The 10 Best State Fairs in the US, Ranked

Dreaming of deep-fried Oreos and crazy carnival rides? 🎡 Get ready for some serious state fair fun! These 10 state fairs in the US are the best of the best. We’re talking award-winning livestock, epic concerts, and enough fried food to satisfy your wildest cravings. Brush up on your milking cow impersonation skills (it’s a thing!), polish off your competitive eating talents, and get ready to make some unforgettable memories. Just pace yourself at the deep-fried Twinkie stand. You’ve been warned! 😉

Minnesota State Fair

The Minnesota State Fair is the largest in the country based on daily attendance, and it’s also known as the “Great Minnesota Get-Together.” Spread out over more than 320 acres, this is the place to find just about every state fair food you can think of fried and on a stick. There are also livestock exhibits, and the bust of the Dairy Queen of Minnesota carved out of butter. 

Texas State Fair

The Texas State Fair has been held yearly since 1886, and you may have heard of Big Tex, the towering cowboy sculpture that welcomes you at the entrance. The Texas state fair is open for 24 days each year, which makes it the longest-running state fair in the United States. The Texas State Fair has rodeos, college football games, and the Texas Auto Show. All of this, in addition to livestock and historical exhibitions, midway rides, and, of course, all the fried food you can handle. 

Eastern States Exposition 

The Eastern States Exposition is held yearly in Springfield, Massachusetts, and is also known as the Big E. This fair celebrates all six of the New England States, so you may hear it referred to as New England’s great state fair”.  The Big E has a 19th-century village with tour guides dressed in period attire, a circus, and a Mardi Gra parade that is held daily.  If you can attend, make sure that you try the fair’s signature dessert the “Big E cream puff”. 

Iowa State Fair

The Iowa State Fair is held in Des Moines every year and is known as “America’s classic state fair”. The fair is famous for its life-size cow sculpture made of butter, weighing a whopping 600 lbs. The cow sculpture carries on a tradition that started back in 1911. This is the place to find more than 70 different kinds of food on a stick, with new additions every year!

New York State Fair

The New York State Fair held in Syracuse first opened in 1841 and is also known as the Great New York State Fair and is the oldest state fair in the nation. In addition to having rides, rodeos, shows, and exhibits, it is also the home to the Taste NY Food Truck Competition featuring foods made in the state. The entrance fee to this fair is just $3, making it the cheapest to enter too! 

This year’s featured food item is the “Heart Failure” which is a hot dog wrapped in bacon that has been deep fried, stuffed in a Twinkie, and topped with a cheddar cheese peanut butter glaze and bacon bits! 

Arizona State Fair

The Arizona State Fair in Phoenix was first established in 1905 and gives people from all over the state the opportunity to gather. There are free concerts, photography competitions, and more than 75 amusement park rides, including the La Grande Wheel Ferris wheel, one of the largest Ferris wheels in the world. 

North Carolina State Fair

The North Carolina State Fair in Raleigh has been around since the mid-1900s and has a focus on the state’s agricultural heritage. There are many animal exhibitions, competitions, fried food (including fried jello), and folk music to enjoy. This state fair boasts more than 100 free things for the family to enjoy. 

Illinois State Fair

The Illinois State Fair in Springfield is well-known for its large headlining musical acts like Brad Paisley, Tim McGraw, Alanis Morrissette, and Nelly. The fair is also well known for its ethnic village that offers visitors a chance to taste food and beverages from more than 15 different countries. Happy Hollow is the place to see exotic animals, watch stunts, ride the giant slide, and learn about the importance of conservation. 

Ohio State Fair

The Ohio State Fair in Columbus has a wide variety of agricultural exhibits and competitions including petting zoos for the kids. You can ride a camel, watch a lumberjack show, or participate in the best tattoo or beard competition. There are tons of family-friendly shows and attractions and, of course, lots of amazing fair foods to try. 

Alaska State Fair

The Alaska State Fair in Palmer, Alaska, has lots of family-friendly fun to offer. There are rides to enjoy and the ATT Concert Series features well-known artists like 3 Doors Down and Daughtry. There are lots of exhibits to see and delicious fair food to share. Make sure that you don’t miss the giant vegetable competitions. Where else are you going to find a 138-pound cabbage or a nearly 20-pound carrot?  

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