For many families throughout Missouri, there are 11 days in August that inspire months of work and preparation. In nearly every county of the state, children spend the spring caring for farm animals in hopes of bringing a blue ribbon home from the Missouri State Fair. Others work all year preparing exhibits for the 4-H building. Whether they raise flowers, stitch quilts, bake pies or build high-power pulling tractors, there are thousands of Missourians intent on showcasing their talents at the State Fair.
Scheduled for Aug. 8 through Aug. 18 in Sedalia, the State Fair is the culmination of activity for youngsters who show livestock. For others, the fair means rodeos or tractor pulls or big stage musical entertainment. The Missouri State Fair has something for everyone. If you haven’t made it to the fair yet, or if it’s been a while since your last visit, I’d like to encourage you to take a day and see all that Missouri agriculture and our State Fair has to offer. You’d be hard-pressed to find a better entertainment value anywhere this summer.
Admission to the State Fairgrounds is just $10 for adults, and children age 6-12 can enter for $2 each. The little tykes get in free. If you visit the State Fair website at mostatefair.com you can find information about deals on gate admission, as well as special pricing on carnival rides. The website also provides details on all the concerts, special events, competitions and livestock activities.
Once inside the gate, the biggest challenge is figuring out how to take it all in. There is so much to see and do throughout the 396-acre fairgrounds. With more than 45 buildings to explore, you never know what you’ll find.
You’ll never go hungry at the fair, either. Whether your mouth waters over the steaks served at the cattleman’s building, the giant chops at the pork producer’s hall or one of those enormous turkey drumsticks, Missouri’s agriculture community goes out of its way to show their best to fair-goers. Or, maybe like a lot of us, you can’t resist the urge to sample traditional fair food. Corn dogs, deep-fried Twinkies and funnel cakes covered with powdered sugar may not be nutritious, but they sure taste good.
The variety of farm animals is as diverse as Missouri agriculture itself: There are chickens and rabbits, sheep and goats, beef cows and dairy cows. Horses? You’ve never seen so many. There are tiny ponies, quarter horses, trotters, driving horses and majestic draft horses. If that’s not enough, there’s donkeys and mules, too.
Even if you don’t know a Duroc sow from a Guernsey cow, there’s still plenty to see and do at the State Fair. There’s flower shows, art exhibitions, a rooster crowing contest, a horse shoe pitching competition, a barbecue cook-off, the state fiddling championship and many other events. There’s rodeo and bull-riding, motocross and tractor pulls, a demolition derby and sprint car races. There’s live music and performances throughout the grounds, with strolling entertainers eager to please wherever crowds gather. If that’s not enough, the State Fair has big-name recording artists scheduled to perform eight nights in the grandstand.
If your family is like mine, summer simply isn’t complete without the Missouri State Fair. I hope you decide to make the trip to Sedalia and join the fun. I’ll be there for sure. Look for me at the Governor’s Ham Breakfast on Aug. 15 or stop me as I wander through the livestock pavilions and explore the exhibits. I’d love to visit and see how you’re enjoying Missouri’s agricultural showcase.
It’s my honor to serve as your senator for the 16th District. If you have questions or need any assistance, please call my office at 573-751-5713 or log onto my webpage at https://www.senate.mo.gov/brown for more information.
