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Action sports and special experiences will now be the primary draws on the historic race track and grandstand area at the Alameda County Fair, with no live horse racing this year. (Photo courtesy Alameda County Fair) 
The 2025 Alameda County Fair runs June 13 to July 6. (Photo courtesy Alameda County Fair) 
WAR is the opening night concert June 13, 2025. (Photo courtesy Alameda County Fair) 
Youngsters enjoy visiting the petting zoo and livestock areas. (Photo courtesy Alameda County Fair) 
Fair-goers flock to the carnival midway for games and rides, night or day. (Photo courtesy Alameda County Fair) 
The Dole Whip is a popular sweet, cold treat. (Photo courtesy Alameda County Fair) 
The Fun Slide is among the activities for the youngest kids. (Photo courtesy Alameda County Fair) 
Fair-goers flock to the carnival midway for games and rides, night or day. (Photo courtesy Alameda County Fair) 
Corn dogs are a fan favorite at the county fair in Pleasanton. (Photo courtesy Alameda County Fair)
The Alameda County Fair lives in the world of familiar but different.
Recurring entertainment like concerts but a unique bill of performers each year – and usually an eclectic mix of artists to boot. Competitive exhibitions around recognizable themes like collectibles, food, agriculture, art and crafts, but featuring original submissions each summer. Rows and rows of vendors, many faces the same from years past but their merchandise or services fresh for today.
Favorite fair food offerings with just enough debut dishes and drinks to tantalize. Carnival rides and games people have tried before, or maybe they’ll finally give it a try now – or maybe look to share the memory with someone else this time around.
Pleasanton’s summer showcase thrives in that space, that balance, between new and nostalgia.
The give-and-take is being put to the test like never before in 2025, as the county fair returns this Friday for an 18-day run without one of its defining stalwarts and consistent draws.
“The Fair team is saddened that horse racing was not licensed for 2025. It is a longstanding tradition that will be missed,” fair spokesperson Liz Rosinski told the Pleasanton Weekly ahead of opening day.
“However, we have lined up amazing new shows in the Michelob Ultra Grandstand which will offer exciting entertainment, starting with the Off Axis Stunt Show opening weekend and Hot Air Balloon rides at 8pm during the first week of the Fair (June 14 to June 22),” Rosinski said.
Figuring how to utilize existing spaces in new ways – whether minor tweaks or major overhauls – to attract and entertain eager audiences is part of the muscle memory for officials at the Alameda County Fairgrounds on the edge of downtown Pleasanton.
And they exercised those muscles for the historic race track, grandstand and the fair in general in the wake of the California Authority of Racing Fairs deciding in January not to pursue the county fair racing circuit in 2025 and the subsequent shuttering of horse training operations in Pleasanton in March.
“Each weekend will offer a new exciting action sports show Friday to Sunday with FMX almost every day. New shows include a Rodeo, Tractor Pull Show, and a ‘Monsters of Destruction’ monster truck show,” Rosinksi said. “We’ll continue to have nightly drone shows after the concerts and camel rides will be offered in the Paddock.”
And while the vibe may shift for some without the popular horse races, this year’s fair is still focused on embodying that familiar “Celebrate Summer” feeling – which is its theme for 2025.
“The Alameda County Fair, to me personally, is pure joy,” Rosinski said. “It is a place where people can come together with their friends and families to create memories that will last a lifetime. When I step through the gates, I know summer has officially begun.”
She added, “Not only is the Fair a cherished tradition in our community, but it also helps to create jobs and stimulates our local economy.”
The county fair runs from Friday through July 6, with closure days on each Monday and Tuesday and an early exit at 8 p.m. on Independence Day. Regular hours will be noon to 11 p.m.
Opening weekend will see the annual Big O Tires Concert Series – in the newly rebranded Cuervo Amphitheater – start off with a strong lineup of WAR on Friday, Gym Class Heroes on Saturday and The Romantics on Sunday.
There’ll be a bang too, on the debut night, as a fireworks and drone show follows the WAR concert at 9:30 p.m. Fireworks will return on July 3 after country legend Clint Black performs on the stage, otherwise all other concerts will be followed by a drone show sans pyrotechnics.
The rest of the concert lineup features Sawyer Brown on Wednesday, Air Supply on Thursday, Sugar Ray next Friday, Twist on Taylor next Saturday, Mi Banda El Mexicano next Sunday, Too $hort on June 25, Tower of Power on June 26, Colbie Caillat on June 27, Elton John The Early Years Tribute on June 28, former Journey lead singer Steve Augeri on June 29, Tesla on July 2, Revisiting Creedence on July 5 and La Original Banda El Limón on closing night July 6.
A variety of musical and dance acts will be performing throughout the fairgrounds every day as well.
Movies on the Lawn, which start at 6 p.m. each evening, will get underway with “The Lego Movie” on Friday, “The Powerpuff Girls” on Saturday and “Up” on Sunday.
Perhaps the marquee special attraction of opening weekend is the fair hosting the West Coast Regional Qualifiers of Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest at 1 p.m. Saturday at the O’Reilly Auto Parts Grandstand Stage. The competitive eaters are duking it out (or maybe more like wolfing it down) for the chance to advance to the finals in Coney Island on the Fourth of July.
Eating is synonymous with the fair, after all.
“Food is consistently ranked as one of the top attractions at the Fair, so the Foodie’s Choice Awards are something we are excited about,” Rosinski said. “The contest, which runs through June, gives people the chance to vote for their favorite crazy new food or beverage item. It’s a great way for our food vendors to spin up fun, unusual culinary creations and find out which ones are the most popular.”
“In addition to all the new fabulous Fair Food, the opening of the Safeway Barn is another feature we are looking forward to because it will bring the community together year-round,” she said, touting another attraction of the first weekend.
“It’s also something that honors the agricultural roots of the Alameda County Fair. The Farm project is something that the Fair has been working on for so long, and it’s really wonderful seeing it come to fruition,” Rosinski added.
Looking ahead on the fair schedule, upcoming special events include Fiesta at the Fair on June 22, Wine Fest on June 28, Blues at the Fair on June 29 and the Junior Livestock Auction on July 6.
Admission promotional offerings are on the calendar too, such as $1 rides on Wednesdays, $3 Fair Food Bites on Thursdays and Throwback Thursdays ($11 admission) – all until 5 p.m. First responders are free until 3 p.m. on Independence Day, and military with valid ID and kids 5 years old and under get free entry all the time. Learn more at annual.alamedacountyfair.com.
“The Fair is a cherished annual tradition for so many, celebrating the culture and community of Alameda County,” Angel Moore, chief operating officer of the fairgrounds, said in a press release ahead of opening day. “We couldn’t be more excited to welcome our guests back for a truly amazing summer.”
And with that, they’re off starting at noon Friday.
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