National Orange Show Event Center – Overview

The National Orange Show Event Center in San Bernardino, California, is a truly one-of-a-kind facility. It features a variety of unique venues, ranging from an intimate banquet hall to a 40,000-square-foot multipurpose building, a quarter-mile speedway, and more. This allows the National Orange Show Event Center to host many different kinds of events.

With so much to offer, it’s no wonder why the National Orange Show Event Center has become one of the area’s most popular gathering places. Every year it hosts the famous National Orange Show Citrus Fair as well as concerts from artists like The Chainsmokers, Reba McEntire, and Wiz Khalifa. The National Orange Show Event Center also hosts weddings, races, trade shows, and more.

Whether you’ll be hosting or attending an event at the National Orange Show Event Center, you’re probably interested in learning more about this standout SoCal event space. If that’s the case, read on for a detailed overview of the facility along with some helpful tips and interesting facts.

Overview

Located on over 120 acres: Encompassing 120 acres in the heart of San Bernardino, the National Orange Show Event Center can accommodate more than 65,000 attendees. There’s also enough room to park approximately 8,000 cars. The facility is flanked to the east by Inland Center, a popular regional shopping mall.
150,000 square feet of indoor exhibit space: The National Orange Show Event Center offers 150,000 square feet of indoor exhibit space divided amongst six clear span buildings. These buildings range in size from 3,400 to 40,000 square feet. Being able to choose from a variety of buildings makes planning an event at the National Orange Show Event Center a breeze.
Citrus: The Citrus building is one of the National Orange Show Event Center’s most versatile spaces. It provides 24,300 square feet of space, which can fit up to 3,500 people. Due to its size and permanent stage, the Citrus building is often used as one of the National Orange Show Event Center’s go-to concert venues.
Damus: With over 40,000 square feet of space, the Damus building is the largest multipurpose structure on the property of the National Orange Show Event Center. It has a 5,000-person capacity and features a permanent concessions stand. The Damus building is often used to host sporting events, car shows, concerts, and more.
The Dome: In terms of appearance, The Dome is one of the National Orange Show Event Center’s most unique spaces. It is a circular, retro-style building with a domed roof, which reaches 38 feet at its highest point. With 11,000 square feet of space, The Dome is ideal for banquets, receptions, quinceañeras, dances, and other elegant functions.
L’Orange: At only 3,400 square feet, the L’Orange room is an intimate venue well-suited for banquets, receptions, and small business meetings. If more space is needed, the L’Orange room can be used in conjunction with the adjacent Renaissance room. Paneled windows on the north and west sides of the room fill the space with natural light while offering views of the National Orange Show Event Center’s scenic one-acre lagoon and outdoor patio.
Renaissance: The Renaissance room offers slightly more space than the adjacent L’Orange room at 8,400 square feet. Like the L’Orange room, it also features views of the facility’s lagoon. This scenic view, paired with elegant décor and amenities like a stage, dance floor, and dressing rooms, make the Renaissance room a favorite for weddings, corporate parties, banquets, and quinceañeras.
Lagoon: Lagoon is the National Orange Show Event Center’s premier outdoor space. Encompassing 45,000 square feet of space, it can host events of all sizes. A one-acre lagoon is both the namesake and centerpiece of the space. The lagoon is equipped with three fountains that can be turned on whenever an extra bit of pizzazz is needed. On hot summer days, attendees can take refuge under the shade of the tall trees dotted around Lagoon.
Orange Pavilion: The Orange Pavilion is one of the National Orange Show Event Center’s most popular venues, and for good reason. It offers 32,000 square feet of space along with amenities like a stage flanked by sound wings, a permanent concessions stand, and dressing rooms. Functions commonly held in the Orange Pavilion include large-scale banquets, trade shows, concerts, and sporting events.
Valencia: The Valencia building features a 12,000-square-foot ballroom that can be divided into three separate breakout ballrooms. Each of the breakout ballrooms offers 3,400 square feet of space. From the ceiling hang ornate chandeliers, which provide the ballroom with an ambient glow perfectly suited for elegant events.
National Orange Show Martin A. Matich Sports Center: The National Orange Show Sports Center is a state-of-the-art facility designed to bring the action and excitement of major horse races like the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes to San Bernardino. These races are broadcast live on the three 100-foot screens in the Sports Center’s 260-seat teletheater. Other major sporting events broadcast at the Sports Center include the Super Bowl, the World Series, and the NBA Finals. In addition to the teletheater, the Sports Center also features a bar, restaurant, and VIP section.
Backstretch: The Backstretch is the VIP section of the National Orange Show Sports Center. With 4,000 square feet of space and a private bar, the Backstretch can serve a variety of purposes.
The Catch: Located inside the National Orange Show Sports Center, The Catch is the facility’s only on-site restaurant. It is open from Thursday to Sunday as well as select Mondays and Wednesdays. The Catch serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. On the menu you’ll find dishes ranging from a breakfast burrito to more than five types of burgers.
National Orange Show Art Gallery: The National Orange Show Art Gallery was established in 2012 with the intention of periodically exhibiting the historic Orange Show Art Collection. However, it is also available for use by art groups and individuals looking to exhibit their work, host talks and signings, and so on.
Orange Show Speedway: Opened in 1947, the Orange Show Speedway is one of the National Orange Show Event Center’s oldest venues. It is also considered to be the longest continually running racetrack on the West Coast. This quarter-mile track regularly hosts various stock car divisions, such as late model and street stock.

