Kids love them—and so do adults! State fairs are fun, one-of-a-kind events packed with community spirit, entertainment and unforgettable memories. More than just rides and games, they’re a celebration of togetherness, making them a perfect family event. But how much do you really know about state fairs?
From deep-fried corn dogs to quirky traditions, surprising stats and even celebrities who got their start in one, state fairs boast a whole lot of interesting facts. Keep reading to learn some tidbits about this slice of Americana.
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1. There are more state fairs than you might think.
The fair is coming to town! More than 1,700 county and state fairs take place in the United States each year—and all year round, though most are held in summer. More than 23 million people attended a state fair last year. That’s like the entire population of the state of Florida.
2. The first state fair was in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania’s York State Fair bills itself as America’s first fair. It’s actually 11 years older than America, since it dates back to 1765. A post-revolution “first fair” candidate is the one Elkanah Watson hosted in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, in 1807. But the event consisted only of sheep-shearing demonstrations, as Watson, who owned a woolen mill, hoped to encourage local farmers to raise more sheep.
3. Today, state fair amusement rides accompany the agricultural attractions.
Ferris wheels are a state fair staple, and the Texas State Fair claims to have the tallest one. Nicknamed the Texas Star, it rises 212 feet high, 52 feet shy of the first Ferris wheel, which debuted at another fair: the 1893 world’s fair in Chicago. Riders there paid 50 cents each for a 20-minute ride, during which the wheel went around twice. That first wheel was meant to rival the keystone attraction at the previous world’s fair: the Eiffel Tower.
4. There’s only one multistate fair.
All six New England states (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont) come together for the Big E, the country’s only multistate fair. Though the event is held in Massachusetts, the other five states each own a building and a bit of land on the fairgrounds. So you can visit all six states—and sample goods from each—in one stop.
5. Georgia has one of the largest state fairs.
Among the largest state fairgrounds are Iowa’s (which spans 445 acres), New York’s (375) and Minnesota’s (322). But the Georgia National Fair dwarfs them all at more than 1,100 acres. That’s twice the size of Disneyland. The midway at the Mississippi State Fair is a mile long!
6. State fairs are full of unique deep-fried desserts.
Of course, eating your way across the midway offsets the calories you burn by walking it. Because, let’s face it, fair food is fried food. Long past are the days when hoisting an Oreo or a Twinkie into the fryer could be called innovative. Deep-fried ranch dressing debuted at the Minnesota State Fair last year, while deep-fried bubble gum popped at the Iowa State Fair. And last year’s “Sporkie” award for the best bite at the Wisconsin State Fair went to the “deep-fried lemonade bite,” made with Hawaiian sweet rolls, French toast batter, lemon curd, lemon sugar and icing.
7. State fair corn dogs have mysterious origins.
Corn dogs are classic fair fare, though it’s unclear where these cornmeal creations first cropped up. Some credit Oregon concessioner George Boyington, who in 1939 lost some hot dog buns to rain, inspiring him to find a way to create a bun on an as-needed basis. He trademarked his “Pronto Pups” (now a Minnesota State Fair favorite) in 1942. But that same year, “Corny Dogs” were offered at the Texas State Fair.
8. Prize produce abounds at state fairs.
The fiercest competition might be in Alaska, where the long summer days and fertile soil are ideal for sprouting giant veggies. Alaskan Scott Robb set three Guinness World Records at his state fair. He’s credited with growing the heaviest turnip (39 pounds, 3.2 ounces), the heaviest kale (105 pounds, 14.5 ounces) and the heaviest green cabbage (138 pounds, 4 ounces).
9. State fairgoers might catch a megastar in the making.
Christina Aguilera performed at the North Dakota and Minnesota state fairs in 2000, the same year she won a Grammy for best new artist. Taylor Swift sang at fairs in Minnesota, New York and North Dakota in 2007, 2008 and 2009 as her star was rising. And the King himself, Elvis Presley, took the stage at the Texas State Fair in 1956, just one month after his first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show.
10. State fairs boost their state’s economy.
Bringing in huge crowds and employing lots of people, fairs are big business. In 2019, the state of Washington saw a $397 million boost in its economy thanks to the state’s 69 agricultural fairs. About 3,200 jobs and about $152 million in employee earnings came with it. And in Colorado, the 2021 state fair alone created nearly $15 million in earnings.
11. Butter sculptures are a state fair tradition.
The bizarre but beloved tradition of butter sculptures began at the 1903 Ohio State Fair as a way to promote the dairy industry. While cows and calves are the traditional forms, other sculpture subjects include the Liberty Bell, Darth Vader and Mr. Monopoly. What happens to all that butter? Some of it gets recycled. At the New York State Fair, hundreds of pounds go to a local farm and get converted into energy. The butter churns out enough to power the farm and more than 300 homes.
12. The most famous state fair butter sculptor was known as the Butter Cow Lady.
Perhaps the most famous butter sculptor was Norma “Duffy” Lyon, aka the Butter Cow Lady, who even made appearances on The Tonight Show for her artistry. Lyon spent more than 40 years carving butter bovines and more at the Iowa State Fair. Her portfolio includes statues of Garth Brooks and Tiger Woods, and even a life-size reproduction of Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper.
13. We can thank fairs for many notable firsts.
Alexander Graham Bell debuted the telephone at the 1876 world’s fair in Philadelphia, the first international fair held in the United States. Elsewhere in the fairgrounds, Henry J. Heinz served his first squeezes of ketchup. The zipper and the dishwasher both premiered at the 1893 world’s fair in Chicago, and TV first aired at the 1939 world’s fair in New York. Stay tuned to see which innovations emerge from Expo 2025, the latest world’s fair, running now through Oct. 13in Osaka, Japan.
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Sources:
- Blue Ribbon Group: “2024 “Top 30 State Fairs” List”
- Historic Towns of America: “York State Fair (est. 1765) York, PA – Oldest Fair in America”
- International Business Times: “Wheels of Fortune: The Battle to Build the World’s Next Tallest Ferris Wheel”
- Mass Live: “What is The Big E? Everything you need to know before attending”
- Atlas Obscura: “Butter Cows”
- Alaska State Fair: “Giant Fruit & Vegetable Records”
- New York Times: “Norma Lyon, the ‘Butter-Cow Lady,’ Dies at 81”
- History: “6 Everyday Inventions That Debuted at World’s Fairs”
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