State fairs have been an American institution ever since the first one was held in Syracuse in New York in 1841. They were a showcase for local agriculture and industry as well as a chance for rural folk to enjoy some 'big city' thrills. These days the appeal is more nostalgic, with the fairs representing the best 'old fashioned' entertainment for the whole family.
Read on to discover the best state or country fair in your state for fairground thrills, music legends and deep-fried treats on a stick...
Also known as the “10 Best Days of Fall”, the Alabama National Fair in Montgomery has been promoting Alabama industry, agriculture and livestock and encouraging artistic and cultural pursuits among local citizens of all ages since 1954. It was started by the Kiwanis Club of Montgomery after war and economic troubles had seen other fairs and agricultural exhibitions in the state all but disappear. Even now, members of the club and their families volunteer at the fair to make it the success it is today.
Held at the end of August, the Alaska State Fair in Palmer is regarded as a ‘last hurrah’ before summer gives way to the state’s long cold winters. Thousands of fairgoers gather at the foot of the Chugach Mountains to enjoy concerts, carnival rides and food from hundreds of vendors selling uniquely Alaskan items. The fair is also famous for its giant vegetables, including a world record-breaking 127-pound (57.6kg) cabbage in 2009 and this 2,051-pound (930.3kg) pumpkin, grown by Dale Marshal of Anchorage in 2019.
The Arizona State Fair was first held in 1884 and was a territory fair before Arizona was even a state. Despite various interruptions caused by cotton crop failures, the Great Depression, First World War, Second World War and the COVID-19 pandemic, the fair continues to be one of the top five state fairs in the country by yearly attendance, drawing more than one million visitors annually. In 2023 alone, 1,445,194 visitors streamed through the gates, eating over 80,000 turkey legs, and winning over 204,000 plush toys.
Created by the Arkansas Livestock Show Association to showcase the state’s growing livestock industry, the Arkansas State Fair has always been a chance for rural Arkansans to come to the 'big city' and experience thrilling rides and exciting shows. Roy Rogers, the singing cowboy, made an appearance in 1939. And in 1961, the cast of the popular TV show Gunsmoke dropped by (pictured). Since then, the fair has gone from strength to strength, with 2023 seeing a record attendance of 554,291 people.
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The first California State Fair was held in San Francisco in 1854 with cattle being judged in the grounds of Mission Dolores, a historic church complex built by the Spanish. It moved to Sacramento a few years later and is now held in the purpose-built Cal Expo fairgrounds. It continues to celebrate the Golden State’s diverse agricultural bounty, but you’ll also enjoy a generous helping of rides, entertainment, sports, and typically Californian culinary diversions like a homebrew competition (pictured) and similar competitions for wines, olive oils and cheeses.
Promising “Mountains of Fun”, the Colorado State Fair has been held annually in Pueblo since 1872. Farmers and ranchers attended to display their products, see new technologies and techniques, and buy livestock. Others come to learn about agriculture or enjoy the rodeo. While carnival rides and food stalls have become increasingly popular, the horse show remains the beating heart of the fair, with local cowpokes showcasing their very impressive skills.
Connecticut doesn’t have a state fair as such. But it does have plenty of country fairs, offering agricultural displays and family fun in small communities across the state. Operating since 1979, the Wolcott Country Fair is the largest, drawing more than 30,000 people to enjoy the traditional country fair fare. Expect antique farm equipment displays, tractor pulls, pig racing, thrilling rides and, of course, plenty of food and entertainment. The couples’ blindfolded backseat driving competition is particularly popular.
Held every July in the 270-acre Delaware State Fairgrounds in Harrington, the state fair showcases the agriculture, industry, and communities that form the backbone of the state. Its aim is to preserve the past, promote the present, and educate the future in agriculture, horticulture, mechanical arts, and rural and domestic economy.
The Florida State Fair is the first state fair to be held in the US each calendar year, making the most of the winter sunshine every February. It is located in the Florida State Fairgrounds in East Lake-Orient Park in Tampa and includes a range of indoor and outdoor exhibits, shows, and rides to showcase the state’s agricultural industries. Increasingly the fair is becoming famous for its unusual food like chocolate-covered bacon, pickle pizza, and glazed donut hamburgers (pictured).
First held in 1990, the Georgia National Fair in Perry has grown to become one of the largest state fairs in the world, with 487,874 visitors in 2023 alone. The fair offers the usual array of agricultural, livestock and horse shows, carnival rides, fireworks, and concerts, but an increasingly popular exhibit is the Georgia Grown building, dedicated solely to products, manufacturers, and agricultural businesses from the state.
