2026 Kentucky State Fair Draws Best Overall Attendance in Decades

The 122nd Kentucky State Fair drew 642,240 attendees, marking the fair’s highest overall attendance in more than two decades. This year’s fair celebrated Kentucky’s world-class agriculture industry and built on the recent growth of Kentucky’s tourism industry, which has had its best year on record for economic impact for four consecutive years. The 11-day event welcomed travelers and Kentuckians from all 120 counties to celebrate the commonwealth’s agriculture, traditions and America’s 250th anniversary.

“Team Kentucky is continuing to break records and achieve historic success,” said Gov. Andy Beshear.“This year’s fair is a credit to our state’s unmatched agriculture industry, our record-breaking tourism industry, and the team at Kentucky Venues who helped make this event so special.” 

“For 122 years this fair has been a place where all 120 counties come together, and that tradition is worth protecting,” said Michael E. Berry, Interim President and CEO of Kentucky Venues. “Setting our best attendance mark in more than two decades, with nearly 40,000 entries and record sponsorship support, shows how Kentuckians connect with our mission. Our partners, sponsors, volunteers and Team Kentucky made it happen, and they deserve every bit of the credit.” 

Exhibits & Agriculture Showcase

The fair and the World’s Championship Horse Show drew 38,799 combined entries. New this year, classes celebrating America’s 250th Anniversary were offered across eight departments, from patriotic baking and photography to textiles and wine, along with a new glasswork section in Fine Arts.

123rd World’s Championship Horse Show

Held in conjunction with the fair, the World’s Championship Horse Show brought the world’s best saddlebreds, hackneys and roadsters to Freedom Hall Aug. 22-29. Attendees and participants from as far as Germany and South Africa filled the stands as a record-breaking number of horses competed for more than $1 million in prize money and awards. This year’s show debuted a new American Saddlebred Five-Gaited Country Pleasure division and an expanded Bill Wise Sweepstakes program. The Five-Gaited World’s Grand Championship, with a $200,000 purse, including endowment money, was earned by WGC CH Midd’s Delaney, ridden by Susan Swope and trained by West Wind Stables. The win marked the mare’s third World’s Grand Championship and Swope’s second.

Kentucky Traditions Continue

A Milestone Ham Auction: The 62nd Annual Kentucky Farm Bureau Country Ham Breakfast and Charity Auction raised $10 million for Kentucky charities, matching last year’s record total. Kelly and Joe Craft, together with Central Bank, placed the winning bid on the 16.7-pound grand champion ham before a sold-out crowd of more than 1,600 guests. Since 1964, the auction has raised more than $64 million for Kentucky nonprofits.

The annual Championship Drive presented by Farm Credit Mid-America showcased the talents of 273 exhibitors and awarded $198,500 to youth livestock exhibitors showing market and breeding animals.

In partnership with the Kentucky Department of Agriculture and the Kentucky Exposition Foundation, a record-breaking 120 participants took part in the 5th annual Sunshine Class.

Talent Classic showcased the incredible talents from Kentucky and Indiana across three age groups, with 101 performers competing for a share of $5,600 in prize money and awards.

The 5th annual Sensory Friendly Morning distributed over a thousand tickets to families as a commitment to inviting all of Kentucky to the fair celebrations. Partnered with Kissel Entertainment and community organizations, those with sensory processing differences enjoyed a calmer and quieter Thrill Ville still packed with just as much fun.

The Texas Roadhouse Concert Series entertained crowds with 10 nights of headlining acts in Lot L, from Cooper Alan and Black Stone Cherry to Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder, ERNEST, Foghat and the Kentucky Headhunters, while the largest indoor fair in the country kept dozens of additional indoor and outdoor stages and attractions going all day long.

2027 Kentucky State Fair Theme Announced

Generations of fairgoers experienced the final chapter in the West Wing, West Hall and Pavilion, as 2026 marks the last Kentucky State Fair held in those buildings. Looking ahead, the 2027 fair will debut a new state-of-the-art facility at the Kentucky Exposition Center, with square footage equal to six football fields and amenities designed to enhance the exhibitor and attendee experience.

And the 2027 theme is hot off the press: “All the Fair You Can Bear.” Fair Bear, the fair's iconic mascot, is waking up hungry and curious, ready to lead the way through brand-new spaces, hundreds of attractions and a whole lot more room to roam. Come with a bear-size appetite and a nose for adventure. Mark the calendar now for the 123rd Kentucky State Fair, Aug. 19-29, 2027, at the Kentucky Exposition Center.