Santa Rosa’s central location in Sonoma County made the Fairgrounds a good ‘extra date’ for bands. Many groups added a Thursday or Sunday in Santa Rosa due to its proximity to San Francisco.

On July 21, 1967 The Yardbirds performed here during the Sonoma County Fair. About 4,000 fans watched them perform, a rather large amount for the relatively small community.

Some other bands that played here are: Quicksilver Messenger Service, Moby Grape, Canned Heat, The Animals, Big Brother, Steppenwolf and Iron Butterfly.