Pima County Arizona Fairgrounds Events – County Fairgrounds Events

The Pima County Fair is the biggest annual event in Southern Arizona. It runs eleven days every April on the far southeast edge of Tucson. The grounds stay busy the rest of the year with horse shows, gun shows, RV rallies, racing, and the occasional wedding. If you came here for dates, prices, how to enter a pig, or where to park, this page covers all of it.

Overview of Pima County Fairgrounds

Location and Layout

The fairgrounds sit at 11300 South Houghton Road, Tucson, AZ 85747. That is southeast of the city, close to Vail and the Rita Ranch neighborhood, and a short drive south of Interstate 10. Pima County owns the property. It covers about 640 acres, which is far more room than most county fairs have.

On the ground that means:

Paved and grassy walking areas in the middle of the grounds, with mostly dirt parking lots around them.
Several indoor buildings, including the Old Pueblo Hall (the event and conference building), Thurber Hall, the Cantina, and the Hall of Champions.
An indoor arena, outdoor arenas, and a livestock ramada.
A concert area with a main stage.
An RV park on the property.
Racing facilities, including Tucson Speedway and Tucson Dragway.

Who Runs It

Southwestern Fair Commission, Inc. (SFC) manages the fairgrounds and puts on the fair. It is a nonprofit corporation that the Pima County Board of Supervisors formed in 1975 to operate the grounds. Fair profits go back into the property. The fair office phone number is 520-762-9100.

The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension office, which runs Pima County 4-H, coordinates the youth competitions. The 4-H and FFA livestock auctions are run by a separate nonprofit, Pima County Junior Livestock Sales, Inc., which is not part of 4-H, FFA, or the SFC.

Why It Matters Locally

The fair brings in a lot of money for Tucson. Organizers have put the annual economic effect at roughly $36 million, and attendance has been estimated at around 300,000 people. The fair also runs a food drive for the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona that has produced tens of thousands of meals. For many Tucson families, a youth livestock project is a full year of work that ends at this fair.

Upcoming Events at Pima County Fairgrounds

The Big One: Pima County Fair 2027

The fair has listed April 15–25, 2027 for its next run, with the theme “Once Upon a Time.” Exhibitor registration for the 4-H and FFA side opens in February 2027. The fair typically lands in mid-to-late April. The only recent exceptions were 2020 (cancelled) and 2021 (postponed), covered in the history section below.

What Else Happens Here

The fairgrounds host more than 20 equestrian events a year, plus gun shows, RV shows, and motorsports. Recent calendar listings for the coming weeks include:

Late October 2026: An RV show and a Grand Prix show jumping event called the Tucson Fall Festival, which has been listed as free to watch with food trucks on site.
November 20–22, 2026: The Southern Arizona Eventing Association’s fall horse trials, which use a cross-country course on the grounds.
November 21–22, 2026: The Crossroads of the West gun show in Tucson. Organizers list these dates as tentative, so call before you go.

The Gem and Jam festival has also used the grounds, and the fair’s own listings have included a roller derby championship and a barrel racing event. The year-round pattern looks like this:

Fall and winter: Horse shows, gun shows, RV rallies, and eventing competitions. Arizona’s mild winters make this the busiest season for out-of-state riders and RV travelers.
Spring: Horse trials in March, then the fair in April.
Summer: Quieter, because of the heat. Indoor events and racing carry the calendar.

How to Find the Current Schedule

The most reliable source is the fair’s own website, pimacountyfair.com, which has an events calendar. The fair also keeps a mobile app, and the fair office will answer calendar questions by phone. Third-party calendars lag behind and sometimes list dates that moved, so use them only as a starting point.

Renting the Grounds

The SFC rents facilities year-round, with some limits during fair week. Available spaces include three buildings, outdoor ramadas, the RV park, camping space, stage and concert areas, and the equestrian complex with barns, stalls, and arenas. Rental rates are posted by fiscal year, which runs July 1 to June 30. The most recent posted rates were about $1,000 for the Cantina and $1,200 for Thurber Hall, with additional fees possible. Renters may need to provide:

A licensed and bonded Arizona security provider
Insurance naming Pima County and the SFC as additional insureds
Deposits and references

Call 520-762-9100 for current quotes.

