de la Feria on June 17 is:

• Fiesta Hall: Grupo Anhelo (2 p.m.); Los Caminantes (3:30 p.m.) and Los Yonics (5 p.m.)
• Cypress Stage: Grupo Vennus (4 p.m.) and Banda Arkangel R-15 (5:30 p.m.)

The San Mateo County Fair is the Peninsula’s premier community event for Bay Area family fun and entertainment. The 2018 fair opens June 9 and runs through June 17. The San Mateo County Fair strives to provide a diverse experience through education, inspiration and entertainment. The annual Bay Area fair represents a celebration of our community's talent, interests, innovations and rich agricultural and artistic heritage. The 2018 fair is themed “We Build the Fun.”

Visit sanmateocountyfair.com to purchase tickets, for regular updates, contest entry, ticket giveaways and promotions. #SMCF2018.

— SUBMITTED FOR PUBLICATION BY: The San Mateo County Fair / PHOTO CREDIT: The San Mateo County Fair