Catch the action and place your bets at The Starting Gate! Join us November 5–8 to watch stakes races from across the country on the big screens while enjoying delicious food and drinks.
Check out the November stakes race lineup and plan your visit!
– November 7 | Mother Goose Stakes | $300,000
– November 7 | River City Handicap | $300,000
– November 7 | Maple Leaf Stakes | $150,000
– November 7 | HPIbet Autumn Stakes | $150,000
– November 7 | Bessarabian Stakes | $150,000
The Starting Gate is located on the 2nd floor of the Grandstand at the Fresno Fairgrounds. Hours are Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Fridays through Sundays from 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Gate times are subject to change.
Admission is free on Thursdays and $10 from Friday to Sunday. Parking is also free – just park in front of the Grandstand. For more information, contact Ronnie Mobley at (559) 994-3105. More details here.
Join over 1,600 growers for the annual Fresno Ag Expo on Friday, November 13 from 7 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. at the Fresno Fairgrounds in the Agricultural, Commerce and Industry Commerce Buildings.
Enjoy a complimentary breakfast and tri-tip lunch, earn PCA, CCA and INMP credits — and get the latest updates across the almond, fresh fruit, pistachio, raisin, walnut and wine grape industries. Seminars cover wildlife damage mitigation, pest and disease management, crop load management, irrigation and more!
Plus, the Fresno Chamber of Commerce returns with its annual Ag Awards, and the San Joaquin Valley Winegrowers Association will honor Fresno County grower Randy Kazarian with its Lifetime Achievement Award.
Registration is FREE! For more info and to register, click here!
BIG fun, FREE entertainment! From bubbles and dance parties to handmade keepsakes, there was plenty of fun included with admission at the 2026 Big Fresno Fair!
Check out the fun by the numbers:
54 gallons of bubble solution brought millions of bubbles to Kids’ Town Dance Parties and our strolling Megan the Bubbleologist!
9,600 FREE treasures mined at Miners’ Town!
3,600 FREE leather crafts made by Fairgoers!
1,456 glow sticks and light-up toys handed out at Kids’ Town Dance Parties!
More than 2,000 FREE photo booth pictures captured in Kids’ Town!
Plus, 39,570 minutes of FREE entertainment across our community stages and strolling acts! That’s more than 659 hours of fun packed into 12 days!
BFFs, what was your favorite free activity at this year’s Fair?
Honoring loved ones and the memories we carry with us.
This Día de los Muertos ofrenda was entered by Jessica Gonzalez and displayed in the Floriculture Building at the 2026 Big Fresno Fair.
With roots in Indigenous traditions in Mexico, Día de los Muertos has evolved over centuries and remains an important part of Mexican culture today. Celebrated November 1 and 2, it’s a time to honor loved ones who have passed. Ofrendas welcome them with photos, favorite foods and treasured keepsakes, while marigolds are believed to help guide their spirit’s home.
It’s a time to share their stories, celebrate their lives and keep their memories alive.
🎃 Happy Halloween, BFFs! Here’s to a night full of sweet treats, spooky costumes and a few good scares!
Still looking for Halloween plans? It’s the FINAL weekend of Midnight Manor Unleashed! 👻 Join us from 6 p.m. – midnight and see what’s lurking inside. Tickets start at $20! Get tickets and details at www.midnightmanor.fearticket.com
The 21st Annual Fresno Fall Home Improvement Show & Tiny House Expo is coming to the Fresno Fairgrounds 11/6 – 11/8 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
No matter your home style, tiny or traditional, this show has everything you need to bring your vision to life! Meet licensed contractors, shop home and garden products and get inspired by the latest design trends. Plus, don’t miss the Tiny House Expo’s 9th year, featuring a variety of unique tiny homes and alternatives!
More than 7,000 Fresno County students, parents and educators filled the Brian I. Tatarian Grandstand on Opening Day, October 7, for the 15th Annual 4.0 & Above Program!
We celebrated our local scholars with $120,000 in scholarships, four $500 VISA gift cards, four Beats Solo headphones, four laptops, two Apple Watches and a NEW Toyota Corolla! Congratulations to grand prize winner Gurshaan Singh from Clovis South High School and all of this year’s winners!
The 4.0 & Above Program is presented by Toyota and sponsored by Friends of the Big Fresno Fair, EECU, Valley Children’s Healthcare, iHeart Radio and Fresno County Superintendent of Schools.
Your Breeders’ Cup plans start HERE! 🏇 Grab your friends and head to the Fresno Fairgrounds’ Starting Gate Friday, October 30 and Saturday, October 31 to watch, wager and cheer on your favorites in the 2026 Breeders’ Cup! With over $34 million in purses and awards on the line, you won’t want to miss the action!
Make a day of it with plenty of screens, a full bar and food, all in a relaxed atmosphere! Admission is just $10, and parking is FREE in front of the Grandstand. Gates open at 8:45 a.m. on Friday and 8 a.m. on Saturday. Times subject to change.
The Starting Gate is currently located on the second floor of the Brian I. Tatarian Grandstand. For daily racing forms and all other horse racing inquiries, contact Ronnie Mobley at 559-994-3105. More details here
From first-year members to seasoned exhibitors, every journey to the Jr. Livestock Auction is unique 🐑
Meet Bailey Pierson, a Fresno-Central FFA exhibitor!
Bailey got involved in her school’s FFA and AG program because she wanted to try something new! Bailey’s friends had encouraged her to join and see what she would like about it. Now, she has learned to love it. Bailey has made so many new friends and classmates throughout her FFA journey. Bailey’s advisors help her with the confidence she needs for public speaking and for showing her market lamb. Bailey has realized throughout her years in FFA and she has a deep passion for working with animals, plants and flowers. She hopes to one day help make a difference in one of these industries. For Bailey, FFA has helped her grow as a person and as a student. She will continue to learn and advance with the rest of her peers.
This year Bailey is showing a market lamb. Her lamb’s name is Snoopy. He has been very stubborn and hard to work with. But through patience and consistency, Bailey has sat with him and is getting Snoopy comfortable with her. Slowly but surely building trust and the bond is growing. Bailey has been working hard halter breaking, walking and making sure Snoopy stays healthy. She has enjoyed being part of the process, the small and the big wins this project has provided her.
Help support Bailey and fellow 4-H and FFA exhibitors by participating in the Jr. Livestock Auction as a buyer or through an add-on bid. Every contribution makes a difference.
The 2026 Big Fresno Fair Jr. Livestock Auction kicks off Saturday, October 10, with additional sales continuing Saturday, October 17.
Details on how to become a buyer or place an add-on bid will be available soon. Every bit of support makes a difference for these hardworking students. Learn more here!
Jaripeo Americano is coming to the Gran Feria de Fresno for ONE DAY ONLY – Sunday, October 11!
Starting at 4 p.m., celebrate Día del Hispano with an action-packed afternoon featuring Jaripeo Americano with Humpz & Hornz Bucking Bulls, live performances by Banda Herencia de Juárez con La Pantera and Escaramuza Nueva Generación, plus participating ranchos Rancho El Huevito, Rancho López and Rancho San Juan!
Guiding the event will be the Animador de Caballos Mario Davilla and Locutor de Montas Tigre Herrera!
Ticket prices are: Adults | $15* Kids 3-12 | $7* Kids 3 & under are free and must sit on parents’ lap.
