Calaveras County California Fair Schedule

The Calaveras County California Fair Schedule is centered on one of California’s most distinctive county-fair traditions: the Calaveras County Fair and Jumping Frog Jubilee in Angels Camp. The annual event combines livestock, agriculture, competitive exhibits, carnival rides, food, live entertainment, rodeo events, community programs, and the internationally recognized frog-jumping competition inspired by Mark Twain’s famous Calaveras County story.

The 2026 fair takes place from May 14 through May 17, 2026, at the Calaveras County Fairgrounds, commonly known as Frogtown, at 2465 Gun Club Road in Angels Camp. The 2027 fair is scheduled for May 13 through May 16, 2027. The fair traditionally takes place during the third full weekend of May, although individual programs and times can change from year to year.

The 2026 theme is “Frogs Sing and Freedom Rings,” connecting the famous frog tradition with the celebration of America’s 250th birthday. The fair remains strongly connected to Calaveras County’s Gold Country history, agricultural communities, ranching traditions, and Angels Camp’s identity as the home of the Jumping Frog Jubilee.

Fair Overview and Fast Facts

The Calaveras County Fair and Jumping Frog Jubilee is held at Calaveras County Fairgrounds, 2465 Gun Club Road, Angels Camp, California 95222. The 71-acre fairgrounds sit in the Sierra foothills near historic Highway 49 and include livestock barns, exhibit halls, an arena, permanent stages, a natural amphitheater, a frog pond, lawns, gardens, and an RV park.

The 2026 public fair opens Thursday, May 14, and continues through Sunday, May 17. Thursday is Kids Day, Friday is Buckaroo Day, Saturday is Cattlemen’s Day, and Sunday is International Frog Jump Day.

Published 2026 fair information lists general admission in the approximate $13–$18 range, depending on the ticket type and day. Children 12 and under receive free admission all day Thursday. Friday provides a special $5 admission for seniors from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Carnival rides and some special activities can have separate charges.

The public schedule begins early each day because livestock shows and agricultural activities take place alongside the general fair program. Thursday’s gates open at 8:00 a.m., Friday and Saturday also begin at 8:00 a.m., and Sunday’s International Frog Jump Day begins with gates opening at 7:00 a.m.

History and Origins

The roots of the Calaveras County Fair reach back to 1893, when the first recorded county fair was held in Copperopolis. The event eventually moved to the Angels Camp area and developed into the long-running fair known today.

The frog-jumping tradition has a separate but closely connected history. In 1865, Mark Twain visited the Gold Country and heard a humorous story involving a frog named Dan’l Webster. Twain later transformed the story into his famous work, “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County,” helping place Angels Camp and Calaveras County on the literary map.

The first modern Jumping Frog Jubilee was held in Angels Camp in 1928 as a community celebration connected with the paving of Main Street. The frog-jumping competition became so popular that it eventually merged with the county fair. The two events were combined at the current fairgrounds in the 1930s, creating the unique annual celebration now known as the Calaveras County Fair and Jumping Frog Jubilee.

The current fairgrounds were established as the permanent home of the combined event in 1932, while the fair and frog jump were formally merged in 1937. This long history makes the Calaveras County event one of California’s longest-running county fairs.

Visitors comparing California county fair traditions can explore the Butte County California Fair Schedule alongside the Calaveras County California Fair Schedule to see how two northern California communities combine agriculture, youth programs, entertainment, and local heritage. Butte County’s fair in Gridley features livestock shows, 4-H and FFA activities, competitive exhibits, carnival attractions, live entertainment, MotoX racing, and a Destruction Derby, while Calaveras County’s fair in Angels Camp adds livestock competitions, agricultural exhibits, rodeo events, carnival rides, youth programs, and its internationally known Jumping Frog Jubilee. Comparing both schedules highlights how each community preserves its agricultural traditions while creating a distinctive annual fair experience for families, exhibitors, and visitors.

