Neon lights and fried food bites are back as the 2026 Los Angeles County Fair opens

Crowds have descended upon the Fairplex in Pomona once again for the  Los Angeles County Fair in search of food, fun and entertainment.

The 2026 version of the fair opened Thursday. This year’s fair theme, “Play Your Way,” invites guests to tap into their inner child and get back to playtime.

Play does not just stop at the theme, as this year the fair has incorporated a new pirate-themed play area by the lagoon, where you can dig for buried treasure in the sandbox and take photos as a sea-faring pirate.

Impromptu Hula-Hoop competitions and games like Red Light, Green Light at the free Skate-R-Kade for prizes can also be found throughout the fair.

Also new this year to the fair is the World’s Cutest Dog Show, featuring 21 rescue dogs daily showing their best tricks and agility exercises for crowds to enjoy near the lagoon.

Emilie Menare has been working with the dogs and traveling with the show for eight years.

She and her Jack Russell terrier, Bubblegum, have their acrobatic routine down to a paw.

“We started with an at-home training, and then I started sharing on social media,” Menare said in an interview. “Some people asked me to come, and if I can do a little show for children’s birthdays, and after that, a rodeo, and now, it’s big and multiple fairs.”

She said the show travels across the United States and Canada for fairs and gatherings and that the dogs know their routines well.

“When the show and music starts, it’s time to go,” she said. “Each dog has different music, and they know when it is their turn, and it’s very fun.”

You can catch the show on fair days at 2 p.m., 4 p.m., 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Jeremy Lemke has been coming to the fair for over 30 years.

“They had the $12 opening special to come and so we did,” he said in an interview. “My favorite thing about the fair is the food. We tried the lobster baked potato and the hand-dipped ice cream and they were both so good.”

Also this year, there is a scavenger hunt hidden in the new Retro Row throwback display. Find and follow the clues throughout the mock video rental store for a prize.

After you have watched the high jump performed by talented pooches, follow your nose over to a seemingly endless avenue of food vendors.

You can find everything from Captain Crunch chicken sandwiches drizzled with raspberry sauce to watermelon wedges wrapped in fruit roll-ups and covered in chamoy and Tajin.

Lines for food opening day were manageable, but wait times grew as the evening approached.

As the sun was setting, the neon lights of the rides and midway games beckoned fairgoers to test their luck for a prize and their bravery on 70 different rides.

The fair is now open and runs until May 31, Thursday through Sunday, and Memorial Dayon May 25. Hours are 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.

Parking is available in two lots the Yellow and Blue Lots and advanced parking can be purchased online starting at $22.50 and $26 at the gate.

Tickets can be purchased online starting at $18 for adults and $32 at the gate.

For more information or to purchase tickets online, visit https://www.lacountyfair.com