Fair Location:
200 East 2nd Street
Imperial, CA 92251

Gates open at:
Opening Day, March 3-3:00 pm
Saturday and Sunday-12:00 pm
​Monday-Friday-5:00 pm

Guest Service Information

• Claiming a Found Item - Fairtime
  After you have heard from Guest Services that they definitely or may have your
  lost item, this is how to return to the Fair to claim it prior to fair opening on that day.
  • Come to the Main Parking Lot.
  • As you enter the parking lot, explain to the attendant you are picking up a lost
    item. The attendant will direct you to the office.
  • Come to the office, to the south of the Grandstands and pick up your item.
  • Or, you can come to the Fairgrounds after the Fair has ended for the season to pick up your item. If you choose to do this, please call the Fairgrounds Office  at (760) 355-1181 to verify office hours. 
• ATMs and credit cards
  Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) are located throughout the Fairgrounds; please consult the Fair map for locations.
  Major credit cards (MasterCard, Visa, Discover and American Express) are accepted at the Fair’s Box Office. Some or all of those credit cards are accepted at most food and product vendor booths.
• Emergencies
  The Imperial Valley Fairgrounds has a full Safety Services staff who are trained to handle any emergency. Should you be at the Fair during an earthquake or other emergency, please follow the instructions of uniformed Fair personnel.
• First Aid
  The First Aid office is located on the west side of the Grandstand along Oleander Road. The California Mid-Winter Fair has a staff of EMTs and other health-care professionals who can treat minor injuries and assess when a Fair guest should be transported to a hospital. First Aid can come to you if you are hurt on the Fairgrounds. Please contact the nearest uniformed Fair employee, so he or she can summon our First Aid team.
• Camera Usage
  Preserving memories of your day at the California Mid-Winter Fair is important, and we encourage you to take lots of photos. But we do have some restrictions on where cameras and other photo-taking devices can and can not be used.
  Prohibited or restricted camera equipment and activities
  • Any photography activities that may be deemed a nuisance to the enjoyment of others is prohibited. An example is holding your smartphone where it blocks someone else’s view.
  • Selfie sticks are prohibited at all times. You may not bring a selfie stick into the Fair.
  • Cameras with tri-pods, mono-pods, external lighting, etc are not permitted.
• Selfie Sticks
  For safety reasons, selfie sticks are strictly prohibited and may not be brought onto the Fairgrounds during the California Mid-Winter Fair.
• Large Bags
  You may bring backpacks, diaper bags, tote bags and other large bags with you. All bags and parcels will be inspected as you enter the Fair. You will need to unzip (unsnap, untie, etc.) all compartments so security personnel can look inside.
• Promotional Materials
  Unauthorized solicitation of business of any kind with patrons, contracted vendors, and/or performers is strictly prohibited. Unapproved solicitors will be escorted off grounds and unauthorized promotional materials will be confiscated.
• Guns
  For the safety of our guests and employees, guns may not be brought onto the Fairgrounds.
  However, off-duty, qualified law enforcement officers (as defined in 18 U.S.C. section 926B) or qualified, retired law enforcement officers (as defined in 18 U.S.C. section 926C) will be allowed to carry concealed weapons into the Fair. These individuals must identify themselves to Security at the Fair’s entrances with the proper credentials required by law. The credentials required of qualified off-duty or retired law enforcement officers by 18 U.S.C. sections 926B and 926C will be verified by an Imperial County Sheriff’s deputy.
  In addition, qualified off-duty and retired law enforcement officers will be required to sign a document attesting to their compliance with all pertinent state and federal laws and the policies and procedures of their individual employers; and, that they are not at the time of entry, nor will be while on the Fairgrounds, under the influence of alcohol or any intoxicating or hallucinatory drug.
• Clothing Policies
  The 45th District Agricultural Association reserves the right to prohibit visitors to the Imperial Valley Fairgrounds who wear clothing that could create a distraction and/or
  who are not properly attired. All clothing must be family-friendly.
  Guests are required to wear footwear and shirts at all times.
  Prohibited attire:
  • Clothing displaying offensive messages/language
  • Masks
  • Transparent clothing
  • Clothing that exposes inappropriate portions of the body, such as string bikini tops, G-strings, bikini bottoms, etc.
  • Clothing that identifies the wearer as part of a gang
• Umbrellas
  We prefer you use a hat to shield yourself from the sun. Umbrellas can not be more than three feet in diameter. Please do not use an umbrella in crowded areas.
• Skateboard, Roller Skates, Hoverboards
  Do not bring skateboards, hoverboards, foot-powered scooters, roller skates, shoes with wheels in the soles, and similar types of wheeled transportation.
  Wagons intended for the transport of small children may be brought into the Fair. Please see Strollers and Wagons for more information.
• Bicycles
  You may ride your bicycle to the California Mid-Winter Fair, but you may not bring it inside the gates. 
• Laser Pointers
  Laser pointers are strictly prohibited, and will be confiscated during the gate security check.