The Hawaii 50th State Fair is held from the end of May to the start of July in Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, not far from Pearl Harbor and Aiea Bay. It has been run by E.K. Fernandez Shows since 1903 and features carnival rides, a petting zoo, circus, and a rodeo, as well as concerts by some of Hawaii’s most popular entertainers. There’s a hula show too, part of the Queen Lili'uokalani Keiki Hula Competition. Watch Hawaii's leading keiki halaus (children hula) compete for top awards set to live Native Hawaiian music.
The Western Idaho Fair held in Idaho’s capital Boise is arguably the state’s most colorful and lively state fair. In 2023 it implored people to go ‘Hog Wild’ in a fairground packed with wild rides, food on a stick, throwback concerts, crafty exhibits, magical performers and, of course, all kinds of creatures great and small. Held every late summer/early fall since 1897, it never fails to delight locals and visitors alike.
The Illinois State Fair has celebrated agriculture in the state almost every year since 1853. It is one of the best attended fairs in the US and draws presidents past and present, keen to shore up votes. In 1986, President Ronald Reagan (pictured) met participants in the Junior Livestock Competition and handed out prizes. And back in 1854, Abraham Lincoln gave a rebuttal of remarks made by senator Stephen Douglas at the fair the day before.
In the 19th century, Indiana’s entire economy revolved around farming so it should come as no surprise that it was one of the first six states to hold an annual fair. And while agriculture is no longer as central to the economy as it once was, locals and visitors continue to flock to the Indiana State Fair with 840,414 people attending in 2023 alone. The fair has always been known for the quality of the music acts it attracts, with The Beatles playing in the ground’s famous Coliseum in 1964 (pictured).
The Iowa State Fair is the single largest event in the state of Iowa and one of the oldest and largest agricultural and industrial expositions in the US. More than one million people from all over the world pour into the Iowa State Fair Grounds in Des Moines to celebrate the state’s best in agriculture, industry, and entertainment. Visitors get to enjoy world class concerts (Foreigner are headlining in 2024), tuck into huge portions of fair food staples and cheer on uniquely Iowan events like the Outlaw Truck and Tractor Pulls (pictured.)
The venerable Kansas State Fair has come a long way since a plague of hungry locusts saw the fair canceled in 1874 in only its second year. It has gone on to become the largest single event in the state, with over 350,000 people pouring into the fairgrounds in Hutchinson every September. Through good times and bad, through floods and drought, the fair has continued to champion agriculture in Kansas. From giant pumpkins and Watusi longhorns (pictured) to concerts by the Beach Boys and Britney Spears, Kansas State Fair continues to offer something for everyone.
The Kentucky State Fair prides itself on ‘bringing the farm to the fair’, giving visitors the chance to experience what life on a farm is really like. AgLand is designed to teach kids about crops and animals. And in the West Wing they can watch farmers milking livestock or grooming them before their time in the show ring. There are plenty of fun rides in Thrill Ville; there's a Beerfest featuring the state’s premium craft beers; and the World’s Championship Horse Show takes place here, where over 2,000 elite saddle breeds come from various continents to compete.
The State Fair of Louisiana is the largest livestock show and carnival in the state and has a distinctly Cajun hue. Visitors get the chance to dance to zydeco, eat shrimp on a stick and enjoy unique shows and events like the Hydro Flying Circus, the Pirate’s Parrot Show, the Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show, and Farmily Feud, an agriculture-based quiz show where you can show off your farmyard knowledge. The fair has been going for over 120 years and, if the Hollywood pig race is any indication, shows no sign of slowing down.
The Fryeburg Fair was first held in March 1851 and has grown to become Maine’s largest agricultural fair. It features livestock shows, harness racing, horse pulling, antique farm and forestry equipment displays and demonstrations, as well as horticultural and culinary contests, a petting zoo, live musical acts, amusement rides and, of course, food stands. These days the fair is held in the first week of October, hosting over 3,000 animals, including a large contingent of draft horses, firm favorites with locals and visitors alike.
The Maryland State Fair started in 1878 as a ball and a series of contests to help raise money for people suffering from yellow fever. It moved to its current site in Timonium a year later and has grown to become the largest celebration of agriculture in Maryland, known for its delicious food, tons of free entertainment and world-famous concerts. Held over the Labor Day weekend, the fair has remained true to its philanthropic roots, donating over $500,000 (£393,735) in scholarships to Maryland youth since 2005.
