The annual Salinas Valley Fair returns with all the classics, plus a mariachi-inflected dance party.

The Salinas Valley Fair returns this weekend to King City for its 82nd annual celebration. This year’s theme is “Red, White & Bloom,” and will run from Thursday, May 14-Sunday, May 17. 

There will be wine tasting, musical performances from local and visiting artists, carnival rides, motorcycling racing, a petting zoo and junior livestock auctions, where youth will be selling market animals—such as beef, sheep, hogs, goats, poultry and rabbits—they have raised. 

Some of the music performances include Casey Anglin, the Harper Canyon Band, Juanito Aguilar y Su Grupo Coronado, The Outlaw Mariachi and Niko Moon. All these acts will perform at four different stages and arenas throughout the fairgrounds.

“We just started having concerts three years ago, so it's a new component of our fair and I’m so happy we are having live music events,” says King City Mayor Mike LeBarre. 

The Outlaw Mariachi is one of those bands who have performed since the live concert addition. 

“It’s always exciting to play for the Central Coast crowds,” says band member Mateo Durán, the trumpeter. “I would describe [our] show as more of a rocking fiesta party at the fair than just a musical concert. It always ends up as a dance party by the end of the night and is so much fun.” 

The Outlaw Mariachi is a six-member, mariachi-inspired rock band that performs a variety of genres including classic and hard rock, heavy metal, rancheras, cumbias, country, pop and more. They perform on Saturday from 6:30-9pm on the Steinbeck stage and plan to play a cumbia version of the Mandalorian theme from Star Wars.

Salinas Valley Fairgrounds is located at 625 Division St. right off Highway 101. 

All four days the fair opens at 11am; it closes at 10pm on Thursday and Sunday, and at midnight on Friday and Saturday night. 

Fair tickets for adults ages 18 through 59 are $14, senior and youth tickets are $10 and children 5 and under can enter for free all four days of the fair. Children under 12 can enter for free on Thursday, adults 60 and over can enter for free on Friday, as well as special education tour groups and all retired and active-duty military personnel and dependents with military ID, can enter for free on Saturday. 

For more information on pricing and the fair’s entertainment and activities schedule, visit salinasvalleyfair.com.