Crews are hard at work getting the Paso Robles Event Center ready for the 12-day-long California Mid-State Fair.
“We've done a lot of wristband sales, way more than last year,” said Mid-State Fair publicist Lachlan McKenzie.
Organizers are expecting between 375,000 to 400,000 people to attend.
McKenzie says there are some changes to expect at this year's fair, starting with an extra effort to combat the intense Paso Robles heat.
“We’re gonna have misters along the midway, which is new this year," McKenzie said.
She says they hope the addition of misters and a cooling station at Davies Park encourages people to enjoy all the fair has to offer during the day.
"It gets super-hot, especially during the day, and that's kind of like when a lot of activities happen in the morning. There's a lot of 4H shows and everything, so we just want to entice people to come during the day,” McKenzie said.
To encourage fair goers to stay hydrated, sealed or empty water bottles will be allowed inside, with water bottle filling stations also available.
There will also be new rides and vendors.
"This year there’s going to be Dubai chocolate, a French fry waffle burger, and pickle lemonade," McKenzie said.
Some of the fair’s classic events, like the industrial arts auction where high school students can share their large-scale creations, are even bigger this year, now taking place in larger areas.
"It's amazing to see the talent that the Central Coast brings from photography, crafts, there's crochet, everything like that," McKenzie said.
The 2025 California Mid-State fair kicks off Wednesday, July 16, and runs through Sunday, July 27.
Tickets can be bought here. Farm Supply stores are offering a special discount now through July 15.
