The 77th annual Riverside County Fair and National Date Festival prepares to enter its final weekend Friday.
Gates are set to open 3 p.m. Friday at the Riverside County Fairground, located at 82-503 Highway 111. The day’s main attraction is a 6:30 p.m. PRCA rodeo show, a festival mainstay that is also scheduled for a second timeslot Saturday.
The festival is set to wrap up Sunday with tribute performances to Toby Keith and Carrie Underwood.
“If you haven’t had the chance to experience this fantastic event yet, you’re missing out,” said Fourth District Supervisor V. Manuel Perez in a statement. “This festival is a true celebration of our community’s culture and spirit, and there’s still time to create lasting memories with loved ones before it ends.”
The multiweek event already featured a blessing of the dates ceremony, monster trucks, a demolition derby, mariachi bands and the Presidents’ Day Grand Parade — complete with a brand new marching route. With regular schedules from Thursday to Sunday (as well as the extended Presidents’ Day weekend), the 13-day festival has lasted three days longer than last year’s iteration.
This year, the digital marquee, decorative fencing and landscaping upgrades in front of the fairgrounds are back, features of a $2 million beautification project (which debuted at 2024’s festival) aimed at improving attendees’ experiences, according to Perez.
As always, the usual variety of rides, food and musical entertainment will be present throughout the weekend.
General admission tickets are $18. Additional information can be found at datefest.org.