Tips

Park as close to the facility as possible. With enough space to park up to 8,000 cars, the parking lot at the National Orange Show Event Center is huge. Like, really huge. Because of its staggering size, some parts of the lot have become somewhat neglected over the years. These more derelict parts of the lot have cracks in the pavement, which can pose a tripping hazard. Park close to the part of the facility your event is taking place in and you’ll be more likely to avoid an accident.
Lock your car and hide or remove any valuables. Although the National Orange Show Event Center is located in fairly safe section of San Bernardino, past visitors have reported having their cars broken into and possessions stolen. That probably won’t happen to you, but air on the side of caution just to be safe. Double-check that all of your car doors are locked and you haven’t left anything valuable in plain sight. Also, don’t park in any lots other than the one at National Orange Show Event Center unless you absolutely have to.
Bring a portable charger. Electrical outlets, especially ones that aren’t currently in use, can be hard to come by at the National Orange Show Event Center. So, if your phone’s battery tends to drain quickly, bring a portable charger instead of just a power adapter. Otherwise you might get stuck having to charge your phone far from where your event is being held.
If your event is taking place outdoors, be sure to wear sunscreen. This tip is a bit of a no-brainer, but important nonetheless. Being that San Bernardino is located in Southern California, visitors to the National Orange Show Event Center should anticipate sky-high temps and non-stop sunshine. While outside, apply sunscreen regularly. A nasty sunburn is not the kind of souvenir you want to bring back home.
Consider bringing a warm article of clothing. On the other hand, the temperature in San Bernardino can get quite chilly once the sun goes down. If you know you won’t be leaving the National Orange Show Event Center until nighttime, bring a jacket or sweatshirt to help keep you warm when you head back outside. This goes double for attendees who will be waiting for an Uber, Lyft, or other ridesharing service to come pick them up.
If possible, leave early to avoid traffic. As you could imagine, a parking lot filled with nearly 8,000 cars can take quite a while to empty out. Leaving your event just a little bit sooner than everyone else will help put you ahead of the dreaded gridlock created by a sea of cars all trying to exit the lot at the same time.

Trivia

The National Orange Show’s roots can be traced all the way back to 1889. It’s certainly safe to say that the National Orange Show and the event center that bears its name have had a long and storied history. 1889 was the first year the Orange Show took place in San Bernardino. Before then, similar citrus fairs had been held in the nearby cities of Colton, Riverside, and Los Angeles. The first Orange Show was a resounding success for San Bernardino, as were all the ones that followed. It went national in 1911 and a permanent location for the show was selected in 1923. This location would go on to become the home of the National Orange Show Event Center, which got its current name in the 1990s as part of an effort to clarify the image and purpose of the facility.
The National Orange Show Event Center has hosted a variety of major events. Considering that the National Orange Show Event Center has been around for almost a century, it should come as little to no surprise that many major events have taken place there throughout the years. One of these events is, of course, the National Orange Show Citrus Fair, which takes place annually. In its current incarnation, the Citrus Fair runs for five days in the beginning of May and features rides, contests, local vendors, educational activities, and more. The Swing Auditorium, a now-defunct indoor arena once located on the grounds of the National Orange Show, famously held The Rolling Stone’s first American concert. Other legendary artists who graced the stage at the Swing Auditorium include The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Led Zeppelin, Fleetwood Mac, and Willie Nelson.