Fairground staff considering changing California State Fair start dates due to July heat

SACRAMENTO – Sacramento’s record-breaking heat could affect the start date of future state fairs. A recent survey found that 69 percent of people would prefer to move the fair to a date other than July, the hottest month of the year.

Warm weather and the state fair often go hand in hand, and now Cal Expo officials say summer temperatures in Sacramento may be too high to bear.

“We’ve experienced this oppressive heat at times during the summer months,” said Darla Givens, spokeswoman for Fair.

There were 10 triple-digit days at last year’s fair. So far this year there have been seven with a week to go.

The state fair used to be held around Labor Day, but in 2009 the date was moved to mid-July.

“Schools reopened early due to the school schedule, which may have impacted student attendance and also the students exhibiting their animals,” Givens said.

Now, officials at the state stock exchange are recommending moving the fair to September, when average temperatures are seven degrees lower.
But that does bring with it some logistical challenges.

“There are so many factors that go into changing the date of the state fair. We have our amusement ride concessions, our food concessions, our commercial partners, it’s not a quick fix,” Givens said.

Some say that summer is still the most suitable time of the year.

“Why change it? People look forward to it every year and want to do it at this time, with or without heat,” said one visitor to the fair.

Others, however, favor the fall.

“I think they’ll have to move it because of the weather,” said another showgoer.

Currently, the recommendation is to begin on Labor Day weekend and run for 17 days in September. However, the Cal Expo Board of Directors has not made a final decision.