Enjoy A Southern Tradition by Heading to A State Fair

There's nothing quite like riding a Ferris wheel and cheering on your favorite cowboy at the rodeo. Whether you want to share the joy with your kids or just feel like a kid again yourself, these top state fairs in the US show you what old fashioned fun in the South is really like.

Alabama

Is it accurate to call it a state fair when it attracts visitors from all over the country? That’s what organizers of the Alabama National Fair asked themselves when they changed the name in 1997 from South Alabama State Fair. Along with the midway rides and funnel cakes, the fair has a friendly Alabama vibe that adds to the atmosphere. Soak up local culture by taking in a lumberjack show, watching pig races and visiting Grandpa's Farm.

The Alabama National Fair usually runs for around 10 days during the fall, so check the website to see when it’s next arriving.

Georgia

The Georgia State Fair has entertained crowds for almost two centuries. Now located at the Atlanta Motor Speedway – a racetrack 20 miles south of Atlanta – the fair runs from late September to early October and celebrates all things agriculture.

Attractions include traditional entertainment like rollercoasters and a petting zoo along with more unusual activities, like speed boating, camel rides and even a circus train. If you find your way out of the maze of mirrors in time, catch a show featuring one of the country artists that headline each night. For those travelling from outside the state or country, the fair is just a 35-minute drive from Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport. 

Kentucky

Capture the soul of the Bluegrass State at the Kentucky State Fair, held each August on a massive 400 acres at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville. The fair's most famous attraction — the World's Championship Horse Show — features more than 2,000 horses and riders competing for more than $1 million in awards.

Elsewhere at the fair, you can make the most of free health screenings with Health Horizons, before catching a live cooking demonstration or a show at the theater-in-the-round stage. Past acts have included acrobats, ventriloquists and comedians.

There’s also action-packed Thrill Ville for rides and rollercoasters, as well as Heritage Hall, where adults aged 55 and older can enjoy complimentary coffee, bingo and games in the summer sun.
 

Louisiana

The city of Shreveport comes alive every fall for two weeks as more than 400,000 people visit the State Fair of Louisiana. As you wander the fairgrounds, you might run into a magician, clown, escape artist, or someone called Dallas the Fire Guy — one of many impressive street performers.

The entertainment lineup varies each year, but perennial favorites include the pirate parrot show and racing pigs. Don't miss the rodeo and the antique tractor pull, both Southern classics. On the educational front, exhibits also show kids how food and clothing come from fields, forests and livestock – not just from a store.

Mississippi

Try one of the carnival games at the Mississippi State Fair, and you might go home with a prize as simple as a goldfish or as impressive as a grandfather clock, depending on the game.

If you don't want to compete, there are plenty of opportunities to watch others demonstrate their skills. Watch cooks vie for first place in the barbecue cook-off or behold a trained dog catch a fish in the water. Pop by the annual fair in downtown Jackson for some fall fun around October time.

North Carolina

With one of the largest mobile midways in the country, the North Carolina State Fair offers thrills for the whole family. Slide, swing and twirl to your heart's content on almost 100 carnival rides. One of the newest — the State Fair Flyer — takes passengers into the air for an exhilarating ride above the lights. The fair also includes a folk festival featuring clogging, banjo instrumentals, bluegrass, country line dancing and more.
 

South Carolina

The largest event in the state, the South Carolina State Fair, spotlights exhibitors from every county. The fair has a farm focus and features competitions for the best livestock, poultry, agriculture and flowers. If you're a thrill seeker, get a wristband for unlimited rides. You can also watch the contests — like extreme pumpkin decorating — or catch a live show on the stage. The fair supports educational scholarships for local youths too, so you can have fun while helping the local community.

Tennessee

The Tennessee State Fair dates back more than 150 years, but each September it's a little different. The organizers develop an annual theme that they announce at the beginning of the year, then they line up the exhibits, entertainers and contests to match.

From karaoke showdowns to cowboy comedy, the fair is laidback and convivial. Toward the close of the 10-day festival – once you've loaded up on corn dogs, fried PB&J and barbecue – you can sign up for the Funnel Cake 5K. It starts from the fairgrounds and ends with complimentary funnel cakes for all.

Texas

When the cooler weather sets in, a whopping 3 million or more people flock to Dallas for the State Fair of Texas, making it the largest state fair in the country. It has all the staples –  livestock shows, classic cars, a midway full of rides and a massive chili cook-off. Flower lovers can also enjoy the Fall Garden Program, spotlighting the work of more than 40 landscapers and featuring special displays inside the greenhouse.

Fair Park, the 277-acre site for the event, is a National Historic Landmark filled with year-round attractions like museums and historic buildings, which offer special programming for fairgoers among the daily lineup of things to do. 
 

Which Southern fair is your favorite? Tell us your vote on Twitter and get more travel tips for your next getaway.