There is no Massachusetts State Fair, as such. Just The Big E, formerly known as the Eastern States Exposition. It is the world's only multi-state fair and represents all six New England States. There are carnival rides and concerts, plus food stalls selling iconic New England delicacies like the cream puff. But agriculture remains at the heart of The Big E. Farm-A-Rama in the Stroh Building offers visitors the chance to see the chick hatchery, pet a goat, and learn about the secret life of bees.
The original Michigan State Fair was one of the state’s most venerable traditions, founded in 1849 and held annually until it fell upon hard times in 2009 and was abandoned. A few years later it was revived as a private sector event at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi to showcase the shift in the agriculture industry towards cottage industry food and beverages and farm-to-table produce. Held over the Labor Day weekend, the beloved traditions of the grand old State Fair remain, just with a more sustainable focus.
Known as the "The Great Minnesota Get-Together", the Minnesota State Fair was founded in 1859 and continues to be one of the biggest state fairs in the US. It is also one of the quirkiest, with the crowning each year of a Princess Kay of the Milky Way to represent the state’s important dairy industry. The selected Princess Kay’s first duty is to sit in a walk-in, glass-walled refrigerator in the fair’s Dairy Building while a sculptor carves her likeness from a 90-pound (41kg) slab of butter. Many consider it the highlight of the fair.
The Mississippi State Fair is a time-honored tradition that has been showcasing all the best livestock exhibitions, local artists and attractions and southern-style foods each October since 1958. It is held in the fairgrounds in downtown Jackson, covering over 100 acres, and features a rodeo, a beauty pageant and talent competition and, more recently, auditions for the hit TV show, American Idol. In the 1950s, local civil rights leader Medgar Evers led efforts to integrate the state fair, which then had segregated days.
The Missouri State Fair is held every August in Sedalia. The fairground here is the third largest in the US, covering over 400 acres, and hosts daily concerts, exhibits, and livestock competitions, as well as homemade crafts, food stalls and fairground rides, including a wagon pulled by Rhodesian ridgebacks (pictured). US senator Harry S. Truman chose the Missouri State Fair as the place to formally launch his campaign for re-election to the Senate in 1940, and in 1991 the fairground itself was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Montana Fair began as the Midland Empire Fair in 1916 before morphing into the Yellowstone Exhibition nearly 60 years later. When the original Midland Empire Auditorium burned down in 1969, the Montana Entertainment Trade and Recreation Arena (METRA) was built and shortly after, the Yellowstone Exhibition transitioned into Montana Fair. Through all the changes, the focus remained on livestock, and in particular horse racing and rodeo, bringing in cowboys and cowgirls from all over the nation. Make sure to try the fair’s famous Viking on a Stick – three meatballs on a stick, dipped in batter and then deep-fried.
They say that “All Roads Lead To Fun” at the Nebraska State Fair and that was certainly the case when 311,909 people descended on Grand Island in 2023 for food, fun, livestock, and a celebration of Nebraskan achievement. A highlight of the fair is the annual New and Unique Food competition. In 2023, Jac Mak won the savory section with a Creamy Mac ‘n Cheese, loaded with slow smoked brisket, topped with jalapenos, and drizzled with BBQ sauce, while Peachy Pig took out the sweet division with a Pig in A Bag Pinnacle – peaches, pieces of peach flavored cake, cheesecake topping, caramel sauce, and bacon.
The original Nevada State Fair was first held in 1874 and was Nevada's longest running event until debt and falling attendances saw it abandoned in 2011. In 2013, a new non-profit organization was formed to revive the fair, bringing this beloved event back to the Silver State. Now every June, locals and visitors get to enjoy four fun-filled days of carnival rides and amazing food at Mills Park in Carson City. Try the famous Indian tacos, made from fried bread instead of taco shells.
Set among the rolling green pastures of Contoocook New Hampshire, the Hopkinton State Fair has been an old-fashioned gathering for local farmers and visitors every Labor Day weekend since 1915. You’ll spot the farmers checking out the livestock displays of their neighbors’ sheep, beef and dairy cattle, goats, and pigs. Visitors stock up on farm fresh vegetables, fruits, and homemade goodies. And everyone cheers on the demolition derby, rodeo, and truck and tractor pull. The real highlight, however, is the Round Hay Bale Decorating Contest (pictured), an astounding display of rural creativity.
Also known as the Sussex County Farm and Horse Show, the New Jersey State Fair in Augusta is a proper old school country fair. It is the largest livestock event in New Jersey, with horses of all kinds, racing pigs, a llama show, woodchopping contests, arts and crafts shows, a performing arts tent, a queen pageant and much more. The fair’s midway is regarded as the most exciting and thrilling in the state too, with theme-park quality rides and rainbow kettle corn, New Jersey’s iconic state fair food item.
