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The California State Fair, which just concluded its 2026 run, has made it to the top 10 list of best state fairs across the nation, USA Today reported.
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“From funnel cake to enormous pumpkins, state fairs celebrate some of America’s biggest and best,” USA Today said. “These sprawling celebrations feature local agriculture, art, music, and of course, deep-fried delicacies.”
The California fair came in at No. 10 on the list, compiled by experts and voted on by readers, USA Today said. The report was released Wednesday, Aug. 5.
The publication called the 17-day fair one of the “largest food festivals” in the region, with 120 food vendors amassing millions of dollars in sales.
“It also features more than 3,000 exhibits and events, from technology, horse racing, drone racing, soccer, an olive oil competition, agriculture, and big-name musical performers,” USA Today said.
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More than 650,000 visitors attended the 2026 California State Fair. In 2027, the fair moves to its new dates in late September in hopes of escaping triple-digit summer temperatures.
The annual fair dates back to 1854.
Here’s what to know:
How did other state fairs rank?
The Minnesota State Fair took the No. 1 spot on the USA Today list. The fair draws an average of 2 million visitors each year.
“It’s one of the nation’s biggest fairs, employing 80 full-time employees and about 2,000 people during fair time, and it has enormous economic impact on the Twin Cities and surrounding areas,” the publication said.
Other top-ranking state fairs include ones in Wisconsin, Florida, New York, Texas, Alaska, Iowa, Illinois and Ohio.
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