• Pepper Spray
  Pepper spray and similar sprays intended for self-defense are prohibited. The California Mid-Winter Fair prohibits anything that can be used as a weapon.
• Knives & Sharp Things
  All sharp metal objects, such as pocket knives, tableware and scissors are strictly prohibited, as are guns and other weapons. If you have any of these items when you reach the security checkpoint, you can either take them back to your vehicle or dispose of them.
  An exception is made for shears, which are considered tools, that Fair guests intend to trade, sell, or have repaired through an authorized Fair vendor. Shears must be properly identified and displayed before entering the gates. We recommend that you tape shut the blades of the shears.
• Food & Beverages
  You are welcome to bring bottled water to the Fair. However, alcohol, glass containers and metal knives and forks are prohibited. All beverages must be in factory-sealed containers, meaning reusable containers such as sports water bottles and sippy cups cannot contain beverages when you go through the security check at the entrances.
• Strollers & Wagons
  Small children may be pulled in a wagon at walking speed by adults or responsible older children. Guests also may bring strollers for small children, or rent one at the Fair. 
  • Stroller rentals-$10 per day
  • Wheelchairs-$10 per day
• Rooms For Special Needs
  The Fair’s restrooms have stalls for disabled visitors, and changing tables.
  Guest Services has an area for nursing mothers, parents of infants, or families with special needs. 
• Folding Chairs
  If a disability requires you to sit frequently, you may bring a folding chair with the following restrictions:
  • Chairs may not be used in the following locations:
    • Center Stage Area
    • Carnival 
    • You may not obstruct pedestrian traffic. If a staff member asks you to move your chair, please comply.
• Ride Policies
  Insurance requires all individuals on a ride to pay. ADA law does not require that the Fair allow free admission on rides for individuals assisting a person with a disability. Individuals with a disability may ride on any ride when they meet the following criteria:
  • If they can board in a manner that the ride requires without the help of the operator or other Fair patron; and
  • If they meet the requirements set forth by the manufacturer of the ride.
• Parking For Disabled Patrons
  • Accessible parking as required by law is available in the main parking lot adjacent to the ticket booth.  All satellite parking lots have accessible parking spaces as required by law.
  • All parking is first-come, first-served.
  • RVs and any vehicle that cannot fit into one parking space are not allowed.
• Service Dogs
  Service dogs are welcome at the Fair.
  • Please note that “comfort animals” do not qualify under the ADA guidelines from the Department of Justice and will not be allowed into the Fair.  
• Wheelchairs & Motorized Scooters
  Guests with disabilities may bring in wheelchairs and motorized scooters with three or more wheels that comply with the ADA wheelchair footprint to be used as a mobility device.
  Wheelchair rental is available at the Information Booth as you enter the main gate. For all rentals, a driver’s license will be held as a deposit. Wheelchair rentals are first-come, first-served.
• Lost People
  Children who have become separated from their parents are brought to the Sheriff’s Command Center, where they will have a quiet place to wait. We act quickly to find lost children and reunite them with their parents. Children who become separated from their parents should go to a uniformed Fair employee, or a Fair ambassador.
  Take a photo
  Parents are encouraged to use their mobile phone to take a photo of their child on arrival. Should you become separated, a photo will help our Safety and Security Team to quickly find the child.
• Reporting a Lost Item
  If you lose something at the California Mid-Winter Fair:
  Please call 760-355-1181. Be sure to:
  • Describe the lost item, using as much detail as you can, including the date you
    attended the Fair. (See examples below.)
  • Speak clearly. When you leave your name and phone number, speak slowly
    enough that we can write down your phone number. Spell your name if you think
    that will help us to find your records.
  • If you lost a cell phone, please include the phone brand (such as Samsung, iPhone, etc.) and the phone service (such as AT&T or Verizon), as well as any other
    information that will help identify your phone (such as distinctive case or custom
    decoration).
  • If you lost keys, please include information such as an approximate number of
    keys; if it is a keyless fob; whether they are car, home or office keys; and whether there is a key ring decorative item. If so, describe the decorative item; and other detailed information that will help us identify which set of lost keys are yours.
• Claiming a Found Item - After The Fair
  After the 2023 Fair has ended, The fair office will be open to reunite Fair guests with their lost items. All unclaimed items are donated to charity after June 1.​
• Pets
  The only animals allowed on the grounds are service animals and animals on exhibit or used in entertainment. We do not have day-care accommodations for pets.
  Service dogs are welcome at the Fair, but “comfort animals” do not qualify under the ADA guidelines from the Department of Justice and will not be allowed into the Fair. Please refer to our Service Dog Policy or the ADA Frequently Asked Questions About Service Dogs for all other details and the full definition.