Let's be honest: The top attraction at the Pima County Fair this year and every year is the food.
It's a freak show of ingredients that should never go together, but some mad scientists in an underground laboratory kitchen have tinkered and toyed until they came upon the perfect balance of sweet, spicy, salty and savory all in one bite.
Without further ado, here's what tasty, seemingly mismatched and totally anticipated fair food awaits you at the 2026 Pima County Fair, April 16-26:
Foreign flavors and trends are taking center stage at this year’s Pima County fair food lineup.
Yes, that means Dubai chocolate.
You can expect to see cups full of ripe strawberries covered in the Dubai chocolate mixture, a combination of silky dark chocolate, pistachio creme and kataifi (shredded phyllo dough).
“It’s probably going to be one of the biggest sellers on the entire fairgrounds,” said Dominic Palmieri from RCS, the Phoenix-area company behind the fair food and midway rides. “The combination of the flavors are remarkable.”
You’ll be able to find this viral treat at Kidland or at the Swirl ice cream stand on the main midway.
The Dubai chocolate strawberry cup: Ruby red strawberries topped with warm, silky, dark Belgian-style chocolate, then topped again with Italian pistachio cream and kataifa (shredded phyllo dough).
Can’t get enough of Dubai chocolate? Palmieri said they will also be serving fried Oreos topped with the same Dubai chocolate mixture.
Living in Tucson, most people have likely had chicharrons before, whether they are nestled in between a flour tortilla or fried and served with a side of guacamole. But, have you ever tried them on top of pizza?
This year, Enzo’s Pizzeria will be introducing the pork-a-palooza slice: a New York-style pizza that’s topped with pepperoni, sausage, crispy chicharron and topped with a drizzle of Sriracha sauce.
A slice of All Pork New York Style Pizza topped with pepperoni, sausage and crispy chicharron (fried pork skins), then finished with a drizzle of Sriracha sauce.
The next new savory item comes from across the world. While Palmieri was visiting his son in Amsterdam, he noticed various French fry stands that sold crispy fries covered in black truffle mayonnaise and parmesan cheese.
Thus, the idea for Dutch fries was born.
If you head to the Biggy’s stand on the main midway, you’ll be able to order these fries, which come double-fried to ensure extra crispiness and, of course, topped with the black truffle mayonnaise and parmesan cheese.
“We debuted them at the Houston livestock show last month and it was very, very popular,” Palmieri said.
All the way from Amsterdam, “The Dutch Fries” have been a huge hit with foodies. Double-crispy French fries tossed in Parmesan cheese and topped with black truffle mayo and a little Italian parsley to brighten.
If you’re looking for a sweet, refreshing treat, look no further than their candied watermelon slices.
This fan favorite from last year will be back. You’ll receive a giant slice of fresh watermelon that’s wrapped in Fruit Roll-Ups and finished off with a drizzle of chamoy and a sprinkle of Tajin for a spicy kick.
Let's be fair: It's also the thrill of the ride
And when it comes to the fair, "spectacular" rides — bigger, higher, faster, more exhilarating — rule the midway.
Ray Cammack Shows out of Phoenix, which supplies the rides for fairs around the state and beyond, is bringing three such rides to the Pima County Fair's collection of Ferris wheels, roller coasters and assortment of rides that feature swings and carts that whip, hurl, twirl and toss riders about at heart-stopping speeds.
"We try to create the perfect mix of apectacular thrill rides, rides that all of the family can enjoy together, and smaller children-only rides," said RCS's Sam Brooks.
The trio of new rides includes two that RCS rolled out last year and one that is spanking new for 2026.
The Aviator is a 175-foot swing tower that spins riders at more than 30 mph.
"All three have proven very popular with the public and have far exceeded all of our expectations," Brooks said.
- The Aviator: Billed as the largest swing tower in the U.S., it stands 175 feet tall and spins at more than 30 mph. RCS introduced it at the Arizona State Fair last fall.
"We're really excited about The Aviator," said Launa Rabago, the Pima County Fair's longtime entertainment and marketing manager. "I mean, it's 175 feet up in the air and you swing around on it. I don't know that I'm going to feel brave enough to try it myself, but I'll certainly be there with a camera watching everybody else."
RCS was the first to introduce this U.K. import, Sound Storm, to American fairgoers when they rolled it out at the Arizona State Fair last fall.
- The Sound Storm: RCS was the first to introduce this high-speed waltzer to American fairgoers when it imported it from the U.K. last year, just in time for the Arizona State Fair last fall. The ride is described as an intense, high-energy take on the Tilt-A-Whirl, featuring rapid spinning cars that whip around beneath a bed of industrial fog and flashing LED strobe lights to the soundtrack of loud music.
- Air Raid: Those folks in the U.K. sure know how to scare the bejesus out of you. This ride, one of the first true thrill rides when it was created in 1939, has evolved over the years into an intense experience in which your car is going to twirl around in multiple directions, flipping and flopping as it climbs the 118-foot tower at high speeds, giving riders a 4G experience.
This one, Air Raid, flips and flops you as it climbs the 118-foot tower.
