Apple Pies and Starry Skies Chosen as 2026 Santa Cruz County Fair Theme

The nostalgic theme will be featured in all advertising and promotional materials for this year's fair.

Published on Feb. 5, 2026

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The Santa Cruz County Fair has chosen 'Apple Pies and Starry Skies' as the official theme for its 2026 event, tying in two quintessential American pastimes - enjoying apple pie and stargazing. The theme was selected from nearly 100 submissions, and will be used across all advertising and promotional materials for the fair, which runs from September 16-20.

Why it matters

The 2026 Santa Cruz County Fair will coincide with America's 250th birthday, so the fair organizers were looking for a theme that captured the spirit of Americana. The chosen 'Apple Pies and Starry Skies' theme does just that, highlighting classic American symbols and nostalgia.

The details

Randy Fong's theme of 'Apple Pies and Starry Skies' was selected by a team of fair staff and volunteers from nearly 100 submissions. The theme will be featured prominently in all advertising and promotional materials for the 2026 Santa Cruz County Fair. In addition to the theme selection, the fair will also host a Poster Art Contest where people can submit artwork to be used as the official fair poster.

  • The 2026 Santa Cruz County Fair will take place from September 16-20.
  • The fair's Poster Art Contest details, including deadlines and criteria, will be announced at a later date.

The players

Randy Fong

The individual who submitted the winning 'Apple Pies and Starry Skies' theme for the 2026 Santa Cruz County Fair.

Santa Cruz County Fair

The annual county fair held in Santa Cruz, California that selected the 'Apple Pies and Starry Skies' theme for its 2026 event.

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What they’re saying

“Fairs can be so fun. I thought that coming up with the official tagline for the Fair would be pretty cool.”

— Randy Fong (santacruzsentinel.com)

What’s next

The fair will announce details, including deadlines and criteria, for the Poster Art Contest at a later date.

The takeaway

The 'Apple Pies and Starry Skies' theme for the 2026 Santa Cruz County Fair captures the spirit of Americana, tying in classic symbols like apple pie and stargazing as the county fair celebrates the nation's 250th birthday. The theme selection and upcoming Poster Art Contest demonstrate the fair's efforts to engage the community and create a memorable event.