Covington County Alabama Fairgrounds Events

If you’re searching for the Covington County Fairgrounds, you want Andalusia, Alabama, off the Southern Bypass. The big event there is the Kiwanis Covington County Fair, which this year runs Monday, October 19 through Sunday, October 25, 2026. This is Covington County, Alabama, not Covington County, Mississippi, which has its own fair and livestock show near Collins.

Overview of Covington County Fairgrounds

Where the grounds are

The fairgrounds sit in Andalusia, the county seat, on the Southern Bypass, the road that connects US-29 to Alabama Highway 55. The fair’s official address is 20096 Kiwanis Drive, Andalusia, AL. The official site prints the ZIP as 36421, while the Chamber of Commerce and ticketing listings use 36420, so type the street address into your GPS rather than relying on the ZIP.

The centerpiece is the Kiwanis Community Center, a large exhibit building the Kiwanis Club put up in 1995. The county-owned Covington Center Arena is also on the Southern Bypass at 24000 AL Highway 55, and the fair uses it for livestock and some entertainment. The Covington County Extension Office is next door at 23952 AL Highway 55, which is why 4-H families treat this stretch of road as home base.

Who runs it

The fair belongs to the Kiwanis Club of Andalusia, organized as the Kiwanis Covington County Fair Association, Inc. It is not a county-run fair and not a state-run fair. Kiwanis members and their spouses work the week, with help from student groups like the Andalusia High School Key Club and FCCLA. The Kiwanis Center is a Kiwanis facility. The arena belongs to the Covington County Commission and is booked separately.

Why the fair matters here

The fair is the Kiwanis Club’s biggest fundraiser. In early 2024, the club said it had put more than $45,000 back into the community from the previous year’s fair, including money to the Community Christmas Project, the Miracle League, the Full Tummy Project, the Children’s Policy Council, Covington County 4-H, Sav-A-Life, and the Andalusia Ballet. The club also funds a $6,000 scholarship pool for county seniors headed to Lurleen B. Wallace Community College.

Upcoming Events at Covington County Fairgrounds

The main event: the 2026 fair

The fair is nine days away as of this update. Official hours:

Day	Gates	Notes
Mon, Oct 19	6–10 PM	Youth talent contest, 7 PM
Tue, Oct 20	6–10 PM	Adult Citizens Day, 10 AM–noon, pizza served
Wed, Oct 21	6–10 PM	Church Night; Military Appreciation Night
Thu, Oct 22	6–10 PM	Children’s Day, 10 AM–noon, pizza served
Fri, Oct 23	5–10 PM	Non-perishable food items accepted for admission 5–6 PM
Sat, Oct 24	4 PM on	Adult talent contest, 7 PM
Sun, Oct 25	1–6 PM	Rides only; free admission; exhibit building closed

Hours are subject to change for weather or other circumstances.

Other events through the year

The grounds and the arena host more than the fair. Based on local coverage over the years, these have used the facilities:

• Civitan Rodeo, a Professional Cowboy Association-sanctioned rodeo held in winter at the Covington Center Arena. It was in its 25th year in 2012.
• Junior and senior high school rodeos, which have drawn 300-plus contestants and their families.
• Equine shows, including American Quarter Horse Association amateur shows and the Southern Mule and Donkey Classic.
• The World Championship Domino Tournament, held each July at the Kiwanis Center, which the county economic development office says draws 300-plus players from across the country.
• The Covington Sportsman Expo, a hunting and outdoors show held at the Kiwanis Center.
• The Kiwanis All Sports Expo, which was held in May 2026.
• Community events like Fourth of July celebrations on the Kiwanis grounds.

These are past and recurring events, not a guaranteed calendar. Check with the organizers before planning around any of them.

Finding the current schedule

For the fair, use the official site, kiwanisccf.org, and the Facebook page linked from it. For arena events, call the arena office at 334-428-2610. The Covington County Extension Office, (334) 222-1125, can point you to 4-H and livestock dates.

Visitors exploring Covington County Alabama Fairgrounds Events can also discover exciting community gatherings, agricultural exhibitions, seasonal festivals, and family-friendly entertainment in other parts of the state. For those interested in exploring more local traditions and outdoor activities, Coosa County Alabama Fairgrounds Events offer another opportunity to enjoy regional celebrations, connect with local communities, and experience the charm of Alabama’s rural heritage. Exploring both counties can help visitors discover a wider variety of fairs, cultural activities, and memorable experiences throughout Alabama.