Agricultural Competitions and Livestock Shows

Agriculture remains an important part of the Calaveras County Fair even though the Frog Jump is its most internationally recognizable feature. The fair’s livestock program gives young exhibitors an opportunity to show animals, compete in showmanship, participate in sales, and demonstrate the agricultural skills they have developed throughout the year.

The 2026 schedule includes swine, sheep, goats, poultry, rabbits, cattle, replacement heifers, small animals, and other youth agricultural projects. Thursday begins with swine, sheep, goat, and poultry shows. Friday features swine showmanship, rabbits, replacement heifers, a heifer sale, beef cattle, pygmy and Nigerian Dwarf goats, and dairy goats.

Saturday is Cattlemen’s Day and includes Pee Wee Showmanship, a Small Animal Round Robin, the Breaking Boundaries Livestock Show, a Large Animal Round Robin, livestock awards, and other agricultural competitions.

The Junior Livestock Auction is held Sunday morning. Buyers’ registration and the Buyers’ Breakfast begin early, followed by the auction at 9:30 a.m. The auction gives local businesses, families, ranchers, and community supporters an opportunity to purchase animals raised by youth exhibitors while directly supporting agricultural education.

The fair’s agricultural program also extends beyond livestock. Horticulture, floriculture, wine, agricultural displays, farm accounts, agribusiness projects, and agricultural mechanics are included in the competitive exhibits program.

Fair Schedule Structure

The four-day 2026 schedule has a different emphasis on each day, allowing visitors to experience several sides of the fair.

Thursday, May 14, is Kids Day. Children 12 and under receive free admission, and the first 100 children receive a special gift. The day begins with livestock shows before moving into the Youth Parade in downtown Angels Camp. The fairgrounds then offer carnival rides, pony rides, magic shows, children’s activities, frog-jumping competitions, the Miss Calaveras Agriculture Pageant, youth ranch activities, and the Rodeo Queen program. The evening concludes with the crowning of the Calaveras Rodeo Queen and the Miss Calaveras Scholarship Pageant.

Friday, May 15, is Buckaroo Day. Livestock competitions continue with swine, rabbits, replacement heifers, beef cattle, and goats. The frog-jumping competition runs throughout the day, while visitors can also enjoy the carnival, pony rides, agricultural exhibits, children’s activities, Calaveras Idol, the Calaveras Legacy Ranch Rodeo, and other western-themed attractions. The evening features a performance by Pam Tillis.

Saturday, May 16, is Cattlemen’s Day. The day includes youth and livestock competitions, the Cattlemen’s Association BBQ, frog jumping, carnival attractions, children’s programs, the CCPRA rodeo, and other agricultural activities. The evening’s main arena program features the California Cowgirls Drill Team and the CCPRA Rodeo.

Sunday, May 17, is International Frog Jump Day. The Junior Livestock Auction begins in the morning, followed by the final rounds of frog jumping. The International Frog Jump Finals take place at 3:00 p.m. The fair concludes with the Friends of the Fair Gold Rush drawing and the Destruction Derby in the evening.

Entertainment, Rides, and Midway

The carnival is an important part of the Calaveras County Fair experience, particularly for families visiting Angels Camp during the four-day celebration. The carnival opens around midday on the main public fair days and provides rides and midway entertainment alongside the agricultural exhibits.

Children have additional attractions beyond the carnival. The schedule includes pony rides, pedal tractor pulls, magic performances, puzzle activities, children’s musical programs, the Cutest Show on Earth, caricatures, the History Hop Scavenger Hunt, and other family activities.

The fair also has several stages and entertainment areas, allowing different performances to take place at the same time. The Lawn Stage, Tom Sawyer Hall Stage, Ranch House, Main Stage, and Frogtown Arena each host different portions of the daily schedule.

Live entertainment is combined with traditional fair activities rather than replacing them. Visitors can move between livestock barns, exhibit halls, frog-jumping events, food vendors, carnival attractions, agricultural displays, and stage performances throughout the day.

Food and shopping are also part of the daily fair environment, with food vendors and commercial booths operating throughout the grounds. The fair’s wine pavilion provides another connection to the agricultural and wine-growing character of the surrounding Gold Country region.

