Benton County kicks off annual tradition
The Benton County Fair kicks off the annual fair season this week. According to Terrilyn Wendling, interim director of the Rogers Historical Museum, the fair, “as we know it,” started around the square in Bentonville in 1904 as the Benton County Free Fruit Fair.
“The fair began largely as an exhibition of the fruit in the area,” Wendling says she gleaned from old newspaper reports. “By 1923 it was the Benton County Free Fair and included community exhibits of agricultural items and home economic items, as well as a large poultry section.” The fair moved to Vaughn in 2007.
“Rogers held a fair in 1888 called the Benton County Horticultural, Agricultural, and Mechanical Fair,” Wendling adds. “This fair lasted until 1896 when the buildings and land were sold to pay bills. It was revived in 1903 and held until 1907 when again the land was sold to pay bills. The biggest draw at this fair was the horse and bicycle races, but it also included the exhibition of agricultural items.”
So history comes alive all over northern and western Arkansas about this time every year.
BENTON COUNTY FAIR
WHEN — Aug. 6-10
WHERE — Benton County Fairgrounds in Bentonville, 7640 S.W. Regional Airport Blvd.
COST — Free; carnival armbands are $25
INFO — 795-8900, bentoncountyfairar.org
^
LOGAN COUNTY FAIR
WHEN — Aug. 13-17
WHERE — Logan County Fairgrounds in Paris, Arkansas 22 and Airport Industrial Road
COST — Free Aug. 14, $2 Aug. 15-17
INFO — 438-0811
^
MADISON COUNTY FAIR
WHEN — Aug. 24-31
WHERE — Madison County Fairgrounds in Huntsville, 902 Crossbow Road
COST — $3 for ages 13 and older, $1 for ages 6-12 in previous years; no current update available
INFO — (479) 738- 2642 or madisoncountyfairboard@gmail.com
^
JOHNSON COUNTY FAIR
WHEN — Aug. 19-24
WHERE — Johnson County Fairgrounds in Clarksville, 1586 W. Oakland St.
COST — $3
INFO — thejohnsoncountyfair.org
^
SEBASTIAN COUNTY FAIR
WHEN — Aug. 20-24 with pageant and horse show Aug. 17
WHERE — Sebastian County Fairgrounds in Greenwood, 530 E. Knoxville St.
COST — $3-$5
INFO — 462-2322, sebastiancountyfair.com
^
NEWTON COUNTY FAIR
WHEN — Carnival is Aug. 18-25
WHERE — Newton County Fairgrounds in Jasper, 500 Arkansas 7 South
COST — $1 parking; admission is free
INFO — 870-446-6234, thenewtoncountyfair.com
^
CARROLL COUNTY FAIR
WHEN — Aug. 24-31
WHERE — Carroll County Fairgrounds in Berryville, 104 CR 401
COST — $5 for ages 10 and older Aug. 27-31
INFO — (870) 350-1550
^
WASHINGTON COUNTY FAIR
WHEN — Aug. 20-24
WHERE — Washington County Fairgrounds in Fayetteville, 2536 N. McConnell Ave.
COST — $5 for ages 6 and older; $2 on Family Night Tuesday
INFO — mywashingtoncountyfair.com
^
CRAWFORD COUNTY FAIR
WHEN — Sept. 9-14
WHERE — Kirksey Park in Mulberry, 805 N. Main Street
COST — $2 children, $5 adults; free Sept. 11 with canned good donation.
INFO — 997-5301, thecrawfordcountyfair.com.
^
BOONE COUNTY FAIR
WHEN — Sept. 10-14
WHERE — Northwest Arkansas District Fairgrounds in Harrison, 1400 Fairgrounds Road
COST — Free
INFO — 870-743-1011
^
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS DISTRICT FAIR
WHEN — Sept. 16-21
WHERE — Northwest Arkansas District Fairgrounds in Harrison, 1400 Fairgrounds Road
COST — $5 adult, $3 students, 6 and younger are free.
INFO — 870-743-1011
^
ARKANSAS-OKLAHOMA STATE FAIR
WHEN — Sept. 20-28
WHERE — Kay Rodgers Park in Fort Smith, 4400 Midland Blvd.
COST — $8 adults, $4 children 3-11; $1 Sept. 25 with donation of non-perishable food item until 5 p.m.
INFO — 783-6176, arkansasoklahomafair.com
^
ARKANSAS STATE FAIR
WHEN — Oct. 11-20
WHERE — Arkansas State Fair Complex in Little Rock
COST — $3-$6 with $25 ride bands until Oct. 10; $5-$10 with $30 ride bands at the gate
INFO — 501-372-8341 or arkansasstatefair.com
— Deb Harvell
dharvell@nwadg.com
