“It’s crazy and it gets crazier every year,” says Adelaide Inn Director of Brand and Marketing Audrey Arellano.
That’s how locals describe Paso Robles during fair season and for good reason. According to Travel Paso, July is the busiest month for tourism in Paso Robles, thanks to the annual California Mid-State Fair.
Organizers say that this year is expected to be bigger than the last, with up to 400,000 people expected to make their way through the Paso Robles Event Center gates for the 12-day event.
Right across the street from the fairgrounds, Adelaide Inn is bracing for impact.
“The freeway gets backed up sometimes all the way to Pine Street," Arellano says.
She says that parking and traffic are chaotic for the entire stretch of the fair.
“We do have to limit [parking] to one space per room. Also, everyone has to have a permit during this time to park here because we will get people who just try to park here. We also hire parking security,” she says.
If you’re heading to the fair, Mid-State Fair publicist Lachlan McKenzie says there are a number of options, from parking lots to Uber to shuttles.
“We have three different free shuttle locations, so it's going to be Lowe's, Albertsons and City Hall," she says. "Monday through Thursday is going to be 4 p.m. to midnight, and then Friday through Sunday is going to be 12 p.m. to 12 p.m."
Meagan Allgood and her daughter, Tatum, say that the free shuttle is their go-to every year.
“Great parking out there, easy to get to, and it's always been really nice to do that," Allgood says. "With groups of friends or something, we might pay to park, but the shuttle service has always been really, really easy for us to use. The buses are nice and clean and big.”
If you're driving yourself, street parking is free unless marked otherwise. Official Mid-State Fair parking lots cost $30 per vehicle per day.
"I would just get here as early as possible, especially if you're trying to make a show or something else. That way, parking, you can find it and then have time to get here and get in line and get through the doors," McKenzie says.
She adds that Uber riders can be dropped off on the southbound side of Riverside Drive.
Despite the traffic that may come with the fair, the excitement seems to be contagious.
“We love the fair. We're excited it's going to be here,” Allgood says.
Mid-State Fair shuttle details can be found at this link.
The 2025 California Mid-State Fair takes place from July 16 through July 27 at the Paso Robles Event Center.