Open Class and Amateur Competitions

The Calaveras County Fair has an extensive competitive exhibits program that allows residents to participate even if they are not involved in livestock. The 2026 entry guide includes adult and amateur departments covering home arts, hobbies and gifts, textiles, quilting, sewing, baked goods, preserved foods, arts and crafts, fine arts, photography, floral and horticulture, wine, and other creative categories.

Baking competitions include cakes, cookies, breads, pastries, pies, and other homemade foods. Preserved-food categories allow exhibitors to present jams, jellies, canned products, and other preserved items.

Textile competitions include crochet, hand knitting, embroidery, needlepoint, weaving, spinning, quilting, and sewing. Fine arts and photography provide additional opportunities for local artists and photographers to display their work.

The horticulture program is especially appropriate for the agricultural setting of Calaveras County. Flowers, plants, gardens, and cultivated products can be entered according to the applicable department rules.

Youth exhibitors have their own extensive program. Junior categories include home arts, textiles, baked goods, preserved foods, arts and crafts, photography, floriculture, natural science and wildlife, poetry and prose, farm records, industrial education, science, engineering, technology, and agricultural mechanics.

The 2026 guide requires most adult entries to be submitted by early April, while physical exhibit delivery takes place in May shortly before the fair. Horticulture and small-animal entries have separate deadlines.

Demolition Derby, Tractor Pulls, and Motorsport Events

The Destruction Derby is one of the major evening attractions of the Calaveras County Fair. The 2026 derby is scheduled for Sunday evening following the Friends of the Fair Gold Rush drawing. It provides a dramatic closing event after the International Frog Jump Finals and the final daytime activities.

The fair also includes western and arena competitions. The CCPRA Rodeo is scheduled for Saturday evening, with the California Cowgirls Drill Team appearing as part of the arena program. Friday features the Calaveras Legacy Ranch Rodeo, while other ranch and roping activities take place throughout the weekend.

Pedal tractor pulls are also included in the fair schedule, with children’s competitions taking place on multiple days. These are family-oriented agricultural activities rather than a full-size tractor-pull competition.

A traditional full-size tractor pull is not identified as a major 2026 grandstand event. Visitors should therefore distinguish the children’s pedal tractor pulls from professional tractor-pull competitions.

4-H and FFA Youth Programs

Youth agricultural education is an important part of the Calaveras County Fair. The competitive program includes junior departments, livestock activities, agricultural mechanics, science and technology, natural science, farm records, and other projects that encourage young residents to develop practical skills.

The livestock program provides opportunities for young exhibitors to raise animals and compete in showmanship, market, breeding, and other classes. Pee Wee Showmanship and other introductory competitions allow younger participants to become familiar with the livestock environment.

The Junior Livestock Auction provides the final stage of the youth livestock experience. Exhibitors present animals that they have cared for and prepared, while buyers support the young participants through purchases.

The fair also operates a Junior Fair Board program for local high school students. In 2026, eligible Calaveras County high school juniors and seniors could apply, with selected members expected to work at least four fair days and 20 hours. Junior Fair Board members receive fair-related benefits and gain direct experience in helping operate the event.

Youth participation therefore extends from agriculture and competition to leadership, event organization, public interaction, and community service.

Fairgrounds Facilities and Layout

The Calaveras County Fairgrounds cover approximately 71 acres and are designed to accommodate the unusually broad combination of livestock, exhibits, arena events, frog jumping, entertainment, and community activities.

The grounds include four exhibit halls and five livestock barns, as well as a large open arena with hillside seating. The property also features a permanent outdoor stage, natural amphitheater, vintage water wheel, frog pond, lawns, oak trees, an antique rose garden, a waterfall, a pond, and a demonstration vineyard.

Named fairground spaces such as Tom Sawyer Hall, Becky Thatcher Hall, Frogeteria, Cattlemen’s Park, Tower Pavilion, the Swine Ring, Rabbit Barn, Wine Pavilion, and Frogtown Arena each serve different parts of the fair schedule.

