INDIO, CA — The Riverside County Fair & National Date Festival presented by Fantasy Springs Resort Casino returns February 12–March 1, 2026, with a refreshed look, new immersive spaces, and a full lineup of entertainment celebrating tradition, community, and fun.
Celebrating the Fair & Date Fest’s 78th year with the theme “Return to the Oasis,” organizers are refreshing the event’s 1001 Nights legacy and blending in a mid-century style inspired by Greater Palm Springs’ iconic architecture. Fan-favorite attractions return alongside new experiences designed to invite guests to explore, relax, and rediscover the awe and wonder of our shared desert fantasy.
New for 2026, the Fair & Date Fest will debut the National Date Festival Museum inside the Sands of Time building, offering an engaging look at date farming, Festival history, and the agricultural roots of the Coachella Valley. Nearby, each space offers its own experience—from the Hall of Ribbons featuring competitive quilts, fine art, and baked goods, to the Cave of Wonders gem and mineral showcase, and the Palm Pavilion highlighting the Valley’s signature crop: dates.
Another highlight this year is the new Oasis Lounge & Tiki Bar, a not-so-hidden hideaway within the fairgrounds that transports guests into a world of classic tiki drinks and relaxed tropical vibes. Designed as a true escape from the midway, it’s an ideal place to cool off, recharge, and savor the atmosphere underneath Hawaiian music on the Balcony Stage or alongside Polynesian dancers and fire spinning on the Luau Stage.
The Fair & Date Fest arena schedule delivers high-energy entertainment throughout the run, including Monster Trucks on February 12 and 13, the Monster X Demo Derby on February 14, Gran Jaripeo-Traded featuring Roberto Tapia and more on February 21, and PRCA Rodeo performances on February 28 and March 1. Special ticketed experiences also include Love on the Wheel, a Valentine’s-themed sunset Ferris Wheel dating event; Bingo, Honey!, a comedy bingo show; and Shaken Midway, an interactive cocktail workshop.
Saturday, February 14 also marks Out at the Fair, an LGBTQ-inclusive day featuring live music, dance-fitness programming, and a high-energy drag show with performers from One Eleven Bar, celebrating visibility, joy, and community.
Animal encounters are a key part of the Fair & Date Fest experience, grounding the excitement of the midway in the event’s agricultural roots. Guests can enjoy playful and educational moments at the petting farm, livestock exhibits, and family-friendly animal attractions that highlight care, connection, and the role animals continue to play in Fair tradition.
Daily entertainment is included with Fair & Date Fest admission and spans stages, midways, and strolling zones. Highlights include the All-Alaskan Racing Pigs, JUMP! The Ultimate Dog Show, the Globe of Death motorcycle stunt show, Magic of Rafael, Science Wizard, Sea Lion
Splash, the Petting Farm, and a variety of family-friendly roaming performers throughout the grounds.
With a refreshed design, expanded entertainment, and dates at the heart of the experience, the 2026 Fair & Date Fest invites guests to rediscover a classic—reimagined.
The Riverside County Fair & National Date Festival runs February 12–March 1, 2026 at the Riverside County Fairgrounds in Indio, CA.
Tickets, schedules, and full event details are available at datefest.org.
