Crenshaw County Alabama Fairgrounds Events

If you searched for the Crenshaw County fair, you probably landed on a page promising carnival rides and a fair week. Here is what actually exists in Crenshaw County, Alabama: a working agricultural center in Luverne that hosts the county rodeo, a nationally attended junior cattle show, a winter vendor market, and the livestock and 4-H programs that anchor a fair anywhere else. This page covers where it is, what happens there, how to take part, and which details you should confirm with the people who run it.

Overview of Crenshaw County Fairgrounds

Where the grounds are

The county’s fairgrounds-style facility is the Tom Harbin Ag Center at 816 Airport Road, Luverne, AL 36049. Luverne is the county seat and largest city in Crenshaw County. It sits on the East Gulf Coastal Plain along the Patsaliga River, with U.S. Highway 331 running south from Montgomery through town. Airport Road is also home to the county historical museum, whose twice-a-year yard sale is held in the barn behind the museum, so if you see signs for one, you’re on the right road.

Locals and event listings use several names for the same place: the Tom Harbin Ag Center, the Tom Harbin Farm Center, and the Ag Center. Search any of them and you’ll find the same Airport Road address.

Who runs it

The Ag Center is closely tied to the Crenshaw County Extension office. The county extension coordinator, Amanda Evans, is the contact on Extension event listings for the grounds, at (334) 335-6312 and [email protected]. An Ag Center board also exists: Extension worked alongside Ag Center board members on a fundraiser to cover maintenance, updates and repairs. There’s no separate “fair board” to look up. The Extension office is the practical front door.

What’s on the property

The center includes the main Ag Center building, the Emmett Strickland Pavilion, and an arena. The pavilion does double duty in summer, sheltering local vendors who sell produce and other goods at the farmers market. Acreage and a full site map aren’t published anywhere I could find, so ask the Extension office before you plan around specific dimensions.

Why it matters locally

Crenshaw County was never a big row-crop county. The encyclopedia entry for the county notes that rugged terrain and infertile soil kept large-scale farming from taking hold, and timber became the economic base after the railroad arrived in the 1880s. That helps explain the shape of the Ag Center’s calendar: cattle, forestry, rodeo, and community programs rather than a classic midway and crop-exhibit fair. The Ag Center also serves as a voting location, so it’s a general-purpose community building as much as an ag venue.

Upcoming Events at Crenshaw County Fairgrounds

There is no single event calendar for the grounds, so the pattern below comes from past events. Treat it as a guide to the year, not a schedule for 2026–2027.

Early August: Crenshaw County Rodeo

The county rodeo is the biggest annual draw at the arena. It’s also known as the Crenshaw County Volunteer Fire Association Annual Rodeo, and it’s sanctioned by NCPRA and IPRA. Recent editions ran Aug. 2, 2024 and Aug. 1–2, 2025, with Friday performances starting at 7:30 p.m. The rodeo is a fundraiser for the county’s volunteer fire departments, so ticket money goes to local fire protection. Expect a first-weekend-of-August slot again, but check the rodeo’s Facebook page for 2026–2027 dates and prices. Crenshaw County Rodeo +2

Labor Day weekend: World’s Largest Peanut Boil (not at the Ag Center)

Searchers often mix this up with fairground events, so to be clear: the Peanut Boil is Luverne’s best-known annual event, but it isn’t held at the Ag Center. The Crenshaw County Alcazar Shrine Club runs it, and a 2024 report put the location at 1704 Montgomery Highway in Luverne. The boil began in 1970. A 2024 report said organizers expected to boil more than 30 tons of peanuts and would sell until Monday or until they ran out. Proceeds support the Alcazar Shriners in Montgomery and Shriners International. If you want peanuts, go early in the weekend.

Winter: Belt Buckle Classic

The Crenshaw County Junior Cattlemen’s Association hosts the Belt Buckle Classic at the Ag Center, a Beyond the Ring Junior Livestock Association sanctioned show. One recent January edition was the seventeenth held in Luverne and drew exhibitors from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Mississippi and Tennessee. The organizer said there was no entry fee for the show. For a small county, that’s a regional draw, and it’s the closest thing the grounds have to a livestock show weekend.