The Frog Spa is located beneath the Main Stage and gives visitors an opportunity to learn about the frogs participating in the competition. Frog welfare is an established part of the event’s management, and the fair maintains specific policies concerning the humane treatment of competition frogs.

The grounds also include an RV park with 64 spaces and full hookups, providing an important accommodation option for exhibitors and visitors who want to stay near the fairgrounds.

Getting There: Directions and Logistics

The Calaveras County Fairgrounds are located at 2465 Gun Club Road, Angels Camp, California 95222, in the Sierra foothills near historic Highway 49.

Angels Camp is closely associated with the fair, so visitors should expect increased traffic throughout the four-day weekend. The Youth Parade takes place in downtown Angels Camp on Thursday morning, while the fairgrounds themselves become busiest during the afternoon and evening when the carnival, livestock activities, frog competitions, rodeo, and other attractions overlap.

Visitors traveling to the fair should allow additional time for parking and entry, particularly on Saturday and Sunday. Sunday begins especially early because the Buyers’ Breakfast and Junior Livestock Auction take place before the International Frog Jump Finals.

Parking is separate from fair admission, and local information indicates that parking revenue supports the community’s AMA Youth Sports Program. Visitors should carry appropriate payment and follow the current parking directions when arriving.

The fairgrounds also accommodate livestock trailers, agricultural equipment, RVs, vendors, and event staff. General visitors should remain within public areas and follow signs around animal and exhibitor facilities.

Volunteer and Vendor Opportunities

The Calaveras County Fair depends heavily on volunteers and community organizations. Volunteer roles include helping with the Frog Jump, hosting exhibit buildings, assisting with the Junior Livestock Auction, maintaining the grounds, and operating shuttle services for visitors with mobility challenges.

The Frog Jump itself is supported by dedicated volunteers who help with registration, measuring, judging support, and the operation of the competition areas. Because the Frog Jump takes place across several days, volunteer coordination is an important part of keeping the event running smoothly.

In 2026, volunteers who worked at least four hours could receive additional gate admission benefits, while volunteers also received parking and entrance passes. Applications were due before the fair, reflecting the need to organize volunteers well before opening day.

Commercial vendors, food businesses, agricultural organizations, community groups, and sponsors also contribute to the event. The fair’s exhibit halls and outdoor spaces provide opportunities for businesses and organizations to interact directly with visitors.

The fair’s sponsor network includes agricultural, medical, financial, construction, communications, food, automotive, wine, ranching, and community organizations, demonstrating the wide range of local businesses connected to the annual celebration.

Economic and Community Impact

The Calaveras County Fair is one of the most important annual tourism and community events in Angels Camp and the wider county. The fair organization describes the event as attracting more than 30,000 visitors, while regional tourism information places typical attendance in the tens of thousands.

Visitors arriving for the four-day event contribute to local spending on accommodation, restaurants, fuel, shopping, entertainment, and other services in Angels Camp and surrounding Gold Country communities.

The fair also creates a direct economic connection through livestock auctions. Buyers support youth exhibitors while purchasing agricultural animals, keeping money within the local agricultural community and encouraging continued participation in 4-H, FFA, and youth livestock programs.

The competitive exhibits program creates another form of community participation. Local residents display their cooking, gardening, photography, art, crafts, textiles, wine, and agricultural products, turning individual skills into a public community exhibition.

The fair also helps preserve the historical identity of Angels Camp. The frog-jumping tradition connects the modern event to Mark Twain, the Gold Rush era, and the literary history of Calaveras County. This combination of agriculture, entertainment, history, and tourism makes the fair more than a standard carnival.

Comparing Calaveras County Fair to Nearby Fairs

The Calaveras County Fair stands apart from many California county fairs because its signature attraction is not a concert, carnival ride, or livestock event but an international frog-jumping competition.

The International Frog Jump gives the fair a direct connection to Mark Twain and the Gold Rush history of Angels Camp. Competitors participate throughout the four-day event, with the top 50 qualifying for the International Frog Jump Finals on Sunday afternoon.

