The 82nd Arkansas State Fair gets underway Friday, with the usual — and in some cases unusual — assortment of free concerts, fair food, livestock competitions, carnival rides and varied attractions.
The 10 days of festivities conclude Oct. 23.
North American Midway Entertainment of Farmland, Ind., is providing the carnival attractions, including more than 250 state-of-the-art rides, custom-designed food concessions and family-oriented games.
The Drive-By Truckers — Brad Morgan (from left), Jay Gonzalez, Matt Patton, Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley — perform Friday at the Arkansas State Fair. (Special to the Democrat-Gazette/Jason Thrasher) MUSIC
The Arkansas State Fair Concert Series on the Lotto Main Stage is free with gate admission; limited deck seating is available for an additional $20 at the fairgrounds box office and at ArkansasStateFair.com:
- ◼️ Friday: Drive-By Truckers
- ◼️ Saturday: '90s Dance Party featuring Color Me Badd, Tone Loc, & Young MC
- ◼️ Sunday: The Wallflowers
- ◼️ Monday: Jettway Music School with Zac Dunlap Band
- ◼️ Tuesday: Southern Soul Tuesday with radio station KOKY-FM, 102.1, and Power92 Jams, featuring Dino D and the D-Train Band
- ◼️ Wednesday: Darin with Spirit & Sand DJs
- ◼️ Oct. 20: Arkansas Edge Showcase
- ◼️ Oct. 21 KSSN Homegrown Showdown
- ◼️ Oct 22: Megan Moroney (7 p.m.), Blanco Brown (8 p.m.)
- ◼️ Oct. 23 La Sonora Dynamita de Carlitos Xivir, Los Cadetes de Linares de Horacio Mata
RIDES
Rides include the Crazy Mouse roller coaster, Euro slide, Giant Wheel, Mach 3 and Mega Drop plus, all-new rides Chopper Charlie and Raptor Run. Kiddie rides include Balloon Race, Bumble Bees, Kite Flyer, Lollipop Swings and Spidermania.
(Special to the Democrat-Gazette) FOOD
Fair favorites — corn dogs, funnel cakes, cotton candy, hamburgers and pizza — will be available throughout the fairgrounds; new offerings include pickle pizza from Swain's Pizza on a Stick. Returning vendors include Paizi's Greek gyros, Boss Hogg barbecue, Gold's Skillet, Pat's Kitchen, Alan McKinney Food Service and L&M Concessions, on the fairground's main food court, in the Hall of Industry and on the midway.
(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Stephen Swofford) LIVESTOCK
Livestock show exhibitions and competitions, daily on the fairgrounds, include beef cattle, dairy cattle, swine, sheep, Boer goats, dairy goats, poultry and rabbits, with, according to Livestock Show Association Chairman Bruce Maloch, nearly 4,000 Arkansas 4-H and FFA members.
CREATIVE ARTS
The Farm Bureau Arts & Crafts Building hosts dozens of competitions for exhibitors of all ages in crafts, hobbies and cooking skills. Live competitions and demonstrations take place daily, and artists and craftspeople will display their artwork all 10 days of the fair.
Scheduled competitions include Arkansas Farm Bureau Floral Express flower arranging, open baked foods, Arkansas State Fair pie, Arkansas honey cooking, Hiland Dairy cooking, Petit Jean Meats cooking, Tammy Sue's meatloaf cooking, Arkansas Cattlemen's Association BBQ ribs, the Arkansas Cattlewomen's Association chili cook-off and the Arkansas commercial wine exhibit. There will also be daily cooking demonstrations.
A State Fair judge tests competitors' cookies. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Staci Vandagriff) BEAUTY & TALENT
The Arkansas Building will be the venue for four days of regional competition for Fair Queen and Youth Talent contestants. Talent finalists perform starting at 11 a.m. Oct. 22, with Ms. and Sr. Ms. Pageants starting at 3 p.m. and Fair Queen finals start at 6:30 p.m. The evening concludes with award ceremonies and the crowning of the 2022 Arkansas State Fair Queen, Junior Fair Queen, Ms. Fair Queen and Senior Ms. Fair Queen.
SHOWS
On Hiland Hill just off the midway, Hiland Dairy presents:
◼️ Moogician (12:30, 3:30 and 7 p.m. daily), Todd Charles (aka "The Moogician") performs magic with milk, juggles cheese and focuses on "all things MOO!"
◼️ Cool Dog Thrill Show (12:30, 3:30 and 7 p.m. daily), showcasing dogs and their handlers performing to upbeat music.
◼️ Prehistoric Dinosaur Adventure (11 a.m.-8 p.m. daily), a prehistoric walk-through museum and a "thrilling up-close encounter" with "Tyrannosaurus Rex!" Dino Kids Challenge games in front of the museum and a twice-daily Fossil Casting Workshop wherein kids can learn how to make fossils.
Also: The State Fair Petting Zoo has two locations this year: on the south end of the midway in the FFA Ag in Action area and the other in Family Land by the Main Gate.
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Various sponsored promotions allow fair patrons to save money on admission, rides and other fair attractions on specific days.
The official State Fair Guide, available digitally on smartphones via ArkansasStateFair.com, provides, among other details, daily schedules, maps and a list of food vendors. Also use smartphones at the fair to access the daily schedule and fairgrounds map by scanning QR codes located on information towers throughout the fairgrounds.
82nd Arkansas State Fair
- When: Friday-Oct. 23
- Where: State Fairgrounds, 2600 Howard St. at Roosevelt Road, Little Rock
- Admission: Regular daily admission at the gate is $12, $6 for children 6-12 and senior citizens 60 and older, free for children under 6. Daily specials include advance adult gate admission for $8 and $4 at the gate for children and senior citizens. Ride bands, good for one day of unlimited rides, are $30 prior to opening day, at ArkansasStateFair.com; $35 each if bought on-site.
- Parking: Regular fairground parking is $10 per vehicle; premium parking is available closer to the action in designated lots for $20.
- Information: (501) 372-8341; ArkansasStateFair.com