I grew up in a small town and the biggest event of the year was the county fair. I remember how much fun it was to check out all the vendors, the food, and of course the rides. Fast forward to the present! We now live 5 mins away from one of the largest county fairs in the United States! We have made it our own little family tradition to attend the LA County Fair every year since we moved here. Even more so now that our daughters are all old enough to experience all that the county fair has to offer. Here are some tips to make the most of your trip to the LA County Fair.

Laverne & Pomona Day: Discounted Fair Entrance Tickets

Every year the LA County Fair offers discounted tickets to the residents of Pomona & Laverne. There are specific days for each of the cities, typically falling on a Thursday or Friday. The discounted tickets for Pomona residents this year was just under $2.00! If you live in either city you should receive a flyer in the mail about a month before the fair’s opening day. It will instruct you to visit the Fairplex website where you can purchase tickets for your family. 

Is the All You Can Ride Wristband Worth It?

Absolutely! The wristband runs about $55.00, and I know that might seem a little steep. But trust me, it is totally worth it. Especially if you have multiple children who enjoy ride attractions. We made the mistake of buying tickets the first year, those tickets went fast! Ride tickets cost about $1.25 each and most rides require 5-8 tickets per rider. So, yea that got expensive real quick! You bet that we made sure to buy the wristbands after that. The All You Can Ride Wristbands cost about $55 and include 2 carnival games and a Titan ride. For our carnival ride loving family of five, having unlimited rides is definitely worth it. 

Event Savings With The La County Fair Passport

My husband loves saving money & coupons! The LA County Fair has a coupon book that you can purchase for $20.00 upon entering the fairgrounds. This coupon book is loaded with discounts for food spots and shopping at the fair. This is a great purchase if you plan on visiting the county fair multiple times or plan on eating and shopping a lot. Not so much if you’re only gonna be there for one day or if your main goal is to ride the attractions. 

The Carnival Food

There are over one hundred food vendors at the LA County Fair. You can find anything from classic fair foods like corn dogs and funnel cake to stuffed turkey legs and Crispy Cream Donut cheeseburgers. So much food to try this is the only thing I recommend attending on an empty stomach. Be prepared to eat! There are a number of craft drinks too both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. My husband is the more adventurous eater. He’lle at the deep fried oreos and twinkies. I stick to the classics like corn dogs, funnel cake, and Dole Whip.

Shopping & More

There are so many good vendors and small businesses to shop from! So much art and handmade goods. If you’re a spooky mom like me it won’t disappoint, there is a whole section of spooky & horror fan merch.You’re guaranteed to find something cool. This year I spent the money on a spooky caricature of the entire family. I asked the artist to give it Tim Burton vibes like Corpse Bride, and woah did she deliver! Still obsessing over this piece. 

If you have a chance to visit the Los Angeles County Fair, you should definitely do it. There’s something for everyone in the family.