Chris Stapleton 2026 Pre-Fair Concert Operations Plan 

The following applies to Tuesday, July 14, 2026 only. Please click here for the full setup calendar.

Day-of Schedule for Vendors (Commercial & Concessions)

• 6:00 am Outdoor areas available for vendor set up. Vendor ID required.

• 6:00 am-2:00 pm Vehicles permitting on-site (CMSF Service & Delivery Pass required). Sweep begins at 1:00 pm.

• 8:00 am-7:00 pm Vendor Check-In / Vendor Office Open **New Later Hours!**

• 8:00 am-8:00 pm Commercial Buildings open for vendor set up (Adelaide Hall, Estrella Hall, and Stockyard Pavilion). Vendor ID required.

• 4:00 pm-10:00 pm Activated Vendors open for public.

• Handcarts, dollies and pull carts are permitted at all times. No heavy equipment, including but not limited to, forklifts, tractors, and utility/golf carts, from 2:00 pm-Midnight.

• No vehicles (INCLUDING golf carts, scooters, e-bikes, etc.) on-site from 2:00 pm-Midnight

Day-of Schedule for General Public

• 4:00 pm Fair Main Gate opens to the public (no other public gate will be available for general public entry)

• 4:00 pm Select Food & Beverage Concessions open (excludes Grandstand Arena)

• 6:30 pm Grandstand Arena gates and concessions open for concert ticketholders

• 7:30 pm Concert begins

• 9:00 pm Entry into fairground ceases. Exit only.

• 10:00 pm All vendors closed – no exceptions.

Fairgrounds and Grandstand Arena will close immediately after the conclusion of the concert and both will be swept of the general public. Wear your Vendor ID if you are still setting up so you do not get moved off the grounds.

Day-of Access Guidelines for Vendors (Commercial & Concessions)

• A CMSF Vendor ID is required for access inside the Fair all day. Please instruct your on-site staff to wear their issued badge. No exceptions. Vendor IDs are complimentary from the Vendor Office. No Fair admission ticket is required this day.

•  A CMSF Grandstand Arena Vendor Wristband is required for access inside the concert. Only concessionaires with a booth inside the Grandstand Arena will be issued these.

• Vendors that are not an Activated Vendor and still elect to set up on this day/night are strongly suggested to plan around the concert activities with the intent to be off-site from 6:00 pm-Midnight.

• Parking in the Main Lot will be at no charge from 6:00 am-2:00 pm. A $30 fee applies starting at 2:00 pm and vehicles not displaying a paid ticket are subject to towing at the owner’s expense. There are no in-and-out privileges once the fee applies and there is no dedicated or reserved vendor parking available.

• The Main Gate is closed until 4:00 pm. Entry points into the fairgrounds before this time include the service gate at the Main Gate, Administration Office Gate (closest access to Vendor Office), and Flower Gate. A Vendor ID is required for entry.

• For confirmed overnight campers: Access from the fairgrounds to the campgrounds will be restricted with little to no access through the backstage. Star Lane will also be inaccessible starting in the late afternoon. Please have all campers wear their Vendor ID for access to and from the campgrounds. No utility carts or motorized vehicles (including scooters and e-bikes) on the fairgrounds from 2:00 pm-Midnight.

Other Important Items of Note

• The general public must have either a concert ticket or a special $10 one-night-only admission ticket to get into the fairgrounds. Stapleton concert tickets include the general admission for this night only.

• There is no special one-night-only vendor space or access available for this event. Only booths listed as an Activated Vendor below, are permitted to be open to the public.

• Livestock exhibits load-in has been moved to Sunday, July 12 and Monday, July 13. Please know vehicle traffic on the east and north ends of the property will be heavily impacted during these activities. There is no vendor vehicle access through the Livestock Area on the north end of the property during these times.

• Overnight setup curfew allowance for outdoor CONCESSIONAIRES will begin Saturday night. Appropriate vehicle passes and Vendor ID required.

• No changes to Vendor Setup, Vendor Check-In, or Vendor Office schedule. View Calendar here.

• No changes in Campground availability.

• All other rules and regulations regarding operating at the CA Mid-State Fair as included in your vendor agreement and the Vendor Handbook apply. Any Vendor found abusing access will be subject to immediate cancellation of vendor contract and booth space at the sole discretion of Fair Management.

Fair Areas (Activated vs Closed to Public)

Event Staff will be assigned to all areas. Areas that are activated below will have higher concentrations of Event Staff.

Activated

Equestrian Lane (partial)

Food Court

Grandstand Arena

Main Gate

Midway Lane from Steel Gate to Jimmy’s Watering Hole

Mission Square (partial)

Closed to the Public

Adelaide Hall

Campground

Carnivals

Davies Park/Headliner Stage

Equestrian Area

Equestrian Lane (east side)

Estrella Hall

Frontier Park & Stage

Frontier Town Lane

Livestock Area

Midway Lane – north of Jimmy’s Watering Hole and south of Steel Gate

Mission Square (west side)

Stockyard Pavilion

Exhibit Halls (Floriculture, Home Arts, etc.) and Farm Alley

Activated Vendors (Updated 7/4/26)

The following booths/businesses are permitted to be open and operating for this special event. Any vendor found operating or serving the public who has not received advance approval directly from the Vendor Manager shall be subject to punitive fees and/or an immediate cancellation of contract and booth space to the sole discretion of Fair Management.

Open 4:00 pm-10:00 pm

·         Aaron’s Chicken Shack

·         Alicia’s Mexican Kitchen

·         All Beef Hot Dog

·         Bosco’s Sweet Tea

·         Brian’s Baked Potatoes

·         Chicago Style Hot Dog

·         Churros - North Midway

·         Corn Dogs - Food Court

·         Country Bear Kettlekorn - Midway

·         Country Bear Lemonade

·         Fanny’s Fabulous Funnel Cakes

·         Fresh Pretzels

·         Garlicky’s

·         Hot Dog on A Stick - Midway

·         Island Bar

·         Jimmy’s Watering Hole

·         Just Cheezen

·         Lemoine Creperie

·         Old West Cinnamon Rolls - Food Court

·         Original Bratwurst

·         Philly Express and Deep-Fried Cheese Curds

·         Photo Booths

·         Pizza & Beer (Midway)

·         Pony Espresso (LivestockLane)

·         Rico’s Manjares Mosita - Midway

·         Slush Puppie

·         Smoothies

·         Stizzy’s Roasted Corn

·         Stockyard Beer

·         The Hideout

·         Udder-D-Lite

·         Williams Concession

Open 6:30 pm-10:00 pm (Concert Only)

·         All Grandstand Arena Concessionaires