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The New Mexico State Fair is held every September at Expo New Mexico in the city of Albuquerque. It features the usual concerts, competitions, rodeos, carnival rides, games, and farm animals, but also has a focus on the art of the American Southwest, and New Mexico cuisine and music. One of the highlights is the colorful New Mexico State Fair Parade (pictured), held on the first Saturday of the fair, that celebrates all the different cultures of this incredibly diverse state.
The New York State Fair first took place in 1841 and has been the state’s largest annual event and end-of-summer tradition ever since. It is held on the shores of Onondaga Lake near the western border of Syracuse and has all the usual midway rides, carnival games, and big-name concerts. The focus remains on agriculture, of course, with the fair providing many New Yorkers with their only encounter with rural life. In 2013 an innovative Dairy Cow Birthing center was introduced, allowing city slickers the chance to watch live births of calves three times a day.
The North Carolina State Fair is one of the largest and oldest state fairs in the United States, attracting nearly one million visitors each year. The fair consists of carnival rides, including the terrifying Fire Ball (pictured), agricultural exhibitions, deep-fried fair food, and music. One of the most popular exhibits is the North Carolina Forest Service helicopter that kids are allowed to clamber over. The service also hands out free tree seedlings, usually loblolly pine and longleaf pine.
Come mid-July, when the gates open for the North Dakota State Fair on the banks of the Souris River in Minot, all the locals say the same thing: ‘Now it’s really summer!” The fair has been the chance to have fun in this part of the state for over 100 years, with only a flood in 2011 and the COVID pandemic in 2021 putting a stop to the fun. Mutton Bustin’ (pictured), where kids get to play the cowpoke on sheep, is always a highlight. As are the concerts in the venerable grandstand, where acts as diverse as Johnny Cash and Nickelback have strutted their stuff.
The Ohio State Fair held in Columbus is one of the largest state fairs in the United States with a program of concerts, sports competitions, exhibitions, a horse show, rides, and food stalls. It is most famous for its Butter Cow, a life-sized bovine butter sculpture that first appeared in 1903 and now features in a scene reflecting Ohio history and culture, also sculptured from butter. Over the years the cow has appeared in tributes to the Ohio State Buckeyes, the golfer Jack Nicklaus, and the Apollo 11 moon landing (pictured).
The Oklahoma State Fair was first held in Oklahoma City in 1889, five months after the Land Run, an event in which previously restricted land was opened to homestead on a first-arrival basis. During the Second World War, Oklahoma State Fair was one of the few fairs that stayed open using the opportunity to educate the public, raise civilian morale and exhibit the US armed forces' equipment and prowess. The biggest attraction at the 1944 State Fair was a battle-scarred B-17, one of the Flying Fortresses that had flown 118 missions in the South Pacific.
Salem became the official home of the Oregon State Fair in 1862 and the event has remained there ever since. It takes place every August-September at the 185-acre Oregon State Fairgrounds in the north of Salem, the state capital, and lasts for at least 10 days. The fair has proved extremely resilient over the years, with an arson attack destroying several large structures just days before the fair was due to open in 1967. Local people and business rallied together to clean up the site, with donated tents used as makeshift venues and the fair went ahead.
Billing itself as “America’s Greatest Country Fair”, the Great Allentown Fair is one of the oldest in the country and the largest in Pennsylvania. It was first held in 1852 to showcase agricultural advancements but has evolved over the years to appeal to a broader audience with an increasing emphasis on carnival rides, talent shows, and concerts. There are petting zoos, livestock judging contests and a farmers' market, of course, but it is performances by the likes of the Osmonds, the Beach Boys, Loretta Lynn, Johnny Cash, and the Backstreet Boys that have brought in the crowds.
The Washington County Fair was established in Richmond in 1967 to promote the rural heritage of the US’s smallest state and raise money for local community endeavors. It has gone on to become Rhode Island’s premier summer event offering midway rides, livestock shows, concerts, fair food, and fun contests like tug-o-war and arm wrestling, all at family friendly prices. And yes, the state’s most famous agricultural export, the Rhode Island Red (pictured), remains the star of the show.
Ask the good folk of South Carolina when they know summer has ended and they won’t say it’s the appearance of the fall colors; they’ll say it’s when the state fair opens in Columbia. The 12-day fair is held every October and is famous for its carnival rides and local fair food treats like fried Oreos – warm and crispy on the outside, gooey and crunchy on the inside. The water slide for baby ducks is a favorite display in the livestock exhibitions, while the high-flying swings on the midway are only for the brave.