Visitors exploring Pima County Arizona Fairgrounds Events can also discover local gatherings through Navajo County Arizona Fairgrounds Events. Exploring both counties helps visitors learn about regional traditions, find seasonal activities, and enjoy community celebrations while discovering more of Arizona.

The County Fair Itself

Dates, Hours, and Admission

The fair runs eleven days. Gates open at 3:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and 11:00 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The 2027 prices haven’t been announced, so here is what the 2026 fair charged:

Ticket	2026 price
General admission	$13
Seniors (55+)	$8
Military	$8
Children 6–10	$8
Children 5 and under	Free
Parking	$8 per vehicle
Concert seating upgrade	$25 (does not include admission)

The fair has raised admission a dollar or so over recent years. In 2022 general admission was $10 and parking was $5.

The fair usually runs a few discounts. In 2026 these included free admission until noon on both Sundays with three canned food donations for the Community Food Bank, a discounted Monday with cheap food and drinks until 5 p.m., and wristband days for the carnival. Watch for the same pattern in 2027, but confirm the exact days.

Concerts

Concerts at the main stage are included with fair admission, and a paid upgrade gets you a reserved seat. The concert grounds hold about 5,800 people. The 2026 lineup included Midland, Brett Young, and Yächtley Crëw for two nights. The fair announces its lineup in the early spring, and the lineup has leaned toward rock and country.

Carnival and Midway

A traveling carnival company provides the rides, and recent fair listings name Ray Cammack Shows. A 2017 fair guide counted nearly 60 rides and almost 50 midway games, split into a kiddie land near the main entrance and a thrill-ride midway. Recent years have brought new rides like a rainbow Euroslide. A wristband for unlimited rides ran about $40 in 2025, and the fair ran soda-bottle coupons to take $5 off.

Food

Fair food in Tucson is a mix of the standard fried menu and flavors that reflect the region. The Arizona Daily Star’s yearly food roundup tends to feature new and unusual items, so look for that story in April. The fair’s cantina sells beer and runs a happy hour on a weekday. Outside food, ice chests, and outside beverages including alcohol are not allowed.

Competitive Exhibits and Animals

Livestock and project work fill the barns and arenas through the fair. The 2026 4-H schedule gives a good picture of what happens:

Dog obedience and showmanship
Horse classes in ranch, English, Western, roping, sorting, and gymkhana
Rabbit, cavy (guinea pig), and poultry shows with quiz bowls
Swine, market lamb, and market goat carcass shows
A rocket launch in the east parking lot

Market beef, swine, sheep, and goat classes lead into the junior livestock auction. Details for entering are in the 4-H and FFA section below.

Pets

Pets are not allowed at the fair. Service animals trained to perform tasks for a person with a disability are allowed and must stay under control. Emotional support animals are not.

Facilities and Grounds

Buildings and Barns

Barns, arenas, and ramadas serve the livestock and equestrian side. Known spaces include the Hall of Champions, the indoor arena, the livestock ramada, the North Arenas, and Manny’s Arena. The fair describes its equestrian complex as one of the larger competitive facilities in the region, with barns, stalls, and arenas. Horse owners can book stabling and shavings through the fairgrounds directly. Rates have been posted around $15 for a daily stall in listings, but check the current rate sheet.

Parking

The fair uses three main lots:

Blue Lot: Reached from Houghton Road and through the Blue Gate on Brekke Road.
Red Lot: Reached from Houghton Road and Dawn Road.
Green Lot: Reached from Harrison Road.

Parking is plentiful but mostly dirt, so closed-toe shoes and patience for dust are a good idea.

Accessibility

The fair says the grounds are ADA compliant. ADA parking is available on both dirt and concrete lots for vehicles with a placard or plate. If you need concrete parking for a mobility device, tell the fair ahead of time so they can reserve it. If you arrive without notice, ask the parking attendant to radio for an Advocate for the Disabled.

