California State Fair kicks off new weekday start times to combat high heat
Since the mid-2000s, the fair's weekday start time had always been 11 a.m. But this year, Cal Expo's gates don't open until 4 p.m. on Monday through Thursday, which is often the hottest time of day.
Some fairgoers were surprised by the reduced hours this year.
"We did actually plan to try and come out earlier and beat the heat," fairgoer Shane Day said. "Unfortunately, we looked up the hours and found out they didn't open until 4."
Others don't mind the later start time.
"We like the nighttime because we like the lights and the excitement that comes with it," fairgoer Erin Fraker said.
Why is Cal Expo cutting back on state fair hours during weekdays?
"Our fair trends have shown that a lot of our fairgoers typically come in from 4 p.m. and beyond, so therefore, this makes sense for us," said.
Cal Expo has been struggling financially in past years and has been forced to lay off some permanent staff. The fewer hours help fair management and vendors save money on employee costs.
State fair officials say they don't expect the change will have an impact on attendance.
"We don't take that into consideration at all. No, absolutely not," said Alex Alcantar, a state fair spokesperson. "For us, we do expect a good crowd to show up. We're not anticipating a loss."
Even though Cal Expo is now closed during the cooler mid-day hours, there are still plenty of ways to try and beat the afternoon heat, like water misters and cooling stations.
"When people do come in here, they're going to have a great time," Alcantar said.
During last year's state fair, there was a record-breaking 11 days when the temperature reached triple digits.
The fair will open at 10 a.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
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