Visitors interested in Crenshaw County Alabama Fairgrounds Events can explore a variety of local celebrations, agricultural showcases, seasonal festivals, and family-friendly activities that highlight Alabama’s community spirit. Those looking to discover more regional entertainment can also explore Covington County Alabama Fairgrounds Events, where visitors may find additional opportunities to enjoy local traditions, community gatherings, and outdoor festivities. Exploring events across both counties helps visitors discover more of Alabama’s rural charm, connect with local communities, and plan enjoyable experiences throughout the year.

Early December: Winter Market

Extension’s annual vendor market runs in the evening in early December. It was long called the Holiday Fair, and it has since been renamed the winter market. The most recent edition was Dec. 2 from 4 to 7 p.m., with local vendors, handmade goods, food trucks and door prizes. It has grown: the 2023 edition had 22 vendors, up from 15 the year before. It’s also the reason many people searching “Crenshaw County fair” end up on the Extension site, since the event was long billed as a “fair.”

Smaller recurring gatherings

The Ag Center fills out the calendar with the Cattlemen’s Association annual meeting in February, pesticide training for producers renewing private applicator licenses, and the Swamp Supper, a free cook-and-share event for men and boys. Extension also runs school programs there, including a Farm City tour for kindergartners, a Farm Safety program for sixth graders, and a Groundwater Festival for fourth graders. Senior-focused events like a May Day gathering have also used the building.

How to find the current schedule

• Crenshaw County Extension Office: (334) 335-6312, [email protected]. The office is on the second floor of the Crenshaw County Courthouse in Luverne.
• Alabama Extension events listings (aces.edu) carry Extension-run events like the winter market.
• The Luverne Journal’s community calendar and its “What’s Happening” roundup cover most local dates.
• The Crenshaw County Rodeo Facebook page is where rodeo dates are posted.

Renting the facility

The grounds host community and organization events, and the winter market, farmers market and rodeo show the range. I couldn’t find a published rental policy, fee schedule or booking form. Call the Extension office to ask who handles rentals and what the rules are.

The County Fair Question

A traditional county fair would mean a multi-day run with a traveling carnival, grandstand acts, home-economics and crop exhibits, and a youth livestock auction. I couldn’t confirm that Crenshaw County holds one. No local news coverage, Extension listing or fair association page describes it. An aggregator lists an October “Crenshaw County Fair,” but without a local source I’m not treating it as fact.

If you’re planning a trip around a midway, check the Extension office first. If you want rides and a fair week, the nearest options are in neighboring counties, and those fairs have their own boards and dates. What Crenshaw County offers is a rodeo, a major junior cattle show, a peanut boil, and a farmers market.

Facilities and Grounds

What’s confirmed

• Main Ag Center building: hosts meetings, training, the winter market and community programs.
• Emmett Strickland Pavilion: open-air space used for the farmers market.
• Arena: home to the rodeo and the Belt Buckle Classic.

What I couldn’t confirm

Published information on stall rental, camping or RV hookups, grandstand seating capacity, ADA parking, restroom accessibility, parking capacity and on-site ATMs or first aid is missing. Many Alabama county facilities have limited amenities, but don’t plan an overnight stay or a stall booking on that assumption. Call Extension before you load a trailer.

Vendor and Exhibitor Information

Becoming a vendor

For the winter market, vendors registered and paid online through Alabama Extension for $20 in 2024. In earlier years, interested vendors could also stop by the Extension office in the courthouse. Register early, since the market has been growing. For the summer farmers market, contact the Extension office about booths under the pavilion. For the rodeo and Belt Buckle Classic, ask the organizers directly through their Facebook pages.

Entering livestock

The route in is youth livestock through the Crenshaw County Junior Cattlemen’s Association, which runs the Belt Buckle Classic. Membership and entry details aren’t published online, so ask the Extension office how to join and where entry forms are posted.

Competitive exhibits

Without a county fair, there’s no premium book for crops, baking, photography, art or canning. If your goal is those categories, ask Extension whether any competitive events exist or whether you’d need to enter a neighboring county’s fair.

