It’s the first glimpse of the Ferris wheel turning against the August sky. It’s the smell of corn dogs, funnel cakes and barbecue drifting across the midway. It’s livestock barns coming alive, kids proudly showing months of hard work, music filling the fairgrounds and families walking through the gates ready to make another year of memories.
And tomorrow, Thursday, August 13, it’s finally time to do it all again.
The 2026 Missouri State Fair officially opens in Sedalia, beginning 11 days of food, agriculture, entertainment, competition, concerts and unmistakable Show-Me State tradition through Sunday, August 23.
Missouri, it’s FAIR TIME!
The Fair kicks off with Mizzou Day, presented by the University of Missouri, celebrating the university’s impact on agriculture, research, families, communities and industries throughout the state.
There’s also a great reason to make Opening Day your fair day: special gate admission is just $7 for ages 13 and older and $2 for youth ages 6–12. Select vendors and concessions will also offer Opening Day discounts.
Throughout the day, fairgoers can stop by Mizzou Central for activities, cooking demonstrations, Tiger Stripe Ice Cream and more.
A Big Opening-Day Celebration
The official Opening Day Ceremony, Ribbon Cutting and Hayden Plaza Dedication begins at 11 a.m. at the new Governor Michael L. Parson Arena.
And the celebrations continue throughout the afternoon.
The Missouri State Fair Fire Station will hold a ribbon cutting at 1 p.m., followed by the 4-H Building Ribbon Cutting and Dedication at 2:30 p.m.
The new Governor Michael L. Parson Arena itself is one of the major additions fairgoers will get to experience this year. The new indoor facility will host events throughout the Fair, including the International Pro Rodeo Association on Opening Day.
Show-Me Stars & Stripes
There’s an extra dose of red, white and blue at this year’s Fair as Missouri joins the nationwide celebration of America’s 250th anniversary.
The patriotic spirit will be visible throughout the grounds with special attractions including the America 250 Mural, Legacy Flag Plaza, patriotic livestock shows and exhibits, a Main Gate Tribute, photo opportunities and more. The world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales are also scheduled to be at the Fair throughout its Aug. 13–23 run.
One of Thursday’s can’t-miss traditions happens at 6 p.m., when the Opening Day Parade travels through the fairgrounds.
This year’s parade celebrates America’s 250th anniversary with community pride, agriculture, music, floats and plenty of red, white and blue.
Find your spot along the route and enjoy one of the best ways to officially welcome another Missouri State Fair.
Come Hungry. Very Hungry.
Let’s be serious for a minute.
You can make all the schedules you want, but sooner or later the smell of fair food is going to change those plans.
And that’s exactly how it should be.
Corn dogs. Funnel cakes buried under powdered sugar. Fresh-squeezed lemonade. Barbecue. Ice cream. Giant portions of foods you probably wouldn’t order anywhere else—and somehow absolutely need when you’re at the Fair.
Opening Day even includes the Corndog Mania Eating Contest at 4 p.m.
Our advice?
Don’t eat before you come.
And if you discover something incredible, tag Missouri Magazine. We’re on the hunt for the foods our readers say we absolutely have to try this year.
Don’t Skip What Makes This the Missouri State Fair
The midway and concerts may get plenty of attention, but the heart of the Missouri State Fair has always been much bigger.
It’s agriculture.
It’s generations of Missouri farm families.
It’s young people walking into a show ring after spending months caring for an animal.
It’s 4-H and FFA.
It’s competition, craftsmanship, education and the people who keep Missouri agriculture moving forward.
Take time to walk through the cattle, horse and mule barns. Visit the Children’s Barnyard. Watch a livestock show. Catch a milking demonstration. Explore the Agriculture Building and spend some time looking at the projects Missouri youth have brought to Sedalia.
For some families, these aren’t simply fair exhibits.
They’re traditions passed from one generation to the next.
There’s Something Happening Everywhere
One of the best things about the Missouri State Fair is that you can arrive without much of a plan and still fill an entire day.
Opening Day entertainment includes the Sea Lion Splash, Hedrick’s Racing Pigs, Anastasini Circus, Kevin Horner’s comedy and ventriloquist show, The Dollipops, The Farmer’s Daughter Show, strolling entertainers and plenty more.
There’s also the Missouri State Fair Winery Showcase, kids contests, blacksmith demonstrations, floriculture demonstrations, shopping, exhibits and activities scattered throughout the grounds.
And, of course, there’s the midway.
The rides. The games. The lights.
That moment after sunset when the entire fairground seems to glow is still one of our favorite parts of the Fair.
Rodeo Action Starts Opening Night
If you’re looking for a little more adrenaline, the International Pro Rodeo Association takes over the Governor Michael L. Parson Arena at 6 p.m. Thursday.
Opening Day also features qualifying rounds of Cowboy Mounted Shooting at 6 p.m.
Bailey Zimmerman Takes the Grandstand
Opening night gets even bigger after dark.
Country star Bailey Zimmerman, with Chandler Walters, takes the Missouri State Fair Grandstand stage at 7:30 p.m. Thursday night.
It’s a huge way to close out Day One—and only the beginning of the entertainment planned throughout the Fair.
More Than a Fair
Yes, there are rides.
Yes, we’re going to eat the funnel cake.
And yes, somebody in your family is probably going to spend far too much money trying to win an enormous stuffed animal.
But the Missouri State Fair is about something more.
It’s about Missouri.
It’s small towns and big cities coming together in one place.
It’s farmers, businesses, entertainers, craftsmen, competitors, volunteers and families.
It’s a child seeing the midway lights for the first time and a grandparent returning to a place they’ve visited for decades.
It’s traditions we remember—and new ones we haven’t made yet.
That’s what makes opening day special.
Tomorrow morning, the gates open and another chapter of one of Missouri’s great summer traditions begins.
So grab the family. Put on comfortable shoes. Bring your appetite. Take plenty of pictures.
And when you walk through those gates in Sedalia…
look around.
This is Missouri.
And for the next 11 days, we’re celebrating everything that makes the Show-Me State special.
We’ll See You at the Fair, Missouri!
The 2026 Missouri State Fair runs August 13–23 in Sedalia. Fairground gates are open daily from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., with Gate 6 used after 10 p.m.
Opening Day admission for Mizzou Day is $7 for ages 13+ and $2 for ages 6–12.
Follow Missouri Magazine throughout the Fair as we share the food, people, entertainment, hidden gems and moments you won’t want to miss.
And we want to hear from YOU:
What’s the first thing you’re doing when you get to the Missouri State Fair?
Rides?
Fair food?
Livestock?
Concerts?
Shopping?
Tell us—and if you find something Missouri Magazine absolutely needs to see, eat or experience this year, tag us!
We’ll see you in Sedalia.