At the same time, the fair retains the agricultural structure found at other California county fairs. Livestock shows, junior auctions, 4-H and FFA programs, horticulture, wine, home arts, photography, food competitions, horse and rodeo activities, and carnival rides all remain important.

Compared with the Amador County Fair farther north in the Sierra foothills, Calaveras has a more unusual historical identity because the entire fair is built around the Frog Jump tradition. Compared with larger urban California fairs, it has a smaller-town Gold Country character, with ranching, livestock, local businesses, community volunteers, and historic Angels Camp playing visible roles.

The combination of agriculture and literary heritage is what makes the Calaveras County Fair particularly distinctive. A visitor can watch a livestock auction in the morning, see a frog competition in the afternoon, attend a rodeo or live performance in the evening, and finish the weekend with a Destruction Derby.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the dates and hours of the Calaveras County Fair?

The 2026 Calaveras County Fair and Jumping Frog Jubilee runs from May 14 through May 17, 2026. Published schedules list the grounds operating approximately 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday, and 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Sunday. The 2027 fair is scheduled for May 13 through May 16.

Where is the Calaveras County Fair held?

The fair is held at the Calaveras County Fairgrounds, 2465 Gun Club Road, Angels Camp, California 95222. The fairgrounds are also commonly called Frogtown and are located in California’s Gold Country Sierra foothills.

How much does it cost to attend the Calaveras County Fair?

Published 2026 information places general admission in approximately the $13–$18 range, depending on ticket type and day. Children 12 and under receive free admission on Thursday, while Friday has a special $5 senior admission from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Carnival rides and certain activities may require additional payment.

Is there free parking at the Calaveras County Fair?

Parking is separate from admission and is not generally free. Parking revenue is used to support the local AMA Youth Sports Program. Visitors should follow the current fairground parking instructions and bring the appropriate payment method.

Can I bring my own food and drinks into the Calaveras County Fair?

Visitors should follow the fair’s current entry rules regarding outside food, beverages, alcohol, coolers, and containers. The fair provides food vendors throughout the grounds, with a wide selection of traditional fair food and local offerings.

How do I enter an item in competition at the Calaveras County Fair?

Exhibitors should review the current Calaveras County Fair Entry Guidebook and select the correct department and class. Adult and junior departments include baking, preserved foods, textiles, quilts, photography, fine arts, crafts, horticulture, wine, science, agricultural mechanics, and other categories. Most 2026 entry forms were due by April 4, with separate deadlines for horticulture and small-animal entries.

Is the Calaveras County Fair appropriate for young children?

Yes. The fair has a strong family focus. Thursday is Kids Day, and children 12 and under receive free admission that day. The fair also provides pony rides, children’s magic shows, pedal tractor pulls, the Cutest Show on Earth, children’s competitions, a kiddie carnival, frog activities, and youth agricultural programs.

Are pets allowed at the Calaveras County Fair?

Visitors should not assume ordinary pets are permitted on the fairgrounds. The fair has specific animal-entry rules, while service animals are handled under applicable accessibility requirements. Livestock and competition animals are admitted only as part of authorized fair programs.

Does the Calaveras County Fair have a demolition derby?

Yes. The Destruction Derby is scheduled for Sunday evening, May 17, 2026, following the Friends of the Fair Gold Rush drawing. It serves as the major closing motorsport attraction of the fair.

Who organizes the Calaveras County Fair?

The fair operates under the 39th District Agricultural Association, with fair management, staff, board members, volunteers, agricultural committees, youth organizations, sponsors, exhibitors, and community partners contributing to the event.

Is there camping available at the Calaveras County Fair fairgrounds?

Yes. The fairgrounds include an RV park with 64 spaces and full hookups. Fair-week camping availability can be limited because livestock exhibitors and other participants occupy the grounds before and throughout the event, so visitors should arrange camping in advance.

What happens if the fair is cancelled due to weather?

Weather can affect outdoor events, livestock activities, carnival operations, and arena programs. If severe conditions require an event to be cancelled, delayed, or changed, fair management can issue updated instructions. Visitors should check the current fair announcement before traveling when significant weather is expected.