DEL MAR — San Diego County Fair officials are urging visitors to leave their vehicles behind and take public transportation as the popular summer attraction welcomes larger crowds heading into the Fourth of July weekend.
The 22nd District Agricultural Association, the state board responsible for the annual event at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, is encouraging guests to take advantage of alternative travel options to help reduce traffic.
The 22nd DAA suggested the Fair Tripper, an all-in-one pass that includes fair admission and a round trip on the Coaster, Sprinter, Breeze, or the MTS trolley or bus. Prices start from $16 per adult, and free ADA-accessible shuttles are available between the Solana Beach Amtrak Station and the Fairgrounds.
“It’s a great value, quick and stress-free way to get to and from the biggest and best community celebration of the summer in San Diego County,” said Tristan Hallman, the Fairgrounds’ chief communications officer.
For those who want to drive at least some of the way, there is also complimentary parking at Canyon Crest Academy High School on Del Mar Heights Road.
The suggestion follows reports of gridlock in and around Del Mar last Wednesday as thousands of visitors flocked to the fair for Juneteenth. Roads were gridlocked, and multiple collisions in the area made things worse, prompting locals to take to the app Nextdoor to share their frustrations.
No, this isn’t the 405 Freeway in Los Angeles – it’s northbound Interstate 5 through Del Mar, with hundreds of people headed to the San Diego County Fair. Some people reportedly bailed on their tickets and funday due to the traffic. Brutal. pic.twitter.com/0Dop3OE5xe
— Malik Earnest (@MalikEarnest) June 20, 2024
Solana Beach resident Gary Paul said it took him four hours to get home from the airport and called the situation “a joke.” Sara Johnson of Del Mar said the traffic jams were “unbelievable” and that she “didn’t remember it being this bad in summers past.”
In response, fair officials declared a sell-out to minimize further disruption and thanked people for their “patience and kindness.” Those who had already purchased a fair ticket were given the option of using it on a different day.
Nearly 1 million people attend the 20-day event, which is the largest of its kind in the county. This year’s theme is “Let’s Go Retro,” described as a “nostalgic voyage back in time from the ‘50s through the start of the new millennium.”
The fair runs until July 7 and is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
