Kentucky State Fair Partners with Stoneware & Co. for Limited-Edition Ribbon Mug Collection

Two Kentucky icons are teaming up for a keepsake worthy of a champion. Kentucky Venues and Stoneware & Co. have partnered to create limited-edition Blue Ribbon and Tri-Color Ribbon mugs, hand-crafted in Louisville and available only at the 122nd Kentucky State Fair, Aug. 20-30 at the Kentucky Exposition Center.

Few partners could bring more Kentucky history to the table. Stoneware & Co. traces its roots to 1815, making it one of the oldest continuously operating stoneware makers in the country. 

“Stoneware & Co. is a true Kentucky original, and there’s no better way to remember a day at the fair,” said Michael E. Berry, interim president and CEO of Kentucky Venues. “From the blue ribbons in our exhibit halls to the tri-color at the World’s Championship Horse Show, these mugs capture what makes the Kentucky State Fair one-of-a-kind.”

For the collaboration, both teams landed on the ribbon as the fair’s most iconic symbol. Lead artist Collen Gipson, who has been with Stoneware & Co. for more than 40 years, drew the design and created the samples, translating the intricate detail of a ribbon into a stamp used to shape each mug. The result is two collectibles: a Blue Ribbon mug that celebrates the fair’s first-place honors and a Tri-Color Ribbon mug that echoes the World’s Grand Champion’s rosette.

“This is such an honor. This is an iconic event in Kentucky, not just the fair, but the World’s Championship Horse Show,” said David McGuire, head of business development and customer care at Stoneware & Co. “Once we got the call, we were thrilled to jump on board, and we can’t wait to see these mugs live and in the wild at the Kentucky State Fair.”

The fair is personal for David, whose family has its own history with the fair. He grew up making the drive to Louisville to see his grandmother’s quilts on display, and his family later earned a blue ribbon of its own for a champion Holstein at the Kentucky State Fair. “That’s my fondest memory,” he said.

The mugs are a limited edition, available only during this year’s fair. Fairgoers can find the Blue Ribbon mugs at the 122nd Kentucky State Fair Merchandise Store online, at North Wing Lobby, or West Hall Lobby, Aug. 20-30, at the Kentucky Exposition Center. The cost per mug is $32 plus tax.