10 Things You Didn’t Know About the Missouri State Fair

The Missouri State Fair is now underway at the fairgrounds in Sedalia which brings to mind the uniqueness of this annual event which has a rich history including some facts that you might not be aware of.

The fairgrounds are older than the State Fair itself

According to the Missouri State Fair milestones, the event was created by the 40th general assembly on April 19, 1899. The fairgrounds themselves were already present thanks to 150 acres of land donated by the Van Riper family.

The first Missouri State Fair attracted just 25,246 people

The genesis event of the Missouri State Fair happened in September of 1901 and was celebrated over a 5-day period. Attendance of over 25,000 just after the turn of the century was impressive.

The Wright Brothers once put on exhibitions at the fair

Orville and Wilbur Wright presented exhibitions at the Missouri State Fair in 1910. This was less than a decade after their historic glider experiments at Kitty Hawk.

A president once attended the fair on "Mule Day"

The Missouri State Fair confirms that President William Howard Taft attended the fair on Mule Day. Feel free to insert your own favorite political joke about mules here.

The fair was canceled during World War II

Because of the ongoing World War, the Missouri State Fair was not convened in 1943 or 1944.

A tornado nearly destroyed the fairgrounds in 1952

One of the most tragic events in Missouri State Fair history happened on August 20, 1952 when a massive tornado touched down during the early morning hours. It killed an employee of the carnival and damaged every permanent building at the fairgrounds. The damage was estimated to be around $700,000, but the Missouri State Fair remarkably resumed the next night.

The fairgrounds once hosted a massive rock festival

The Ozark Music Festival was one of the most chaotic 3-day periods in Missouri history from July 19 through July 21, 1974. Estimates were that anywhere from 160,000 to 350,000 people attended the festival. The state of Missouri was left with cleanup responsibilities estimated to be over $35,000.

Ronald Reagan spoke at the Missouri State Fair

President Ronald Reagan spoke at the Missouri State Fair during the red-hot summer of 1984. If you have found a time machine, I'd like a ride back to 1984, please?

The fairgrounds have a surprising connection to France

In 1950, a railroad car known as the Forty & Eight Railroad Car was presented at the Missouri State Fair as a symbol of France and America working together in World War II.

The 2026 fair has a brand-new 150,000-square-foot arena

It was just yesterday as I write this that the new Governor Michael L. Parson Arena and Hayden Plaza dedication happened. It starts an exciting new chapter for the Missouri State Fair as we also remember its rich history.