The fairgrounds sit just south of downtown, on a large open site that also hosts a horse-racing track, the Hall of Flowers (a longstanding feature of the annual fair, famous for its themed floral displays), and a year-round programme of trade shows and concerts. The Sonoma County Fair itself runs for about two weeks in late July and early August and is one of the larger county fairs in California — worth timing a visit around if you are interested in livestock, rodeo, and small-town Americana.
Outside fair season the grounds are quiet but the racing season — limited but real, with thoroughbred meets in summer — draws a crowd from across the North Bay.