Sonoma County Fair 2012
CRUISE ON IN AND ENJOY 17 DAYS OF FUN, with wine country racing, headline entertainment, spectacular carnival rides, junior and professional livestock shows and so much more. The Hall of Flowers theme is "Ports of Call." Enjoy lots of free entertainment with the price of admission.
Interested in becoming a vendor at the 2012 Sonoma County Fair? Click here
General Information
2012 Dates
- July 25 - August 12, closed on Mondays
Hours
- Gates open daily 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.
- Carnival open daily 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.
- Exhibit buildings open 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Location & Directions
- 1350 Bennet Valley Road, Santa Rosa, CA 95404
- Click here for directions & area map
Tickets
- General admission $10 ages 13 & up
- Children $5 ages 7 - 12
- Ages 6 & younger FREE!
- Ages 7 - 12 FREE on Fridays
- Seniors 60 & up free on Thursdays
- Check out the New Carnival Wow Coupons
Box Office Opens Saturday, May 12th - Please Click Here for a Full Schedule
General Fair Admission, Wine Country Horse Racing, Concert and Show tickets will be on sale at the Fairgrounds Box Office (please check back for a schedule) and online.Please note: There are handling fees for all tickets sold on-line.
Parking
Parking fees are charged for all vehicles, including those with disability placards.
- Pavilion Lot - $8
- Median Lot - $8
- Veterans Lot - $7
- Brookwood Lot - $6
In order to develop an equitable parking policy, we have increased the number of parking spaces for disabled persons, and normal fees for each lot are charged for all spaces in that lot. Please be advised that the number of spaces for disabled persons is still limited, however, and early arrival is the best method of obtaining a more close-in space.
Click here for a map of the fairgrounds
Visitor Services
Parents' Rest Station
A clean, quiet place to nurse or change your baby or take a break in the shade. Open 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. in the Kids Area, just inside the Brookwood Gate
First Aid
Located by the Milk Barn and Racing Grandstand just south of the Showcase Cafe
Lost & Found
Items are taken to the Info Booth at the entrance to the Racing Grandstand until 8 pm, and to the Special Events Office near the Bennett Valley Gate after 8 pm.
Lost Children
Reclaim your lost child at the Parents' Rest Area in the Kids' Area until 8 pm, and to the Special Events Office near the Bennett Valley Gate after 8 pm.
Strollers & Wheelchairs
Available for rent during the Fair inside the Brookwood Gate. A valid driver's license, state ID or military ID is required for deposit.
- Strollers $10
- Jogger Strollers $15
- Double Strollers $15
- Wagons $15
- Wheelchairs* $15 ($5 on Seniors' Day Thursdays)(250lb limit)
- Electric Scooters* $45 (450lb limit)
- * limited number available
All buildings on the grounds are wheelchair-accessible; an elevator with operator is on the north end of the racing grandstand to access upper level.
ATMs
For your convenience, ATM machines are located throughout the Fairgrounds, including:
- near the Brookwood Gate
- in the Wine Country Racing Grandstand
- in Mexican Village
- and around the carnival lot
Sonoma County Fair Smoking Policy
The Sonoma County Fairground is a smoke-free campus, Sonoma County ordinances 5974 and 5953. During the Fair we provide limited designated smoking areas as noted below.
- Outside the Chris Beck Arena
- Designated open patios in the Racing Grandstands
Please Note
The following items are not allowed on the fairgrounds:
- Pets, with the exception of service dogs
- Glass bottles or metal cans/containers
- Knives with blade longer than 1.5 inches
- Guns, mace, clubs or any item determined to be a weapon by Fair security
- Alcoholic beverages (none allowed through gate; beverages are available for purchase on the grounds)
- Drugs
- Squirt guns or balloons (through the gate)
- Bicycles, skateboards, scooters
Information Booths
Once inside, stop by our information booths for daily schedule updates, lost & found or general assistance. Information Booths may be found:
- inside the Brookwood Gate
- near the main entrance to Wine Country Racing Grandstand
Lodging
Take advantage of our affordable and convenient RV Park!
The Santa Rosa Convention & Visitors' Bureau maintains a list of other area hotels and motels.
Recycling
Please use the blue cans placed throughout the fairgrounds for your cans and bottles!
Thanks!
Sonoma County Fair Links
Call Us: (707) 545-4200
We appreciate your patronage and comments!
We are new to the community so this is our first time at the fair. I can honestly say this is the best fair we've been to, and we've been to fairs from San Diego to Wisconsin!
Tambra Curtis
... I also want to appreciate the fair board and staff for their continued dedication and focus on county agriculture. We love taking our kids to see all the exhibited animals, and they loved Sweet Lil's Farm too!!! Huge kudos to you for moving it to the Lyttle Cow Palace this year and expanding it...our kids loved petting the baby chicks, the piglets, and "milking" the cow.
Another great find was the Turkey Stampede ... what an awesome fair entertainment (it helped put the "country" in county fair!)--the emcee was witty and professional, and the turkeys were truly professional.
We're a family of four on a budget, and while I grew up here and have always gone to the fair I wanted to let you know what a wonderful job you're doing in putting together a truly special family experience that's well worth the price of admission.
-- Melinda and family
Thank you so much for the work you’ve done to make this year’s fair a great time. We had fun all day including horseracing, Ibleto’s (pasta), Dixieland parade, animals, chickens, baby goats, cows, Clo’s ice cream, and a big dill pickle.
--Janie Roberts
Thank you! The Derby Dog Dash was the most fun I’ve had since the Harvest Fair last year. Splash Dogs was also great, and the AcroCats were a class act.
--Karin
I played at the Sonoma County Fair today with the band "The Don Giovannis". I also have a small sound reinforcement company in Sonoma County, Authentic Audio & Sound. We were playing on "The Park Stage" and our sound tech was Gabriel Eller.
I wanted to let you know that Mr. Eller did an outstanding job. He worked very hard and quickly to set up our 8 piece band and he did so with great courtesy and respect to all members of our band. We received nothing but high compliments from audience members in regards to the balance and quality of the sound that Gabriel provided.
--Robert Lunceford
Stay Social With the Fairgrounds