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8 delightful upcoming state fairs to put on your eating calendar
It is that time of year again, when the smell of fried food fills the air, farmers bring out their biggest livestock to be judged and bakers display their ribbon-winning pies. Almost every state has its own official state fair during the summer or fall, but these eight stand out with theirfunky foods, hefty produce and adorable animal exhibits.
Alaska State Fair
Native Alaskan performers share their traditional music and dancing
(Image credit: Hasan Akbas / Anadolu / Getty Images)
The Last Frontier’s state fair takes place in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley, where the “rich” soil and “legendary” 19 hours of daily summer sun produce vegetables of “almost unbelievable size,” said Travel and Leisure. You’ll likely see cabbages weighing more than 100 pounds, broccoli heads big enough to feed a family for a week and sunflowers that “stand taller than most houses.” Massive veggies aren’t the only draw; there’s a midway, lots of food vendors and Alaska Native crafts and cultural demos, which “genuinely reflect” the community. Aug. 21-Sept. 7, 2026
Arizona State Fair
The fair takes place in Phoenix every fall
(Image credit: Christian Petersen / Getty Images)
The Arizona State Fair is all about the thrills. Head to the Grandstand Arena for heart-pumping monster truck jams and dirt track racing, hit the midway for spins on the coasters and massive ferris wheel and spend the night at Veterans Memorial Coliseum taking in electrifying performances by artists like Public Enemy, The Offspring, Becky G and All Time Low.
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While organizers keep the food list under wraps until closer to the fair, previous indulgences have included two ice cream cones joined together and double-dipped in chocolate; candy-stuffed pickles and a cake batter shake topped with a mountain of sprinkles and full-size cupcake. Oct. 1-Nov. 1, 2026
When you hear the words “state fair,” Iowa’s event is the one “people picture,” said Travel and Leisure. It’s one of the country’s largest livestock shows, with sheep, cattle, pig, poultry and rabbit exhibitions, draft horse pulling competitions and an Animal Learning Center where babies are born nearly every day.
There’s a “genuine reverence for the farming heritage that built the Midwest,” said Travel and Leisure, and that’s shown through crop displays and the beloved butter cow, a fair staple since 1911. A creamy new bovine is carved every year, and despite the line, “it is always worth it.” If you go during an election year, prepare to see at least one presidential hopeful; this fair is often a campaign stop for Democrats and Republicans. Aug. 13-23, 2026
Kentucky State Fair
Horses might be the main attraction, but cows are also a popular part of Kentucky’s fair
(Image credit: Kentucky State Fair)
Come August, equestrians descend on the Kentucky State Fair, a fete that’s “part world-class horse show, part agricultural exhibition,” said Fodor’s. Many of the “top horses and riders” from across the U.S. come to show their stuff and compete in the World’s Championship Horse Show, held in conjunction with the fair.
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After horsing around, peruse the quilt displays, agriculture exhibits and arts-and-crafts competitions. On the food side, the fare is “heavily influenced” by Southern and Appalachian cuisine, and “just about everything” is bourbon-infused. Aug. 20-30, 2026
Minnesota State Fair
Come for the food, stay for the llama costume contest
(Image credit: Minnesota State Fair)
This is more than a fair. Residents call it the “Great Minnesota Get-Together,” and the event — which draws nearly 2 million people a year — feels like a “deeply rooted cultural reunion of the state,” said Fodor’s.
You can listen to live music and hop on rides, but the heart of the fair is “home-grown fun,” like the quirky 4-H Llama-Alpaca Costume Contest, seed and crop art displays and live butter carvings of Princess Kay and her royal court. That creativity extends to the food offerings, with more than 500 vendors bringing their A game. New items this year include pickle pies, apple donut ham grinders, mango sticky rice refreshers and longanisa cheese curd lumpia. Aug. 27-Sept. 7, 2026
New York State Fair
Log rolling competitions make a splash
(Image credit: Michael J. Okoniewski / NYS Fair)
Over the last 185 years, New York has perfected the state fair. The festivities started in 1841, and today’s visitors enjoy some of the same activities, like animal exhibitions and farm product demonstrations.
More modern pursuits include catching a concert — this summer’s musical lineup includes Flo Rida, Melissa Etheridge, Third Eye Blind, Quiet Riot, Air Supply and Ashanti — watching corgi races and the Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show, and snacking on chocolate-covered bacon and deep-fried alligator. Swing by the Taste NY Market for a souvenir like locally made cheese, jarred vegetables or olive oil. Aug. 26-Sept. 7, 2026
Texas State Fair
Big Tex doesn’t just stand there — he also talks
(Image credit: Chris Torres / Fort Worth Star-Telegram / Tribune News Service / Getty Images)
Everything’s bigger in Texas, and that includes the state fair. More than 2 million people attend every year and are greeted by Big Tex, the iconic 55-foot cowboy mascot. Across the fairgrounds’ sprawling 277 acres, visitors can experience livestock shows and rodeos, watch a parade and football, pick out their dream car at the Texas Auto Show, devour funnel cakes and go for a ride on the Texas Star ferris wheel.
Concerts are included in the price of admission, with singers and bands performing on three stages. This year’s resident artist is jazz musician Ken Ebo. Sept. 25-Oct. 18, 2026
Wisconsin State Fair
Cream puffs have been a Wisconsin State Fair staple for over a century
(Image credit: Matt Anderson Photography / Getty Images)
Caramel apple cheese curd tacos, egg rolls à la mode, hot honey chicken lemonade and Hawaiian pizza slushes are a mere taste of the intriguing new food and drinks available at the Wisconsin State Fair in 2026. This “inventive” spirit dates back to the earliest days of the fair, and old favorites like the Original Cream Puffs’ namesake confection, introduced in 1924, will also be available, said Time Out.
After filling up on fried and cheesy delicacies, check out the horticulture and art exhibitions, enjoy a show (John Mulaney, The All-American Rejects, Nelly, The Isley Brothers and The Commodores are all performing) and watch Saz’s Famous Racing Pigs to “cheer on your favorite swine,” said Time Out. Aug. 6-16, 2026
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
