San Diego County Fair (2024)

Let’s Go Retro for the summer of ’24 at the San Diego County Fair!

With a nod to nostalgia and a focus on fun, the 2024 Fair will give our yesteryears another moment in the San Diego sun. Bop your way around the happy days of the ‘50s. Twist, shout, and shake it into the bewitching ‘60s. Move and groove through the disco nights of the ‘70s. Moonwalk it back to the gnarly age of big hair, shoulder pads, and parachute pants of the ‘80s. And enjoy the era of flannel and floppy drives of the ‘90s – or whatever, nevermind.

Our time capsule reveals the content, creature comforts and cultural moments that defined the zeitgeist, captured our imaginations, and changed our lives. From hair dos to hangouts, tunes to technology, we’ll relive pop culture’s best in media, fashion, art, music, and more.

• Fashion Flashback: Strut your stuff on our catwalk — poodle skirts, bell bottoms, polka dots, beehives, mop tops, jheri curls, hippie hair, fanny packs and flannel grunge are all in style here.
• Musical Time Warp: Immerse yourself in the melodies that shaped each generation. From rock ‘n’ roll rhythms to soul-soothing ballads, our lineup of live bands and DJs will have you putting on your dancing shoes — platforms, pumps, go-go boots or just a fresh pair of kicks.
• Arcade Mania: Rekindle your love for the golden age of video games as you chase ghosts with Pac-Man and fight off aliens in Space Invaders. Engage in friendly competitions with your fellow avid Asteroids enthusiasts who can get down with Donkey Kong.
• Diner Delights: Relish the flavors of the past. Cheese Whiz and Funyun casserole, anyone? From milkshakes to diner-style burgers, your taste buds are in for a treat!
• Back to the Future: Learn how pop culture in movies, music, books, television and art helped inspire the innovative new technologies of today and will continue to inspire us in the future. When we look back on today, what will stand the test of time to be considered “retro” to future San Diegans?

You also will once again find the joys of both old and new in our family friendly variety show of Fair classics — rides, entertainment, exhibits, agriculture, animals, art, food, music, and all the traditions you have come to expect, with an ocean view.

Feeling nostalgic yet? Come revive the best of what was and enjoy the best of what is at our blast from the past, the 2024 San Diego County Fair, June 12 - July 7 at the Del Mar Fairgrounds (closed Mondays and Tuesdays). Let’s look back, let’s have some fun together, and Let’s Go Retro!

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