RV Park and Camping

The RV Park at the Pima County Fairgrounds has several hundred sites, with full hookups, water and electric, and dry camping options. It is open year-round but with limits during April because of the fair, so book early if you plan to stay for fair week. Nightly rates change, so ask when you call. The park’s number is 520-762-8579. Rules include one vehicle per site, leashed pets, and a ban on drones under Pima County rules. Reviewers note there is little shade. Tucson Speedway, also on site, offers dry camping tied to its race events.

Other Amenities

The grounds include concession stands, first aid, and an on-site bar and grill in the RV park. Check the fair’s map for ATM locations.

Vendor and Exhibitor Information

Becoming a Commercial or Food Vendor

Applications run through the Eventeny platform. Some things to know before you apply:

New vendor applications have opened in the fall, around mid-November, with a January deadline in one past cycle. Deadlines move, so confirm.
Returning vendors get invitation-only applications.
The fair has stopped taking new concessionaire applications early when volume got heavy, as it did for 2024.
You’ll need a current photo of your booth and at least three references from previous shows.
Your contract must match the name on your insurance policy.
Commercial vendors get a set number of daily admissions and parking passes per contract, and extra badges cost $25 each.
Electric service is limited, and the fair makes a best effort on requests.
Nonprofit and information booths cannot sell items, ask for donations, or hold raffles without SFC approval.

Send vendor questions to the Vendor Coordinator at the fair office, 11300 S. Houghton Road, or call 520-762-9100. Listings for the art and craft category have shown a late-March deadline, but confirm it.

Entering Exhibits

Youth exhibitors enter through Pima County 4-H and FFA, using the premium book. The premium book has the official rules for every project, and the rules change, so read the current edition. The 2027 fair registration opens in February.

Getting to Pima County Fairgrounds

Driving

From Interstate 10, the grounds are about one mile south of the Houghton Road exit. Which lot you aim for depends on where you’re coming from:

From Tucson on eastbound I-10: Take the Rita Road exit, go south to Harrison Road, and follow signs to the Green Lot.
From Vail on westbound I-10: Take the Houghton Road exit and head south to the Blue Lot.
From Rita Ranch on southbound Houghton: Follow signs to the Blue Lot.
From Corona de Tucson or Sahuarita on northbound Houghton: Turn onto Dawn Road for the Red Lot.

Road work around Houghton has changed these routes in past years, so follow posted signs and expect slow traffic on opening weekend and concert nights. The grounds are about 20 minutes from Tucson International Airport.

Transit and Rideshare

I could not confirm a regular public shuttle to the fair. The University of Arizona’s outdoor recreation program ran a paid fair shuttle for students in 2026, but that was a campus trip. Sun Tran runs an express route to the Old Vail Park and Ride, but that does not reach the fairgrounds gate. If you plan to rely on a rideshare, ask the fair office about the drop-off area before you go.

4-H and FFA at Pima County Fairgrounds

The Extension Office’s Role

Pima County 4-H is part of the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension. Extension staff publish the fair schedule for 4-H projects, host the premium book, and coordinate competitions. I could not confirm a current count of 4-H clubs in the county, so ask the extension office for that number.

FFA

FFA members compete in the same classes as other junior exhibitors. The first FFA chapter chartered in Pima County was at Amphitheater High School, and FFA members and alumni have helped run the junior livestock auction for decades.

The Junior Livestock Auction

Pima County Junior Livestock Sales, Inc. was incorporated in 1986. Before that, a committee appointed by the Fair Commission ran the sale. Here’s how it works today:

2027 dates: The large stock auction is April 24 at 11:45 a.m. and the small stock auction is April 25 at 10:30 a.m.
Who sells: 4-H and FFA exhibitors. Each can sell one lot, with limited exceptions.
What sells: Steers, lambs, hogs, and market goats in the large stock auction. Rabbits, cavies, poultry, pigeons, and pygmy goats in the small stock auction.
Limits: The large auction may be capped at 350 lots at the committee’s discretion.
Requirements: Exhibitors need a valid YQCA certificate and a signed junior animal certification form. Market beef has weight minimums, including a suggested 950 pounds at the fair to be eligible to sell.
Who can bid: Anyone. Register at the auction table between the ramada and the indoor arena, get a bidder number, and bid.
What you get if you win: A sales contract. For large animals you can take the processed meat or consign the animal back to the packer to resell, which is a way to support a kid without taking home the meat.
Where the money goes: To the exhibitors.

