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Cal Expo CEO outlines state fair changes — later dates, new entertainment, lowrider exhibit
Summary
Cal Expo CEO Tom Martinez told supervisors the California State Fair will continue to be held at Cal Expo but will adjust timing and hours, will not include horse racing this year, and will introduce new exhibits and expanded air‑conditioned programming.
Tom Martinez, CEO of Cal Expo and the California State Fair, briefed the board on the 2025 State Fair on July 8. Martinez said the fair must take place in Sacramento under state law but that the timing and hours can be changed to address heat and attendance patterns. For 2025, Cal Expo will close Mondays through Thursdays and expand evening hours; many large concert acts were scheduled and several shows had already sold out, he said.
Martinez said the state fair would not run horse racing in 2025 because there are fewer racehorses in the region after Golden Gate Fields closed, and he highlighted investments in air conditioning for major exhibit halls to improve comfort. He also said the fair added family programming, a new California lowrider exhibit (in an air‑conditioned building) and higher‑profile concert bookings designed to increase attendance while keeping ticket prices reasonable.
Supervisors praised the relationship between the county and Cal Expo for emergency uses — vaccination and sheltering during storms — and noted the fair’s economic benefits and regional draw. The board expressed support for the lowrider exhibit and for continuing Cal Expo’s role as a county asset for emergencies.
Ending: Martinez invited the county and residents to attend the fair, beginning July 11 through July 27, and noted discounted ticket offerings for county employees and expanded cooling in exhibit spaces.