Getting to Crenshaw County Fairgrounds

From Luverne’s town center, Airport Road is a short drive. The grounds sit near the municipal airport and the historical museum.

Rough distances to Luverne, based on a farm-listing description of the area, are about 49 miles from Montgomery, 28 miles from Troy and 22 miles from Greenville. Highway 331 is the main north-south route. From Montgomery, take U.S. 331 south into Luverne. From Troy or Greenville, plan on state highways into town and then follow signs to Airport Road. Confirm routing with a map app, since I couldn’t verify turn-by-turn directions.

There’s no public transit or shuttle service that I know of. For rodeo night, expect to drive and park on the property.

4-H and FFA in Crenshaw County

Extension coordinates the county’s 4-H programs. The Ag Center hosts numerous Extension and 4-H programs for the whole community throughout the year. The Junior Cattlemen’s Association is the most visible youth livestock group on the grounds. Students from the county’s schools, including Luverne High School and the Crenshaw County Area Vocational School, have access to ag programs, but I couldn’t confirm the number of active 4-H clubs or which FFA chapters show at the Ag Center. Ask Extension for the current list.

I couldn’t find a published junior livestock auction for the county. If one exists, Extension would know who can bid and where proceeds go.

Special Events Beyond the Annual Calendar

Besides the rodeo, Belt Buckle Classic and winter market, the grounds see:

• Cattlemen’s Association meetings each winter.
• Pesticide applicator training for local producers.
• TREASURE Forest and forestry committee programs. Forestry events and TREASURE Forest programs have used the Ag Center.
• Farmers market days under the pavilion in summer.
• Community fundraisers, such as the “Farmers and Friends” benefit, which drew about 250 people and raised more than $2,000 for building upkeep.

I found no evidence of a regular gun show, motocross event, concert series or demolition derby at these grounds.

History of Crenshaw County Fairgrounds

The Ag Center’s own founding date isn’t documented in anything I found, and the history of the Tom Harbin name isn’t published online either. The county’s history helps explain the setting: the legislature created Crenshaw County in 1866, and voters moved the county seat from Rutledge to Luverne in 1893, which cemented Luverne as the center of local life. The Ag Center’s fundraiser history shows a community that maintains it by hand: a 2022 benefit dinner drew about 250 people to help pay for repairs.

If you have history on the center, such as who Tom Harbin and Emmett Strickland were, the Crenshaw County Historical Society, based on Airport Road, is the best place to ask.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Crenshaw County Fair in 2026–2027?

I couldn’t confirm a traditional county fair. The big annual events are the rodeo in early August, the winter market in early December, the Belt Buckle Classic in winter, and the Peanut Boil over Labor Day weekend. Confirm exact dates with the Extension office at (334) 335-6312.

What time does Crenshaw County Fairgrounds open?

There are no set public hours. The grounds are event-driven. The winter market ran 4 to 7 p.m., and recent rodeo Friday shows started at 7:30 p.m.

Is there camping at the Tom Harbin Ag Center?

I couldn’t confirm camping or RV hookups. Call the Extension office before arriving with a camper.

How do I enter livestock in a Crenshaw County show?

The main youth livestock event is the Belt Buckle Classic, run by the Crenshaw County Junior Cattlemen’s Association, with no entry fee reported. Contact Extension for membership and entry details.

Are dogs allowed at the Ag Center?

No pet policy is published. Ask the event organizer, since rules may differ between a rodeo and a farmers market.

Where do I park?

Parking is on the grounds at 816 Airport Road. Capacity and overflow information aren’t published. Arrive early for the rodeo.

Who do I contact to rent the grounds?

Start with Crenshaw County Extension at (334) 335-6312 or [email protected].

How much does it cost to get in?

It varies by event. The winter market has been free to attend, and vendors paid $20 in 2024. Rodeo ticket prices aren’t published in the sources I found, so check the rodeo’s Facebook page.

Where is the World’s Largest Peanut Boil?

In Luverne, at 1704 Montgomery Highway as of the 2024 event, not at the Ag Center. The Crenshaw County Alcazar Shrine Club runs it over Labor Day weekend.

Does Crenshaw County have a fair with carnival rides?

Not that I could confirm. Check with Extension before planning a trip around one.