Morgan County Alabama Fairgrounds Events

If you grew up in Decatur, you probably remember the Morgan County Fair as a ten-day stretch of late September: the midway lights visible from the road, a demolition derby on a weekend night, and the exhibit building full of quilts, canned goods and photographs. The fair has changed a lot since then, and so has the place it is held. This page covers what is actually known about the Morgan County fairgrounds in Decatur, Alabama, how the fair is run, how to enter or set up as a vendor, and where the gaps in the public record still are.

One note up front, because it saves confusion: this is Morgan County, Alabama, in the Tennessee Valley. There are also Morgan County fairs in Indiana, Utah, Ohio and other states, and search results mix them together constantly. Everything below is about Decatur.

Overview of Morgan County Fairgrounds

Where the fairgrounds are

The Morgan County Fair is held in Decatur, the county seat, on the southwest side of town. Current listings for the fair give the address as 1021 Modaus Road SW, Decatur, AL 35603, with a phone number of (256) 353-3976.

That is not the address most long-time residents will recognize. For decades the fair was held at 2919 Fairground Road SW, a roughly 49-acre tract behind the Home Depot in southwest Decatur. Some older maps and ticket-resale sites still point to that location, which is why people sometimes arrive at the wrong place. The old tract was sold in 2019 (more on that in the history section), so the Fairground Road address should not be used for a current visit.

Who runs it

The fair is produced by the Tennessee Valley Exposition, a nonprofit organization with a volunteer board. In 2017 the board chair was Bekah Wiley, and the Alabama fair association directory lists the fair under the same contact family with an email of [email protected]. The fair is not run by the county commission or the city of Decatur, and it is not a 4-H Foundation event, although 4-H is one of the groups that takes part.

The money side explains a lot about how the fair has operated. According to Decatur Daily reporting, producing the fair cost the board roughly $120,000 a year in the mid-2010s. Profits were split three ways: 20 percent to the State Products Mart Authority, which owned the old grounds and leased them to the board, 40 percent to the Exposition board for upkeep, and the remainder to a local charity. Charities that have received fair money include the American Cancer Society, Parents and Children Together, and the Morgan County Child Advocacy Center.

Size and layout

The old Fairground Road site was a 49-acre property. Acreage and layout at the Modaus Road location have not been published anywhere we could confirm.

Why it matters locally

Morgan County is not the farm county it was in the 1950s. Board members said as much in 2015, when they described the cattle show returning after several years away. The fair still matters because it is one of the few annual events where Decatur, Hartselle, Priceville, Falkville and Danville residents end up in the same place, and because it gives 4-H members, master gardeners, quilters and home canners a public stage that the rest of the year does not offer.

Upcoming Events at Morgan County Fairgrounds

What typically happens on the grounds

The fair is the anchor event. Beyond it, the grounds have hosted professional wrestling cards (New South Pro Wrestling has been tied to the fair), agricultural shows, and community events. The old site also hosted the Daikin Festival in May 2019 after the sale, which shows how the grounds were used as an open-air community venue beyond fair week.

Seasonal pattern

Historically the fair was a late September event. The 2017 fair ran September 21 to 30, 2018 ran September 20 to 29, and the tentative 2019 dates were September 19 to 28. The pattern was ten days, opening on a Thursday. If the current fair follows that pattern, expect dates in the second half of September, with fair-book entries and judging taking place the weekend before gates open. [VERIFY 2026 and 2027 dates.] If the 2026 fair has already finished by the time you read this, the board has generally announced the following year’s dates in spring.

How to find the current schedule

The most reliable sources are the fair office phone, (256) 353-3976, and the fair’s email. The Alabama fair association directory at alabamafairs.com lists the Morgan County Fair with the same contact details. For 4-H and exhibit questions, the Morgan County office of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System in Decatur is the other place to call. Be careful with ticket-resale and aggregator sites that list a “Morgan County Fairgrounds” with no street address; those pages are not run by the fair board, and their dates and prices cannot be trusted.

Renting the grounds

Whether the board rents the facility to outside groups is not publicly documented. The fair email is the starting point.

The Morgan County Fair Itself

Name, timing and length

It is simply called the Morgan County Fair. Under the Tennessee Valley Exposition it has run for ten days in late September, with gates typically opening in the evening on weekdays and earlier on weekends.

Midway and rides

The midway has been supplied by a traveling carnival company rather than local operators. Modern Midways of Miami held the contract through at least 2019. The 2017 fair advertised more than 30 rides, from thrill rides to a kiddie area. [VERIFY current carnival provider and ride count.] Ride pricing has used armbands for unlimited rides; in 2017 an armband was $25, and opening day was a $2 day for gate, rides, games and food. Treat those as historical figures only.

Entertainment

The fair has leaned on entertainment more than competitive agriculture in recent years. The 2017 lineup included the Zoppe bareback riding act twice nightly, a demolition derby, a live music night, wrestling, karaoke, and a petting zoo supplied by the Tennessee Valley Zoo from Athens. Opening weekend has included a Spirit Night with discounted gate and a dance tent. Security has been handled by the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office, with emergency medical technicians on site.

Exhibits and competitions

The exhibit building has historically held photography, canned goods, quilts, crafts, plants and artwork. Judging happened the Sunday before opening, with ribbons displayed through fair week. The Morgan County Master Gardeners ran the horticulture exhibit until 2019, when the group moved its show to Point Mallard instead. A cattle show returned to the fair in 2015, and a Saturday cattle show was on the 2017 schedule.

Food

Specific food vendors, nonprofit food stands and any locally famous fair food have not been documented in sources we could confirm. Ask the fair office whether local churches or civic groups run stands.

Admission and parking

Current gate prices, parking fees and season passes are not confirmed. In 2017, nightly special pricing and armbands were advertised. Confirm all prices with the fair office.