Special Events Beyond the Annual Fair

Horse Shows and Eventing

The fairgrounds host over 20 equestrian events a year in Western and English disciplines, ranging from single days to multi-week circuits. Eventing and cross-country schooling are also part of the regular calendar.

Gun Shows

Crossroads of the West runs gun shows here several times a year. No loaded firearms or loaded magazines are permitted at these shows.

Motorsports

Racing is a major part of the year. Tucson Speedway runs races, and Tucson Dragway runs drag racing. Other events on the grounds have included motocross, go-kart, motorcycle, and junior drag racing.

Shows, Rallies, and Private Events

RV sales shows and rallies, trade shows, gem shows, dog shows, weddings, and music festivals all use the grounds. The RV park’s own listing describes indoor and outdoor rental space with security and monitoring for trade shows.

History of Pima County Fairgrounds

The first Pima County Fair took place in 1911, with burro races, quarter admission, and prizes for baked goods and Holstein and Jersey cattle. The fair moved around Tucson in its early decades:

It started at Elysian Grove, an amusement park near downtown.
By 1915 it had moved east of Campbell Avenue, where auto and horse racing were added.
In 1929 it was revived in two large tents near what is now the Catalina Vista neighborhood.
In 1932 it moved to the old airport site on South Sixth Avenue, now the Rodeo Grounds.
The fair paused during World War I (1917–18) and again during World War II (1942–45).

In the 1950s the focus was agriculture and 4-H, with a traveling carnival running the midway. In 1960 the Southern Arizona International Livestock Association took over management. In 1972 the fair moved to the current Houghton Road site, which began with a lease of 320 acres from the state. In 1975 the county board created the Southwestern Fair Commission to run the grounds.

The 2020 fair was cancelled in March of that year after the Board of Supervisors issued emergency restrictions, along with its dozen free concerts. Refunds were offered to ticket buyers. The 2021 fair was postponed as well. The fair came back April 21 to May 1, 2022. That gap cost local vendors, rodeo athletes, entertainers, and hourly workers, and it also cut off proceeds from the 4-H livestock auction.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Pima County Fair in 2027?

The fair has listed April 15–25, 2027. Confirm with the fair office or its website before making travel plans.

What time does Pima County Fairgrounds open during the fair?

Gates open at 3:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and 11:00 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Hours for other events vary by promoter.

How much does it cost to get into the Pima County Fair?

In 2026, general admission was $13, seniors 55+ and military were $8, children 6–10 were $8, and children 5 and under were free. Parking was $8 per vehicle. The fair announces 2027 prices closer to opening.

Is there camping at Pima County Fairgrounds?

Yes. The RV Park on the grounds offers full-hookup and dry camping, and is open year-round with limits in April. Call 520-762-8579 to reserve.

How do I enter livestock in the Pima County Fair?

Youth exhibitors enter through Pima County 4-H or FFA, using the current premium book for rules, tagging, and deadlines. Registration for 2027 opens in February. Market animals also need a YQCA certificate to sell at the auction.

Are dogs allowed at Pima County Fairgrounds?

Not at the fair. Pets, emotional support animals, and guard animals are not allowed. Trained service animals are. Pet rules for the RV park and other events are different, so ask the event organizer.

Where do I park at Pima County Fairgrounds?

The fair uses the Blue Lot (off Houghton and Brekke Road), the Red Lot (off Houghton and Dawn Road), and the Green Lot (off Harrison Road). Parking cost $8 per vehicle in 2026. ADA parking is available.

Who do I contact to rent Pima County Fairgrounds?

Call the Southwestern Fair Commission at 520-762-9100. Renters may need security, insurance naming the county and the SFC, and a deposit.

Can I sell my animal at the Pima County Fair?

Only 4-H and FFA exhibitors can sell in the junior livestock auction, run by Pima County Junior Livestock Sales. Each exhibitor sells one lot, and the large stock auction can be capped at 350 lots.

What else is held at Pima County Fairgrounds besides the fair?

Horse shows, eventing, gun shows, RV shows, drag racing, speedway races, and private events like trade shows and weddings.