Governor Mike Parson and Missouri State Fair Director Jason Moore recently announced that 345,643 visitors attended the annual State Fair in Sedalia, held from August 8-18, 2024. The Missouri State Fair is recognized as the state’s largest agricultural showcase, drawing families from across Missouri every summer.
“The Missouri State Fair is consistently Summer’s Best Story for many families, including ours,” Governor Parson said. “Teresa and I love sharing our State Fair stories from year to year, so this theme was fitting for our final fair season as Governor and First Lady. But rest assured, we’ll be back next year for more State Fair fun.”
In a survey of attendees, agricultural exhibits, food, and the tradition of the Missouri State Fair were the top reasons people attended. More than 50,000 people visited on the first Saturday, benefiting from mild weather in the early days of the Fair.
“This year, we told our personal Fair stories and encouraged others to do the same,” said Missouri State Fair Director Jason Moore. “We love hearing stories from farm families and fairgoers about how the State Fair is their favorite summer event. For many, the Fair represents the culmination of a year’s hard work, a place to gather with friends, and a chance to showcase the best of Missouri agriculture.”
The carnival midway saw record-breaking revenues on the first Saturday and Sunday. Concerts were also a highlight, with performances by Alabama, Warren Zeiders, and Ludacris among the most popular events.
Missouri Director of Agriculture Chris Chinn announced that more than 29,000 livestock and competitive entries were exhibited at the 2024 State Fair. Notable increases included a 14% rise in 4-H and FFA market livestock entries and a 20% increase in Boer goat entries.
“The Fair is always an opportunity for my team to celebrate traditions, enjoy the exhibits, and showcase the quality of Missouri agriculture,” said Director Chinn. “The Fair wouldn’t be what it is today without Governor Parson’s support, and it was bittersweet knowing this was his last Fair as Governor. The Parsons are champions of Missouri agriculture and the State Fair, and their contributions will continue advancing our industry.”
The Missouri State Fair Commission held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new indoor arena on the fairgrounds. “I was speechless upon hearing the arena will be named the Governor Michael L. Parson Arena,” said Governor Parson. “Seeing the excitement of the Fair through our children’s and grandchildren’s eyes is special to us, and knowing this arena will carry our family name is truly an honor.”
Governor Parson also selected the inaugural Missouri State Fair ice cream flavor, Kingdom Crunchdown, in honor of the Kansas City Chiefs. More than 600 servings were sold at Gerken Dairy Center during the 2024 Fair.
The 2025 Missouri State Fair is scheduled for August 7-17 in Sedalia.
