Spend a day walking through a story

In a 23 October press release, the organiser introduced this year’s mix of Dickens characters, carols, street theatre and dancing. You can learn to dance at Fezziwig’s party from A Christmas Carol, talk with performers and browse the craft shops throughout the day. A photo area using an actual hot-air balloon and basket is also planned just inside the entrance this year. This is a photo opportunity; it does not include a balloon ride.

Choose your visiting day first: the fair is not open daily

Visiting days are Saturdays and Sundays between 21 November and 20 December, plus Friday 27 November. Opening hours are 10:00–18:00, and all times are California Pacific Standard Time (PST). Twilight tickets provide entry after 15:00, so choose an all-day ticket if you want to see earlier performances.

Book online for your age group and arrival time

Prices shown on the official ticket page are below. All amounts are in US dollars, and the listed totals include ticket-platform and card fees.

TicketBase priceListed total
All day, ages 13 and over$50.00$56.56
All day, ages 5–12$30.00$35.86
After 15:00, ages 13 and over$35.00$41.04
After 15:00, ages 5–12$20.00$25.51

Children under five enter free. There is no on-site box office, so use the online booking linked from the official website. Daily attendance is limited, making it sensible to book your preferred date early.

Admission includes performances; plan separately for tastings and experiences

Performances within the fair are included in admission. The Sherlock Holmes mystery experience is also included and does not require a separate reservation. Port & Chocolate Tasting and Gin Tasting are separate paid experiences for ages 21 and over, requiring a reservation and photo ID. The Jekyll & Hyde Pub Crawl is another separate product and does not include admission to the fair. Set separate budgets for food, shopping and optional experiences so that you can enjoy your visit at ease.

Check refund and date-change conditions too

Tickets are non-refundable under the official booking conditions. Regular tickets can, however, be given as gifts or transferred to another person. Before your visiting day, you can use your TicketSpice account to change to another date with availability, but check availability and any additional charges. According to the FAQ, self-service changes are no longer possible after 19:00 on the ticketed day. A change through customer support costs $10 for adults or $5 for younger visitors. If your plans change, check the process before your visiting day has passed.

Check these details before your visit

Victorian-style clothing is optional. Comfortable shoes are enough to enjoy the day. Car parking costs $20 per vehicle and is separate from admission. The stage-schedule page still shows 2025 performance times and says the 2026 schedule will be published later, so check the latest programme shortly before visiting.

Start planning your visit now.

APPLICATION

Before attending

Cow Palace Exhibition Halls, Daly City, California, USA. Saturdays and Sundays from 21 November to 20 December 2026, plus Friday 27 November, 10:00–18:00 PST. Twilight admission starts after 15:00. Children under five enter free. Paid tickets are available only through official online booking and are non-refundable. Date changes depend on availability, timing and fee conditions.

Check the latest information

No booking was completed and availability for every date was not established. The detailed 2026 stage schedule has not yet been published; the 2025 schedule currently shown was not treated as this year's programme. Recheck the final checkout total and experience availability before buying.

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