It’s the Last Day to Vote For Us in the Fresno Bee Best of Central CA People’s Choice Awards!

Today is the LAST DAY to vote! The Fresno Bee’s 2026 Best of Central California People’s Choice Awards are wrapping up, and we’d love your support! Please vote for The Big Fresno Fair in these five categories

 

  • Best Annual Event/Festival
  • Best Attraction
  • Best Family Attraction
  • Best Live Music Venue
  • Best Museum – Fresno County Historical Museum

 

Voting closes today at 5 p.m. To cast your vote, click here! Thank you in advance for voting for us!

Save Some Green on Your Trip to the 2026 Big Fresno Fair with an Exclusive BFF Club Member Package Sale!

Feeling lucky? Big Fair Fan Club members get an exclusive chance to save big with our Lucky Duo Package Sale, available only online! The sale kicks off Thursday, March 12 at 10 a.m. and ends Tuesday, March 17 at 11:59 p.m. For a limited time, members can grab the:

  • 🍀$20 Lucky Duo Package 🍀 – includes: 2 Adult Admission Tickets (originally $30; a $10 savings!)

Your Lucky Duo tickets are valid any day or night of the 2026 Big Fresno Fair, happening October 7 – 18!

A special password will be sent to BFF Club Members on March 10. Know someone who isn’t a BFF Club Member? Tell them to sign up here.

Mark Your Calendars for Ani-Me Con 14.0 at the Fresno Fairgrounds | March 14 & 15

Don’t miss Ani-Me Con 14.0, the biggest annual anime, gaming and sci-fi convention in the Central Valley happening Saturday, March 14 and Sunday, March 15 at the Fresno Fairgrounds! Times are 9:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. on Saturday and 9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Sunday. Check out hundreds of vendors, special guests and cosplayers, artist, exhibitors, live entertainment plus so much more!

 

Ticket prices vary. Kids 9 and under are free! Parking is $10 in the Chance Ave. parking lot. For pricing and more details, click here.

Watch and Wager With Us This Weekend! | March 6-8

At The Starting Gate, you can watch and wager on horse races from tracks across the country without leaving town. Think racetrack meets sports bar! 🐎📺 Here’s which races you can watch and wager on:
 
• March 7 | Hurricane Bertie Stakes | $150,000
• March 7 | Azeri Stakes | $400,000
• March 7 | San Felipe Stakes | $200,000
• March 7 | Frank E. Kilroe Mile Stakes | $300,000
• March 7 | Santa Anita Handicap | $300,000
• March 7 | B. Wayne Hughes Beholder Mile Stakes | $300,000
• March 7 | Florida Oaks | $200,000
• March 7 | Hillsborough Stakes | $225,000
• March 7 | ESMARK Tampa Bay Derby | $400,000
• March 7 | Michelob Ultra Challenger Stakes | $125,000
 
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. 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.

Happy National Marching Band Day!

🎶🎺In honor of National Marching Band Day, let’s give a round of applause to the talented bands who competed at the 14th annual Big Band Review!

 

This year’s event brought together 24 marching bands from both High Schools and Middle Schools across Central California to compete for over $12,000 in cash prizes and trophies! Here are the 2025 winners:

 

🏅 High School Division:
High School Sweepstakes: Dinuba High School

1st Place: Lemoore High School
2nd Place: Washington Union High School
3rd Place: Parlier High School

Drum Major: Dinuba High School
Flags: Washington Union High School
ID: Dinuba High School
Marching: Dinuba High School
Showmanship: Dinuba High School

 

🏅 Jr. High Division:
Middle School Sweepstakes: Burton Middle School

1st Place: Clark Intermediate School
2nd Place: Washington Intermediate
3rd Place: Rio Vista Middle School

Drum Major: Clark Intermediate School

Flags: Pioneer Middle School

ID: Washington Intermediate

Marching: Burton Middle School

Showmanship: Burton Middle School

 

A huge congratulations to all the bands who brought the energy, precision and passion to this year’s competition! 🎷Want to learn more about the Big Band Review? Click here for details. 🎶✨

The Spring Home & Garden Show Returns This Weekend!

🌷🏡 Celebrate 40 incredible years of the Spring Fresno Home & Garden Show, March 6 – 8, at the Fresno Fairgrounds! Things to know before you go:

 

  • Hours are 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily
  • $13 for adults
  • $8 for seniors 65+
  • Kids 12 and under are free!
  • Parking is $15 in the Chance Lot and $10 in the Carnival Lot and Butler Ave. Lot

 

Explore 300+ vendors, attend workshops, shop local, tour tiny homes and enjoy food, drinks and live music! Don’t miss out! For more details, visit their website here.

Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live Heads to Fresno Fairgrounds! Tickets On Sale NOW!

Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live is heading to the Fresno Fairgrounds Friday, May 15 through Sunday, May 17 for the first time ever with an OUTDOOR SHOW in the Brian I. Tatarian Grandstand! Prepare to experience the ultimate monster truck spectacle like never before, under the open sky!

 

Tickets are on-sale NOW to the general public! Tickets can be purchased online or at the gate day of event. For ticket prices and showtimes, visit their website by clicking here.

The Best of Central California People’s Choice Awards Are Happening NOW!

The deadline to vote The Big Fresno Fair in the Fresno Bee’s Best of Central California Awards is fast approaching! Be sure to vote The Big Fresno Fair in these five categories – all categories are listed under “Things To Do”:

 

  • Best Annual Event/Festival
  • Best Attraction
  • Best Family Attraction
  • Best Live Music Venue
  • Best Museum – Fresno County Historical Museum

 

The deadline to vote is Friday, March 6 at 5 p.m. To cast your vote, click here! You can vote daily in the link provided. Thank you in advance for voting for us!

We’re Giving Away 10 Pairs of Tickets to the Spring Home & Garden Show!

The 40th Annual Spring Home & Garden Show kicks-off next week and we’re giving away 10 lucky winners VIP tickets to enjoy the show! Each VIP ticket admits two people. To enter, just head to our Facebook or Instagram pages and follow the steps in the pinned post! Winner will be selected and announced on Wednesday, March 4 by 12 p.m. Good luck!

 

Mark your calendars – the 40th Annual Spring Fresno Home & Garden Show happens March 6 – 8! More details can be found on their website here.

Watch and Wager With Us This Weekend! | February 27 – March 1

Step into The Starting Gate and catch live horse racing action from tracks nationwide! With past wins reaching up to $10,000, our bettors know big payouts are possible, and you could be next! 🏇💵 See what races are on deck this week:
 
• February 28 | Gotham Stakes | $300,000
• February 28 | Tom Fool Handicap |$175,000
• February 28 | Canadian Turf Stakes | $150,000
• February 28 | Herecomesthebride Stakes | $175,000
• February 28 | The Very One Stakes | $150,000
• February 28 | Davona Dale Stakes | $200,000
• February 28 | Mac Diarmida Stakes | $200,000
• February 28 | Coolmore Fountain of Youth Stakes | $400,000
• February 28 | Honey Fox Stakes | $150,000
• February 28 | Gulfstream Park Mile Stakes | $200,000
• February 28 | Razorback Handicap | $500,000
• February 28 | Buena Vista Stakes | $200,000
 
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. 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.