A state fair is an annual competitive and recreational gathering of a U.S. state's population, usually held in late summer or early fall. It is a larger version of a county fair, often including only exhibits or competitors that have won in their categories at the more-local county fairs.
State fairs began in the nineteenth century for the purpose of promoting state agriculture, through competitive exhibitions of livestock and display of farm products. As the U.S. evolved from a predominantly agrarian to an industrial society in the twentieth century, and the more service economy of the 21st century, modern state fairs have expanded to include carnival amusement rides and games, display of industrial products, baking competitions, crafts (such as quilting and crop art), automobile racing, and entertainment such as musical concerts. Large fairs can admit more than a million visitors over the course of a week or two. The oldest state fair is that of The Fredericksburg Agricultural Fair, established in 1738, and is the oldest fair in Virginia and the United States.[1] The first U.S. state fair was the New York one, held in 1841 in Syracuse, and has been held annually since.[2] The second state fair was in Detroit, Michigan, which ran from 1849[3] to 2009.[4][5] The fair was revived in 2013 and has been held at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi, Michigan ever since.
From August 22, 2025 – September 7, 2026, the Renwick Gallery exhibited State Fairs: Growing American Craft, the “first major exhibition to survey American state fairs’ extraordinary and unconventional crafts from the nineteenth century to the present.”[6] The exhibit was accompanied by a catalog by Mary Savig (ISBN978-1-588-34800-5).
Events similar to state fairs are also held annually in each state capital in Australia, known as royal shows. Australian royal shows are organized by state agricultural and horticultural societies, and are described further in the agricultural show article.
↑The Eastern States Exposition, popularly known as The Big E, is a combined state fair for all six (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont) New England states. Each state has its own dedicated area during the fair.
↑Percentage based on combined population for all New England states.
State fair police departments
Several state fairs maintain their own police departments, including:
State and county fairs are famous for a variety of competitions that award ribbons. Awards are generally given according to the following scale:[citation needed][5]
First place – blue ribbon
Second place – red ribbon
Third place – white ribbon
Fourth place – yellow ribbon
Fifth place – green ribbon
Sixth place – orange ribbon
Seventh place – purple ribbon
Eighth place – brown ribbon
Attendance
As of 2019, the largest attendance at a state fair in the US is in Texas with the fair having attracted 2,514,637 visitors.[89][90][91] Even though it is longer than an average state fair, any advantage is negated by the size of the physical state since those days would be required for the states citizens to have equal opportunity to attend.[citation needed]
The largest average per day attendance is at the Minnesota State Fair averaging just under 200,000 people per day.[92]
↑Waterson, James and Seymour, Rachel Anne. Pulling Up Stakes: East Texas State Fair Says Goodbye Until Next Year. Tyler Morning Telegraph, October 4th, 2010, p. 1A, 6A
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