Huron in South Dakota is famous for two things: the World’s Largest Pheasant on Highway 14 and the annual state fair, held every Labor Day weekend at the South Dakota State Fairgrounds at 1060 3rd St. The 28-foot (8.5m) pheasant really only warrants a quick stop for selfie, but the fair, held every summer in Huron since 1885, deserves a longer stay. You’ll enjoy livestock and crop growing competitions, a lively rodeo, carnival thrills and feasts on the midway, a Tap Haus and Wine Pavilion, and live concerts featuring some of the biggest names in country music.
Held every August, the Tennessee State Fair in Wilson County offers plenty of fun with carnival rides, a monster truck show, and the finest agricultural specimens the state can produce. But take a moment to step away from the color and excitement of the midway and livestock exhibits to visit Fiddler’s Grove, a faithful recreation of an old Tennessee rural village, right next to the fairgrounds. During the fair, recreators demonstrate old world skills, play old-time tunes, and give a real taste of life in the state back in the 1800s.
Talk about the State Fair of Texas held every October in Dallas and you have to roll out the superlatives. In 2023, over 2.3 million people squeezed through its turnstiles, making it by far the best attended state fair in the US. More than 18,000 livestock are entered each year. Over 154,000 rides were taken on the iconic Texas Star Ferris Wheel. And every single guest was greeted by Big Tex, a 52-foot (15.8m), Stetson-wearing animatronic robot that happens to be the biggest cowboy in the world. Everything, it seems, is bigger and better at the State Fair of Texas.
In the early years, the Utah State Fair was held in October to coincide with the annual general conference of the Mormon Church. It was then moved to September and by the 80s it is said that the fair was attended by one-third of Utah's population, more than half a million people. The emphasis, as always, remains on wholesome family fun, with attractions like Barnyard Friends and Little Hands on the Farm perennially popular. There’s grown-up fun too with Utah’s own PRCA (Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association) Rodeo, a demolition derby, and music concerts.
The Vermont State Fair is an agricultural fair held every September in Rutland and run by the Rutland County Agricultural Society. The fair first took place in 1846, making it one of the oldest in the US. Such was its popularity that in 1849 the Rutland Railroad began putting extra cars on its trains to bring people from all over Vermont and western New York to visit. Today, the fair is as famous for the music stars it attracts: Loretta Lynn, Conway Twitty, Charley Pride, Tanya Tucker, and the Charlie Daniels Band have all performed at the fair.
The State Fair of Virginia has been showcasing the state’s finest animals and agriculture, music, and arts and crafts since 1854. It offers rides, carnival games and fair foods like cotton candy cane funnel cakes. But enter through the turnstiles at The Meadow Event Park in Doswell and you’ll notice some distinctly Virginian treats as well. Like barbecue chicken and peanuts. Log-rolling and snake handling. Plus, a Heritage Village celebrating Native American, African American, and Euro-American history in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
The people of Puyallup in Washington State certainly love their fairs. Not content with holding the state’s largest single attraction every September in the shape of the Washington State Fair, they do it all over again in April with their annual Spring Fair. Both feature thrilling carnival rides, agricultural displays, and delicious food. The event in September has a rodeo, while in spring, the focus is on motorsports, with monster trucks and smash-up derbies.
From the sweet smell of fresh hay, to the lights of the midway, to the sounds of concert-goers in the grandstand, the sights and sounds of the State Fair of West Virginia take some beating. The Declaration of Independence was only 78 years old when the first fair was held in 1854. And back then Pronto Pups and giant cinnamon rolls were yet to be invented. Each night the State Fair grandstand hosts big-name musical acts like Lainey Wilson and Nelly, while a steam-driven merry-go-round delights children on the midway, and fireworks fill the sky.
The first Wisconsin State Fair was held in 1851 in Janesville and featured a 200-pound (90.7kg) squash and plowing competition with teams of horses and oxen. It was reportedly the largest gathering in Wisconsin history. Abraham Lincoln spoke on the principles of free labor at the fair in 1859. Today, the event is held every August at the Wisconsin State Fair Park in West Allis, a suburb of Milwaukee. The organizers promise dozens of rides, hundreds of different types of food, thousands of animals, a dog diving competition (pictured) and a "wonderfair” time for everyone.
Wyoming is known as The Cowboy State and features a bucking bronco as its symbol, so it should come as no surprise that the focus of the Wyoming State Fair & Rodeo in Douglas is very much fixated on the rodeo. The Ranch Rodeo finals on the opening night are the hot ticket event, with locals and visitors clamoring to watch Wyoming ranch cowboys and cowgirls compete in a series of grueling events. Country music runs the rodeo a close second, with big name stars headlining each night.