Country Fairs in Missouri
Missouri's country fair tradition spans from the rolling farmland of the northern prairie to the rugged Ozark hills and the cotton country of the Bootheel. The Missouri State Fair in Sedalia has been the state's agricultural showcase since 1901, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors each August to the state fairgrounds for livestock shows, craft competitions, and entertainment. Missouri's position at the crossroads of the Midwest and the South gives its fairs a distinctive blend of both traditions.
With 114 counties plus the independent city of St. Louis, Missouri hosts one of the most active county fair circuits in the country. The Ozark region brings its own heritage of self-sufficiency crafts, folk music, and mountain farming, while northern Missouri's fairs reflect the grain and livestock farming traditions of the Midwest. The state's strong mule heritage — Missouri is the Mule State — adds a unique agricultural tradition seen at fairs throughout the state.
Top Country Fair Events in Missouri
- Missouri State Fair — Sedalia; held each August at the Missouri State Fairgrounds, featuring livestock shows, agricultural exhibits, the Missouri Ham and Bacon Show, craft competitions, concerts, and a carnival midway.
- Ozark Empire Fair — Springfield; a major regional fair with livestock shows, agricultural exhibits, rodeo events, craft competitions, and entertainment at the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds.
- American Royal — Kansas City; one of the oldest and most prestigious livestock shows and rodeos in the country, with barbecue competitions, agricultural exhibits, and Western heritage events.
- Boone County Fair — Columbia; a traditional mid-Missouri county fair with livestock shows, 4-H exhibits, home arts competitions, and community entertainment.
- War Eagle Fair — Near Rogers, AR (draws heavily from Southwest Missouri); a massive outdoor craft fair held in the Ozark hills with hundreds of handmade craft vendors, a tradition since 1954.
What to Expect
Missouri county fairs feature livestock competitions in beef and dairy cattle, swine, sheep, goats, horses, mules, and poultry. The state's strong 4-H and FFA programs ensure youth exhibitors are well represented at every fair. The Missouri Ham and Bacon Show at the State Fair is a uniquely Missouri tradition, and produce competitions highlight corn, soybeans, watermelons, and garden vegetables. Home arts divisions feature quilting, canning, baking, and needlework competitions that draw skilled entries from across the state.
In the Ozarks, fairs and festivals celebrate the region's heritage of self-reliance with demonstrations in woodworking, blacksmithing, basket weaving, lye soap making, and folk instrument building. Fiddle contests and old-time music are common at Ozark-area fairs. Northern Missouri and the river counties feature larger agricultural expositions with grain and livestock focus. Barbecue competitions are a distinctive Missouri fair tradition, particularly around Kansas City. Most fairs also include tractor pulls, demolition derbies, carnival rides, and live music. Fair season peaks from July through September.
Popular Cities for Country Fairs
- St. Louis — Eastern Missouri gateway with nearby county fairs and harvest festivals in the Metro East and Missouri River Valley
- Kansas City — Home of the American Royal livestock show and western Missouri county fair circuit
- Springfield — Host of the Ozark Empire Fair and gateway to Ozark heritage festivals and craft events
- Branson — Ozark tourism hub with Silver Dollar City craft festivals and nearby Taney County agricultural events
See all craft events in Missouri.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Missouri State Fair?
The Missouri State Fair is held each August at the Missouri State Fairgrounds in Sedalia. It typically runs for eleven days and features livestock competitions, agricultural exhibits, the Missouri Ham and Bacon Show, concerts, a midway, and food vendors. It has been a Sedalia tradition since 1901.
What Ozark heritage crafts are featured at Missouri fairs?
Missouri's Ozark region is known for heritage crafts including woodworking, chair caning, basket weaving, blacksmithing, pottery, and folk instrument making. Silver Dollar City in Branson is a major venue for Ozark craft demonstrations year-round. County fairs and festivals in the Ozarks often feature demonstrations of these traditional skills alongside old-time music and folk art.
What is the American Royal in Kansas City?
The American Royal is one of the oldest and most prestigious livestock shows and rodeos in the United States, held annually in Kansas City. It features cattle and horse competitions, one of the world's largest barbecue contests, agricultural education exhibits, and Western heritage events. While primarily a livestock show, it functions as a major agricultural fair for the Kansas City region.