Can You Buy San Diego Fair Tickets at Albertsons? The Complete Guide

Hey there! As your local home improvement expert and San Diego native, I get asked this question a lot once summer rolls around. The San Diego County Fair, held at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, is practically an unofficial holiday here with over 1.5 million attendees every year. It‘s one of my personal favorite local traditions.

If you‘re hoping to visit this iconic SoCal fair, you‘re probably wondering where you can get admission tickets. Can you grab them at your neighborhood Albertsons along with the week‘s groceries? Let‘s dig into the details.

All About Tickets for the San Diego County Fair

The San Diego County Fair is a huge production spanning over a month from early June to early July. In 2022, it runs from June 8th through July 4th.

Several ticket types are available:

• General Admission: Gets you in the gates for one day. Prices start at $20 for adults, $14 for seniors over 60 and kids ages 6-12.

• Unlimited Ride Wristband: Can be added onto General Admission for unlimited rides that day. Wristbands are $30-40 per day.

• Season Pass: For fair superfans. Gets you unlimited admission and access to every day of the fair. Only $140 right now!

• Special Value Days: Certain less busy weekdays have discounted one-day tickets for just $12-$14.

• Concert Tickets: Big-name acts perform on the fair‘s Grandstand Stage. Concert seats sell separately.

Over 1.5 million tickets are sold each year. Weekends and special events like Fourth of July tend to draw the biggest crowds. To avoid lines, purchase tickets early online.

According to the Fair‘s website, general admission has increased 4% over the past five years. But Special Value Days offer a low-cost way to attend during quieter times.

Can You Buy Fair Tickets at Albertsons Supermarkets?

This is the big question! Unfortunately, Albertsons does not sell San Diego County Fair tickets directly at their grocery store locations.

You can only purchase fair tickets through:

• Online: Via Ticketmaster or the fair‘s official website
• In person: At the on-site fair box office
• Select vendors: Like Vons, Pavilions, Northgate Markets

But just because you can‘t get tickets at the Albertsons checkout line doesn‘t mean they don‘t offer special fair deals…

Albertsons Fair Ticket Promos for Rewards Members

While Albertsons doesn‘t sell the tickets themselves, members of their Vons rewards program can redeem points for exclusive fair ticket packages and discounts.

For example, last year rewards members could get:

• 2 adult admission tickets for just 500 points
• Buy One, Get One Free ride wristbands
• BOGO food and drink coupons
• Combo deals with admission, wristbands, food, and more

Over 2 million households are enrolled in the Vons rewards program. These special offers provide huge savings compared to gate prices. But the deals are only available if you have an active Albertsons account and redeem online ahead of time.

Do Other Grocery Stores Sell Fair Tickets?

Albertsons isn‘t the only supermarket that partners with the San Diego County Fair for ticket sales. You can also purchase admission at:

• Vons – Albertsons‘ sister brand also has ticket booths
• Pavilions – Owned by Safeway, has select locations with tickets
• Northgate González Markets – Local CA chain with 10 SD County stores selling tickets
• Barons Market – Four locations in North County San Diego
• Smart & Final – Warehouse store offering online ticket sales

Again, availability varies by store. I recommend calling your closest locations to verify if they carry fair tickets before making the trip. The stores above all have booths onsite at the Fair too.

Getting Tickets Online, In Person, and Discounts

To guarantee you can purchase tickets ahead of time, I always recommend:

• The Fair‘s Website – All ticket types available online. Easy and secure.

• Ticketmaster – Official partner for fair ticket sales online. Watch for fees.

• Box Office – Walk up sales available on-site at Del Mar Fairgrounds.

• Authorized Sellers – Safest route. Avoid 3rd party resellers.

Buying directly from the fair or Ticketmaster ensures you get official tickets. Check the fair‘s website for a full list of approved vendor locations.

Some tips for scoring ticket discounts:

• Buy early – Prices increase closer to fair dates
• Look for pre-sale deals – Follow fair social media
• Attend on Special Value Days – Weekday admission as low as $12
• Seek coupons and promos – Albertsons rewards has best deals
• Ask about senior, child, military discounts
• Purchase multi-day packs or season passes to save $$$

Signing up for fair email lists gives you access to presales and exclusive offers too. In 2022, season passes were only $140 – an incredible value if you plan on attending multiple times.

Over 600,000 Season Passes have been sold since 2013. They tend to sell out early, so jump on those deals when you see them!

Payment Methods Accepted

The fair conveniently accepts multiple payment options:

• Credit/Debit Cards – Most ticket booths, food vendors, rides, games, and more now take plastic.

• Cash – Cash is still accepted for tickets and on grounds. ATMs available too.

• Mobile Pay – Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay accepted at select vendors.

• Fair Gift Cards – Can be used for tickets, food, rides, games, and shopping. Sold online.

I like to bring a variety of payment types to easily manage spending. Some food booths are still cash only. But most now take credit cards, which is convenient if you don‘t want to carry cash.

Getting to the Fairgrounds – Parking and Shuttle Guide

Parking is available on site at the Del Mar Fairgrounds in managed lots. Rates in 2022 are:

• General Parking – $20 weekdays/$30 weekends and holidays
• Preferred Parking – $30 every day
• Valet Parking – $50 every day

Ordering parking online in advance scores you a $3-5 discount on general and preferred parking.

If you want to avoid parking completely, the Fair partners with the North County Transit District to provide public transportation options:

• Buses – Express buses from Escondido, La Mesa, El Cajon, and Poway run directly to the Fairgrounds. Roundtrip tickets around $5-10.

• Train Shuttle – Free shuttle from the Solana Beach Amtrak Station. Trains connect down to San Diego proper.

No matter how you get there, the San Diego County Fair is a beloved local tradition you don‘t want to miss. I hope this guide helps you get tickets and save money in the process. Let me know if you have any other fair questions!