The trio joins a long list of thrill rides on the midway, including Zero Gravity, the Zipper, G Force, Titan and Mach 1.
RCS is bringing a new ride for the little kids, as well. Frog Hop is the kid-friendly version of a drop-tower ride. Instead of a heart-stopping, lightning-speed drop from some unimaginable height, Frog Hop goes just 15 to 20 feet in the air before descending in a series of controlled bouncy stops.
Most kiddie rides cost three to five tickets; big kid/adult rides run an average of six to seven, while "spectacular" rides run as high as 14 tickets. For a complete list of rides and prices, visit rcsfun.com.
And for some, it's all about the rock and the roll
When the sun goes down, the lights come up on the Michelob Ultra Stage where classic rock and R&B meet rockin' country and rock en español.
Pima County Fair has a long tradition going back to the early 1900s of bringing in top-notch live entertainment. The nightly concert series featuring big-name bands and artists of all genres goes back a few decades and has featured notable names, including Megadeth, Brett Michaels, Boys II Men, Neon Trees, Ludacris, Everclear, Steve Aoki, Jackyl, Cheap Trick, War, The Commodores, Los Tigres del Norte and Voz de Mando as headliners.
Midland, whose lead singer Mark Wystrach is a Sonoita native, plays the fair at 8 p.m. Saturday, April 18.
Depending on the artist, the fair can fill its concert grounds to its 5,800 capacity; on slower nights, you'll see the sprawling concert grounds loosely filled.
The reserved seats are long gone for Stone Temple Pilots, the 1990s alternative rock band playing the second night of the Pima County Fair concert series on Friday.
"We get really good attendance. When a concert does well, it does really well," said Rabago, who is working her 26th Pima County Fair. "If it's a good concert, we will get 5,000 to 6,000 people."
Some nights, like Mondays and Tuesdays, tend to be slower than the Thursdays-Sundays. Which is why this year, for the first time, the fair has booked a popular band to headline back-to-back shows.
Chevelle is playing the Pima County Fair on April 24.
Yächtley Crëw, the California cover band that specializes in soft rock from the 1970s-'80s, headlines April 20-21.
Brett Young is one of two country acts in the 2026 Pima County Fair concert series.
Admission to the concerts is free with paid fair admission, but you can upgrade to a reserved seat for $25.
"The thing that we're so proud of is being able to offer these shows at $13," Rabago said. "I don't know of any other property or fair or concert venue that would be able to offer a Midland concert for $13."
When Midland, the country band whose lead singer is from Sonoita, played Tucson Arena last year, tickets started at $35.
The lineup:
Grammy-nominated regional Mexican band Los Tucanes de Tijuana closes out the Pima County Fair concert series on April 26.
- On-again/off-again DJ duo Dillstradamus (Dillon Francis and Flosstradamus) blend trap, house and high-energy EDM in their live shows; 8 p.m. Thursday, April 16.
- Reserved seats are all gone for 1990s Cali rockers Stone Temple Pilots, 8 p.m. Friday, April 17.
- You'll have to settle for the general admission lawn to see country band Midland at 8 p.m. Saturday, April 18; all reserved seats were snatched up a week after the lineup was announced.
- The fair is going old school with the "Rhythm and Beats Revival" at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, April 19, featuring Juicy J, Tech N9ne, Gemini and Paula DeAnda.
- Yacht rock cover band extraordinaire Yächtley Crêw is on the mainstage at 7:30 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, April 20-21.
- Contemporary Christian singer-songwriter Matthew West performs at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 22.
- "Flow Jam 2026" brings hip-hop and R&B with That Mexican OT, Kid Ink, DQ Quik, Treach Naughty by Nature, Amanda Perez, Karlaa, Coyote for Hire at 8 p.m. April 23.
- Upgraded seats for post-grunge alt-rockers Chevelle at 8 p.m. April 24 are gone.
- The GA lawn section is your best bet for country singer Brett Young at 8 p.m. April 25; reserved seats are long gone.
- Los Tucanes de Tijuana is sure to deliver an energetic sendoff for the 2026 Pima County Fair on April 26.
The when and where and how much
The Pima County Fair runs April 16-26 at the Pima County Fairgrounds, 11300 S. Houghton Road. Gates open weekdays at 3 p.m., 11 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
Tickets, available online at pimacountyfair.com/tickets, are $13, $8 for military, seniors and children 6-10; 5 and under get in free. Parking is $8.
Ways to save a few bucks
- Admission is free Sundays until noon with a donation of three cans of unopened food.
- It's "$8 Monday" on April 20.
- Rides are $3 until 6 p.m. April 21.
- Buy five games for $15 on April 16, 22 and 23.
- Bring an unopened 20-ounce Pepsi and get $5 off the $40 wristband on April 16, 22 and 23.
- There's $3 menu items and draft beer until 5 p.m. April 20-22.
- Download the Pima County Fair app on your phone and show it to Piggly's to get a free order of Piggly from weekdays until 6 p.m. (Piggly's also has $9.99 meal deals that include a sandwich, fries and a drink.)
