Arkansas Oklahoma State Fair 2024

The Arkansas-Oklahoma State Fair is an annual event held every September at Kay Rodgers Park in Fort Smith. The traditional fair offers family-friendly entertainment like carnival rides, a midway, exciting games, and competitions.

Fair Highlights

The festival was started in 1936 with a focus on agriculture. It was first called the Fort Smith Livestock Exposition and has become the favorite tradition for many local families and one of the most popular events in two states. Every year, about 135,000 attendees will visit the fair. It features over 2,500 exhibitors and vendors. Visitors are welcome to try traditional fair snacks like corn dogs, cheesesteaks, candy apples, nachos, funnel cakes, pizza, pickles, cotton candy, snow cones, and hamburgers.

Carnival Rides and Games

An exciting carnival midway features such favorites as The Wacky Cowboy Roller Coaster, a 70-ft (21.33-m) Century Wheel with gondola seating, The Chance Rides Thunderbolt, 54-ft (16.45-m) Pharaoh's Fury, and more. Children can enjoy a classic Merry-Go-Round with a total of 30 horses with six different colors as well as Crystal Lil's House of Mirrors, a Mirror Maze on two levels. Dizzy Dragons, the Speedway, the Rio Grande Train, and Monster Trucks are also worth trying. Carnival games for all ages include water races, balloon pop, the duck pond, break-a-bottle, fish 'til you win, and the rope ladder. Teens' favorite BlockBuster game area has remote-controlled drones and helicopters as prizes.

Activities

Visitors can immerse themselves in a grand spectacle with midway acts. The astonishing performances include sword swallowers, strong ladies, fire eaters, stage illusions, escape artists, and more. There will also be a lot of competitions (Youth Talent, State Fair Pageant), exhibits, Agricultural Mechanics Show, etc. Attendees can enjoy free entertainment such as Off Axis Stunt Show or PRCA Xtreme Bull with paid gate admission only.

Tickets

Advance online discount ride tickets, armbands, and gate admissions are available from August 23 to September 17. All online tickets are WILL CALL ONLY and can be picked up 24 hours after purchase. Discount tickets can also be purchased at the Kay Rodgers Park ticket office on select dates, with the final day being Friday, September 20.

Gate admission fees are as follows: adults can enter for $8, with a $2 discount available. Seniors aged 62 and older can enjoy admission for $6 with a valid ID. Youths aged 4 to 11 have a ticket price of $5, with a $1 discount. Children aged three and under are admitted free of charge. Ride tickets are priced at $1 each, while unlimited ride armbands are available for $25, reflecting a $7 discount. Family Fun Pack is available for $69 and includes 60 ride tickets, 4 gate admissions, and $20 worth of food vouchers.