Renting the facilities

The county rents the Covington Center Arena for livestock events, concerts, trade shows, motorsport exhibitions, and community gatherings. The county’s own advice is to reserve early, and the arena’s former manager has noted that concerts and equine events typically book nine to twelve months ahead. For the Kiwanis Building, I couldn’t find a published rental process, so contact the Kiwanis Club through the fair’s website or Facebook page.

The Kiwanis Covington County Fair

Admission and rides

2026 pricing from the official site:

• Admission (age 6 and up): $6. Children 5 and under are free.
• Unlimited ride armbands: $20 Monday–Wednesday, $15 Thursday, $25 Friday–Sunday.
• Friday: bring non-perishable food items between 5 and 6 PM for fair admission.
• Saturday, 4–6 PM: $10 admission for a special “Brenda Gantt: It’s Gonna Be Good Y’all!” program, then regular $6 admission after 6.
• Wednesday night: free admission for active and reserve military with a valid ID.
• Sunday: free admission, rides only.

Some third-party listings show an older “$5–$25” range. The official site’s numbers above are the ones to trust.

Midway

James Gang Amusements, a regional carnival company, ran the midway in the years I could verify (2013 and 2020 coverage). The fair’s own site doesn’t name this year’s provider, so look for it on arrival or ask the Kiwanis Club.

Exhibits and competitions

Exhibit categories on the official site are horticulture, community exhibits from schools, clubs, and businesses, and arts and crafts, including quilts and preserves. Past fair organizers described nearly 30 divisions, from baked goods and photography to woodworking and sheep. In past years, entries were free, generally capped at two per category per person, and the fair reserved the right to reject any entry. Non-commercial booths compete for cash prizes. In 2022, 25 booths were in the running.

Food

The Kiwanis Club runs an inside concession stand, and the midway has its usual fair food. The official site says “local specialties” without naming vendors. A local food booth listing shows vendor spots are open “until full.”

Entertainment

The 2026 lineup includes:

• Monday: the youth talent contest, with an AES choral group opening.
• Tuesday: the LBW Ensemble.
• Thursday: an outside-stage evening with the Straughn String Band, Spirit Wind, and the Burning Bush Family.
• Friday: the L A Linekickers inside, Mason Browder outside.
• Saturday: the adult talent contest.

Both talent contests charge a $20 registration fee and cap entries at the first 20 to register. Pageants, which were held earlier in the summer at the LBW Dixon Center in 2022, aren’t on this year’s published fair schedule.

Facilities and Grounds

Kiwanis Community Center

The main building holds exhibits, commercial booths, an indoor stage, and the Kiwanis concession stand. Kiwanis member Don Cotton said in 2020 that the building holds about 6,000 people at full fire-marshal capacity. In 2020, vendor booths were set up inside the building rather than outdoors.

Covington Center Arena

According to the county, the arena offers:

• Seating for over 2,000 in the main indoor arena (older coverage cites 2,500).
• A covered arena measuring 113 by 180 feet, plus an outdoor arena.
• More than 200 horse stalls.
• More than 150 RV sites with power and water.

This is the best answer to “is there camping?” Camping tied to the arena is available. I couldn’t find a published camping policy for the fair itself, so ask the arena office at 334-428-2610.

Parking and accessibility

The official site says parking is on-site, with ADA parking near the main gate. It doesn’t give a capacity, overflow plan, or fee. On the busiest nights (the fair’s chairman said Friday was the biggest night in 2013, at 3,400 people), arrive early.

What the fair’s FAQ doesn’t answer

Outside food, pets, and rain policy are listed as questions on the fair’s website, but the answers weren’t published when I checked. Call or message the Kiwanis Club before bringing a dog or a cooler.

Vendor and Exhibitor Information

Commercial vendors

The official site links a commercial booth contract and a non-commercial booth information sheet. The file names carry “2025” in them, so confirm with the club that these are current before you fill them out.

Competitive exhibits

The site links rules for horticulture, fabrics, and art. The art rules and categories and the fabrics sheet are labeled 2026. The horticulture sheet is labeled 2024. One third-party listing shows the art and craft deadline as October 10, 2026, which is today, so confirm with the club right away if you haven’t entered.

Livestock and farm animals

In past years, farm animals and horticulture entries were handled separately from the Friday-before drop-off at the Kiwanis Center. Check the fair’s current entry paperwork for animal check-in times.

Contacting the fair board

The fair’s website and Facebook page are the published contact points. I didn’t find a dedicated fair office phone number, so ask there.

