The Big Fresno Fair

Watch and Wager With Us This Weekend! | March 13 – 15

Looking for something exciting this weekend? Head to The Starting Gate, where live horse races from tracks across the country come to you via satellite! Enjoy nonstop action on big screens, place your bets and enjoy great food and drinks. See which races are coming up:

March 14 | Virginia Derby | $500,000
March 14 | Whitmore Stakes | $250,000
March 14 | San Simeon Handicap | $100,000
March 15 | Santa Ana Stakes | $100,000

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.

Round One of Concerts Announced as Part of the Table Mountain Concert Series!

The moment we’ve all been waiting for…

We’re thrilled to reveal the first four concerts of the Table Mountain Concert Series presented by Modelo Especial and Toyota! This year’s line-up already delivers on variety and value – with more announcements to come. Here is who you can see at this year’s Fair:

Thursday, October 8 | Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias
Monday, October 12 | Tower of Power & WAR
Wednesday, October 14 | Iration
Saturday, October 17 | Diplo

Tickets for our BFF Club Members go on-sale ONLINE-ONLY on Wednesday, March 18 at 10 a.m. and goes until Tuesday, March 24 at 11:59 p.m. During this time, any BFF Club member who purchases a Fair concert ticket can also purchase a Fair admission ticket for 50% off; discounted admission and concert tickets must be purchased in the same transaction. Tickets will then go on sale to the general public (online-only) beginning Wednesday, March 25 at 10 a.m. Not a BFF Club Member? Sign up here!

We’re not done yet! Only eight concerts left to announce — coming soon over the next few months! Find out more about our concert line-up by visiting our website here.

Tune In & Tune Up THIS Saturday, March 14

Is your car struggling to pass emissions? Valley CAN has you covered! Join Valley CAN & San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District for the Tune In & Tune Up event at the Fresno Fairgrounds’ Carnival Lot (off Cesar Chavez Blvd.) on Saturday, March 14 from 7:45 a.m. – 12 p.m. Gates open at 6:30 a.m.

Things to know:

✅ FREE emissions testing
✅ If your car fails, get a FREE smog repair voucher
✅ First 500 qualifying vehicles will receive a $500 repair voucher at a participating STAR smog shop!

For more details, click here.

Happy International Women’s Day!

“Women belong in all places where decisions are being made. It shouldn’t be that women are the exception.” – Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Supreme Court Judge

This International Women’s Day, we’d like to honor all the remarkable women in our community and those who make the Central Valley’s largest annual event come to life!

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

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.