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 their funky foods, hefty produce and adorable animal exhibits.
Native Alaskan performers share their traditional music and dancing
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
The fair takes place in Phoenix every fall
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.
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
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
Horses might be the main attraction, but cows are also a popular part of Kentucky’s 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.
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
Come for the food, stay for the llama costume contest