{"id":402202,"date":"2026-07-17T12:48:10","date_gmt":"2026-07-17T12:48:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/402202\/"},"modified":"2026-07-17T12:48:10","modified_gmt":"2026-07-17T12:48:10","slug":"california-state-fair-heat-safety-and-cooling-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/402202\/","title":{"rendered":"California State Fair heat safety and cooling tips"},"content":{"rendered":"

The California State Fair opens today, ready to provide fair-goers with not just a fun, but also a safe experience during Sacramento\u2019s hot summer.<\/p>\n

Beginning in 2027, the State Fair\u2019s traditional mid-summer dates will move to the fall in order to protect fair goers from the intense heat.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the last summer fair,\u201d said Alex Alcantar, Director of Marketing and Business Development for Cal Expo.<\/p>\n

The fair will see temperatures in the 90s for its first weekend, cooler than what the rest of the week has brought, it\u2019s important for fair goers to take the proper precautions in order to protect themselves from the heat.<\/p>\n

Jessica Barlow, Kaiser Permanente doctor of Emergency Medicine, provided the Sacramento Bee with the best ways to keep cool at the fair and tips to avoid heat exhaustion.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt gets hot, and it gets hot quickly,\u201d said Barlow. \u201cHeat injuries are a spectrum of injuries. So they start early with some signs of dehydration, so dry mouth. You can get some muscle cramping, and they can progress to very serious injuries. So it\u2019s important to catch these early.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"With With the Sky Ride in the background, a fountain shoots up in front of that chair lift at Cal Expo in Sacramento during the California State Fair media day on Wednesday, July 15, 2026. ZIYU JULIAN ZHU julian.zhu@sacbee.com <\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what to know:<\/p>\n

What are the signs of heat exhaustion? Heat stroke?<\/p>\n

Heat exhaustion<\/a> is a condition that results from your body overheating. It is a heat illness caused by exposure to high temperatures and strenuous physical activity. If not treated, heat exhaustion can result in heatstroke.<\/p>\n

When a person is experiencing heatstroke<\/a> their body\u2019s internal temperature rises to 104 F or higher, according to the Mayo Clinic. If not properly treated, heatstroke can quickly damage the brain, heart, kidneys and muscles.<\/p>\n

\u201cHeat stroke is a really life-threatening illness that you want to make sure you don\u2019t get to those points. You could lose consciousness. All sorts of things that can be really life-threatening for you,\u201d said Barlow.<\/p>\n

Children and older adults are at most risk of having a heat related illness, according to Barlow. Children in particular are unfamiliar with the signs of heat illness and require guardians to be diligent of their temperatures and hydration needs.<\/p>\n

\"Event Event staff take a lunch break during the California State Fair media day at Cal Expo in Sacramento on Wednesday, July 15, 2026. ZIYU JULIAN ZHU julian.zhu@sacbee.com <\/p>\n

Signs of heat exhaustion:<\/p>\n

Cool, moist skin with goose bumps when in the heat.Heavy sweating.Faintness.Dizziness.Fatigue.Weak, rapid pulse.Low blood pressure upon standing.Muscle cramps.Nausea.Headache. \"A A cooling fan sprays a mist of water during the California State Fair media day at Cal Expo in Sacramento on Wednesday, July 15, 2026. ZIYU JULIAN ZHU julian.zhu@sacbee.com <\/p>\n

Signs of heatstroke:<\/p>\n

High body temperatureChange in mental state or behaviorChange in sweating patternNausea and vomitingFlushed skinRapid breathingRacing heart rateHeadacheWhere can I cool off at the California State Fair?<\/p>\n

According to Barlow, the state fair has established several cooling spots that provide shade, fanned air and sunscreen to attendees. The fair has seven Cool Zones sponsored by Kaiser Permanente that can be found throughout the fair grounds. There are other cooling spots as well as seven water misters on the fair grounds.<\/p>\n

The fair also offers the White Water Flume Ride as part of its attractions. Roller coaster cars fashioned to resemble logs hold passengers who splash down at the bottom of the ride\u2019s water slide.<\/p>\n

\"A A cooling station for extreme heat during the California State Fair media day at Cal Expo in Sacramento on Wednesday, July 15, 2026. ZIYU JULIAN ZHU julian.zhu@sacbee.com What can I do to prevent heat exhaustion?<\/p>\n

In order to prevent heat exhaustion, people should come prepared with water bottles, light and airy clothing and take plenty of breaks between activities, according to Barlow.<\/p>\n

People going to the fair are reminded to wear plenty of sunscreen and stay hydrated. It\u2019s also important to watch for signs of heat illness in themselves and loved ones and react to the warning signs right away. Barlow said these precautions are in place to ensure that attendees can safely experience all that the fair has to offer.<\/p>\n

\u201cHave fun, enjoy the venue, but make sure that you take those breaks. There\u2019s plenty to do, plenty to see, but to make those stops along the way, it\u2019s really wonderful.\u201d<\/p>\n

Loading\u2026<\/p>\n

Related Stories from Sacramento Bee<\/p>\n


\n \"Profile
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado<\/a><\/p>\n

The Sacramento Bee<\/p>\n

Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado is a service journalism reporter at The Sacramento Bee. She previously worked at the Star Democrat in Annapolis, Maryland. Veronica graduated from Georgetown University with a master\u2019s degree in journalism.\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The California State Fair opens today, ready to provide fair-goers with not just a fun, but also a…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":402203,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[7,9,8],"class_list":["post-402202","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-california","tag-california","tag-california-headlines","tag-california-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/402202","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=402202"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/402202\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/402203"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=402202"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=402202"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=402202"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}