Free San Mateo County Fair admission to anyone who gets vaccination on site

The San Mateo County Fair kicks off on Saturday, featuring carnival rides, musical performances, food vendors and free entry for those who get vaccinated on site.

It takes place at the San Mateo County Event Center at 1346 Saratoga Drive in San Mateo from Saturday to June 13, except this coming Monday and Tuesday. The fair takes place from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. each day.

Saturday marks the grand opening and Family Pride Day takes place on Sunday. Throughout the week, there will be a variety of booths and activities, including a farm, livestock competitions and exhibits.

The fair will also display panels from the AIDS Memorial Quilt, which includes over 48,000 panels in memory of people impacted by AIDS. There will also be a Black History Museum featuring 100 exhibits.

For each day of the fair, there will be free outdoor concerts starting at 7:30 p.m. Some of the featured performers include Young MC, Coolio, C+C Music Factory, Queen Nation and Journey Revisited.

Plus, San Mateo County residents who get vaccinated on site will receive free admission to the fair for themselves and anyone under 11 years old or younger in their household, a $20 food voucher and four ride tickets.

Free vaccinations will be available at Gate 5 on Saturday, Sunday, Thursday, and June 11-13 for county residents, including those 12 and older. Residents under 18 will need parental consent to get vaccinated. The parental consent form is available online from San Mateo County Health at https://www.smchealth.org/post/covid-19-vaccination-consent-form.

Free Covid-19 testing will also be available at the fair, every day from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Dana Stoehr, CEO of the San Mateo County Event Center, said in an online statement that the health and safety of guests is their top priority.

Stoehr said:

“The theme of the San Mateo County Fair is Where Tradition Meets Innovation, and we will certainly bring the favorite traditions of animals, pig races, BBQ, funnel cakes, carnival rides, and the Ferris Wheel back, with the innovations that provide a healthy and safe space for our community.”

Masks and social distancing will be required at the fair and attendance will be limited to 35 percent capacity, per state guidelines.

People are encouraged to use touchless transactions, though cash will be accepted.

More information and tickets for the fair are available online at https://www.sanmateocountyfair.com/. Same-day tickets can be purchased at the entrance for a higher cost. Tickets cost $15 for adults and $10 for juniors 6 to 12 years old or seniors aged 62 and older. All tickets for Wednesday cost $5.