LOUISVILLE, Ky. (LEX 18) — It's that time of year again! The Kentucky State Fair is right around the corner. The annual celebration begins on August 18 and runs until August 28 at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville.
Here's what you need to know before you head to the fairgrounds:
Admission: General admission to the fair is $10 per person with an additional $10 for parking. Early bird tickets are available now through Aug. 5 at $8 per person including parking. Kentucky State Fair admission is now available online via Ticketmaster and at participating Kroger locations.
Active, retired military, veterans, and their families receive free admission on Aug. 21 with a military ID. There is a limit of four passes and parking is not included. A special ceremony to honor the military will be held during the Oak Ridge Boys' concert at 8 p.m. as part of the Texas Roadhouse Concert Series.
On Monday, Aug. 22, admission with parking is $5 per person.
The following day offers free gate admission to anyone aged 55 and older (parking not included) and senior citizens are invited to Heritage Hall for all-day bunco and bingo.
Families for Effective Autism Treatment (FEAT) of Louisville partnered with the Kentucky State Fair to host Sensory Awareness Day as part of July's Disability Awareness Month on Aug. 24 from 10 a.m to 12 p.m. The midway's lights and music will be lowered so anyone with sensory sensitivities can enjoy the fair. To receive tickets, email melissa@featoflouisville.org with FEAT of Louisville or katc@louisville.edu with Kentucky Autism Training Center. Tickets are limited.
The fair's hours vary by day so click here for the latest updates in case of inclement weather or other cancellations. The Kentucky State Fair doesn't offer refunds or rainchecks.
Entertainment: Included in the price of an admission ticket, the Texas Roadhouse Concert Series provides an opportunity to experience everything from Country music and Christian tunes to classic American funk and Rock 'n' Roll.
Located in Parking Lot L, the performances are adjacent to the Kentucky Kingdom and Broadbent Arena. The gates open at 6:30 p.m each night and the concerts begin at 8:00 p.m, except for the Aug. 28 performance. On that day, gates will open at 2:30 p.m and the concert begins at 4:00 p.m. For more information regarding the performers, click here.
08/18 - Russel Dickerson (with Tyler Booth)
08/19 - Con Funk Shun (with Midnight Star)
08/20 - Black Stone Cherry (with Ayron Jones)
08/21 - Oak Ridge Boys (with Lorrie Morgan)
08/22 - We the Kingdom (with Anne Wilson)
08/23 - Happy Together Tour (including The Turtles, The Vogues and more)
08/24 - John Michael and Walker Montgomery
08/25 - Night Ranger (with Noah Guthrie)
08/26 - Trace Adkins (with Brassfield)
08/27 - Niko Moon (with Alex Miller)
08/28 - Lee Greenwood (with Darryl Worley)
Singers from 13 to 21 years old will also showcase their vocal abilities in the Talent Classic, after already competing in preliminaries across the state. The grand award winner, Ballin' the Jack, will perform in session two.
For the first time, an educational display to honor the heroes and victims of 9/11 called "The 9/11 NEVER FORGET Exhibit" will be shown across the entirety of the fair. The Fire Department of New York will provide firsthand accounts of the day through interactive guided tours. World Trade Center artifacts and documentary videos will also be displayed.
If all the walking tires you out and the concerts crack your voice, the BIG Tent, located in Lot A adjacent to the South Wing, offers food and drinks.
More free shows include Miller's Border Collies, a comedy animal variety show, and a kid-friendly act called RoboCars.
Competitions and Shows: Kentucky is well-known for its livestock and the fair is the place to see the latest from 4-H and Future Farmers of America (FFA) students as they compete for Farm Credit Mid-America championship title.
There are also contests dealing with antiques, photography, homemade beer, and alcohol, textiles, plants, and flowers. Entries for 2022 are now open.
The World's Championship Horse Show will also take place from Aug. 20 through Aug. 27 with start times varying from 6:30 and 7:00 p.m. It costs $8-11 per person depending on the day and it is not included in fair admission.
Everything from rabbits and pigeons to mules, dairy cows, and goats will also be available for fairgoers to visit. A full schedule of the livestock and other presentations can be found here.
For additional information about the fair, visit https://kystatefair.org.
