For the first time since 2019, the Marin County Fair will be in-person from Thursday through Monday, July 4 at the Marin Center fairgrounds in San Rafael.

This year’s theme, “So Happy Together,” will focus on outdoor performances like jugglers, stilt walkers and concerts, with activities for all ages. From 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. each day, fairgoers can enjoy classic carnival rides, fireworks and some of the healthiest carnival food options around. There will also be nightly concerts starting at 7:30 p.m. Here is an overview of some of the highlights coming to this year’s fair.

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Fireworks

Expect nightly firework shows over the Civic Center’s Lagoon Park at 9:30 p.m. The spectacles will be choreographed with music and special extravagance on July 4.

Concerts

To kick off the fair, the San Francisco pop band Pablo Cruise will perform on Thursday. The group plans to perform hit singles, “Whatcha Gonna Do?”, “Love Will Find a Way” and others. Opening act Matt Jaffe will take the stage at 3 p.m.

On Friday, Sheila E. will take the stage. Known as one of the industry’s most talented percussionists, she has performed with artists like Diana Ross, Patti LaBelle and Stevie Nicks.

Rock band Sons of Champlin will perform on Saturday. The band was started in Marin County by founding member Terry Haggerty in 1965 and has released eight major albums since then.

The hip-hop trio Digable Planets, known for its 1993 Grammy-winning single, “Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)” will perform on Sunday. Nearly 30 years after the group’s debut, its jazz-inspired rhythms excite crowds internationally.

Bassist and singer George Porter Jr., known as a founding member of the classic funk band The Meters, will perform at the Marin County Fair in San Rafael on July 4 with New Orleans funk band Dumpstaphunk. (Jeffrey Dupuis via Bay City News)

Funk band Dumpstaphunk and George Porter Jr., best known as the bassist and singer of The Meters, will close the fair on July 4. The group’s performances are known to combine complex funk, rock and jazz arrangements with soulful melodies that encourage listeners to get up and dance.

Tickets are available online for $20, or purchase them at the gate for $25. All ticket sales include general admission to the concert of the day. Children under 12 and seniors over 65 will be admitted for free on Thursday. Parking passes start at $15.

If you don’t feel like driving, consider taking the bus or riding a bike. All fixed-route bus rides in the county will be free during the fair with additional operation hours. The Marin County Bicycle Coalition will offer free bike valet services every day.

For additional information about the fair, visit https://www.fair.marincounty.org/2022.