Getting to Covington County Fairgrounds

Andalusia is reached by US-29, Alabama Highway 55, and US-84. The Extension Office’s own directions say to head south into town to the Southern Bypass, which links US-29 to AL-55. The Agriculture Center sits on the north side of that road next to the Kiwanis Community Center, across from the county health department. Drivers from Montgomery, the Florida Panhandle, and the Wiregrass will all end up on the bypass. I couldn’t find any shuttle or public transit to the fairgrounds, so plan to drive. There’s no published rideshare drop-off area, so ask at the gate.

4-H and FFA at the Fair

Extension and 4-H

The Covington County Extension Office, (334) 222-1125, coordinates Alabama 4-H locally. Covington County 4-H is a regular beneficiary of fair proceeds, and the fair has hosted 4-H animal shows in past years. A 2011 4-H heifer show at the arena drew more than 20 entries judged on showmanship and breed.

FFA and school involvement

I couldn’t verify which FFA chapters exhibit at the fair, so I’m not listing any. Covington County Schools serves the area outside Andalusia and Opp city limits, and each of those cities runs its own school system. For FFA entry rules, contact your chapter advisor or the fair. I also couldn’t find a published number of 4-H clubs, or details on a junior livestock auction. Don’t assume one exists.

Special Events Beyond the Annual Fair

Beyond the fair itself, the grounds and arena have hosted rodeos and horse shows, dominoes, the sportsman expo, a sports expo, Fourth of July celebrations, and Kiwanis fundraisers. Arena events are county-booked, so the arena office is the best source for what’s coming. For concerts, check the arena and the fair’s Facebook page, since I found no confirmed touring-act schedule.

History of Covington County Fairgrounds

Early fairs

Covington County’s first fair was held in November 1916 on the Public Square in Andalusia, put on by the women of the Civic Improvement Club. In 1920, local papers reported that a 60-acre tract had been bought for a county fair association. By 1935, the Covington County Fair Association’s 1920 mortgage on a ten-acre parcel along the Andalusia and Sanford Road went into default and the property was set for auction. By 1940, the Andalusia Baseball Association was sponsoring the fair, and women pushed for a revival again in 1949.

The Kiwanis era

The Andalusia Kiwanis Club held its first annual fair in 1963, with Johnny’s United Shows on the midway. The first fair netted the club $5,000. Over the years that money funded the Kiwanis Building, which went up in 1995, and a long list of charity donations. By the club’s own numbering, the 2023 fair was its 62nd, so 2026 would be the 65th.

Down years and good years

In 2013, the fair drew an estimated 14,000 people for the second year in a row, grossing over $100,000, after the club cut the run from ten days to seven. In 2020, the fair went ahead in a scaled-down form because of COVID-19. Admission was cut to $3, and pageants, talent contests, and on-stage entertainers were called off, while vendors set up inside the Kiwanis Building. Exhibits returned in force by 2023.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Covington County Fair in 2026?
October 19–25, 2026, at the Kiwanis Community Center in Andalusia, per the fair’s official site. Some aggregator listings show October 20–26, which doesn’t match the official dates.

What time does Covington County Fairgrounds open?
Gates open at 6 PM Monday–Thursday, 5 PM Friday, 4 PM Saturday, and 1 PM Sunday. Weeknights close at 10 PM, and Sunday closes at 6 PM.

How much does it cost to get into the Covington County Fair?
Admission is $6 for ages 6 and up, and children 5 and under are free. Sunday admission is free. Ride armbands are $20 Monday–Wednesday, $15 Thursday, and $25 Friday–Sunday.

Is there camping at Covington County Fairgrounds?
The county-owned Covington Center Arena has more than 150 RV sites with power and water. Call 334-428-2610 about availability during fair week.

How do I enter livestock in the Covington County Fair?
Use the fair’s entry paperwork and ask the Kiwanis Club about animal check-in times, since farm animals have historically been handled separately from other exhibits. 4-H members should also check with the Extension Office at (334) 222-1125.

Are dogs allowed at Covington County Fairgrounds?
The fair’s website lists pets as an open question, so check with the Kiwanis Club first. Service animals should follow the fair’s posted rules.

Where do I park at Covington County Fairgrounds?
Parking is on-site, with ADA spaces near the main gate. Overflow arrangements aren’t published, so arrive early on Friday and Saturday.

Who do I contact to rent Covington County Fairgrounds?
For the Covington Center Arena, call 334-428-2610. For the Kiwanis Building, reach the Kiwanis Club through the fair’s website or Facebook page.

Can I bring a cooler or outside drinks?
The fair’s site lists this as a question without a published answer. Ask before you pack.