Visitors interested in Montgomery County Alabama Fairgrounds Events can also explore Morgan County Alabama Fairgrounds Events to discover more local fairs, agricultural exhibitions, seasonal festivals, and family-friendly activities across the state. While Montgomery County offers a variety of community gatherings and entertainment opportunities, Morgan County provides another destination for enjoying local traditions and regional celebrations. Exploring events in both counties helps visitors find more exciting things to do in Alabama throughout the year.

Facilities and Grounds

Public information on the current layout is thin, so this section is deliberately short rather than padded.

What is known

The fair has historically had an exhibit building, a covered or tented dance area, and a midway. The fair has also hosted ring events such as the Zoppe act and a demolition derby, so some kind of arena or open show area has existed on the site. [VERIFY exhibit building count, barns, grandstand seating capacity.]

What to ask the fair office

• Camping or RV hookups on or near the grounds
• Livestock barns and stall procedures
• ADA parking, paved paths and accessible restrooms
• Overflow parking
• ATM and first aid locations.

Not the same as Celebration Arena

The Morgan County Celebration Arena in Priceville is a different property. It was a covered arena owned by the State Products Mart Authority, and it has been reported as defunct and slated for conversion to manufacturing. Some old listings give its camper and stall counts as if they applied to the fairgrounds. They do not.

Vendor and Exhibitor Information

Commercial vendors

Booth rules, fees and deadlines are not published online in a form we could confirm. The fair board’s email, [email protected], and phone, (256) 353-3976, are the right contacts. Ask about booth size, electrical hookup, whether food vendors need a Morgan County Health Department permit, and whether nonprofits get different pricing.

Entering exhibits

The fair has historically published a premium book listing classes and rules, and judging has been held the weekend before opening. Ask the fair office for the current year’s book and entry deadlines. [VERIFY.]

Livestock entries

Youth livestock go through the 4-H office, and open-class entries go through the fair board. See the 4-H section below.

Getting to Morgan County Fairgrounds

By car

Decatur sits on the Tennessee River, with I-65 east of downtown and US 31 and Alabama 20 running through the city. The fairgrounds are on the southwest side. Enter 1021 Modaus Road SW into your GPS and do not use the older Fairground Road address. [VERIFY best approach roads and the nearest I-65 exit.]

From Hartselle, Priceville and Falkville, most drivers come in on US 31 from the south. From Huntsville and Madison, I-565 connects to Decatur, and from Athens and Limestone County, Alabama 20 and US 72 are the usual routes.

Transit and rideshare

No fair shuttle has been documented. Rideshare drop-off locations are not published.

4-H and FFA at Morgan County Fairgrounds

Role of the Extension office

4-H in Alabama is run through the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, which has an office in Morgan County. The county extension coordinator in 2019 was Mike Reeves.

Chick Chain

The best-documented youth program tied to the fair is the 4-H Chick Chain. Participants raise chickens for 20 weeks, keep records, and bring them to be judged and auctioned at the fair. In 2019, with the fair’s future uncertain and enrollment low in both counties, Morgan County combined its show with Lawrence County’s, held at the Lawrence County Fair in October. Whether Chick Chain has returned to the Decatur fair is something to confirm with the Extension office.

FFA

Morgan County is served by the Decatur City, Hartselle City and Morgan County school systems. Which high schools send FFA exhibitors to the fair is not documented.

Junior livestock auction

We could not confirm whether a junior livestock auction is currently held, when it happens, or how proceeds are handled.

Special Events Beyond the Annual Fair

The grounds have hosted pro wrestling and, at the old site, the Daikin Festival and agricultural shows. Gun shows, swap meets, rodeos and motocross events are common at fairgrounds elsewhere, but we have not confirmed any at the Morgan County Alabama grounds. The fair office can say what is on the calendar.

History of Morgan County Fairgrounds

Sources disagree on when the fair began. A 2017 Decatur Daily article said the fair had operated since 1963, but a 2015 article called that year the 66th annual fair, and county records cited in 2019 counted that year as the 70th. Those later counts point to a start around 1950.

For most of its history the fair was held on the 49-acre site off Fairground Road, behind what is now the Home Depot. The State Products Mart Authority, a public body, owned the land and leased it to the Tennessee Valley Exposition. In February 2019 the authority sold the tract for $1.4 million to Land Services LLC, a private company that said it planned to redevelop the property and had no commitment to the fair.

That year the fair did not happen. The Exposition board could not secure a site, the carnival company withdrew its bookings and took its equipment to Georgia and Montgomery instead, and the Master Gardeners moved their flower show to Point Mallard. Attempts to place the fair near Celebration Arena in Priceville met resistance from residents, and officials from Hartselle, Trinity and Falkville said they had not been approached about hosting it.

The fair has since appeared under the Modaus Road address. [VERIFY the year it returned, and whether 2020 was canceled for COVID.]

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Morgan County Fair in 2026–2027?

Historically the fair ran ten days in the second half of September. Confirm exact dates with the fair office at (256) 353-3976 or [email protected].

What time does Morgan County Fairgrounds open?

Hours were historically evenings on weekdays and earlier on weekends. Current hours are not confirmed, so check with the fair office.

Where is the Morgan County Fair located?

Listings give 1021 Modaus Road SW, Decatur, AL 35603. The former site at 2919 Fairground Road SW is no longer the fair location.

How much does it cost to get into the Morgan County Fair?

Prices change yearly. In 2017 an unlimited-ride armband was $25. Check current admission and armband pricing with the fair office.

Is there camping at Morgan County Fairgrounds?

Camping is not confirmed. Ask the fair office. The camper sites sometimes listed online belong to Celebration Arena in Priceville, not the fairgrounds.

How do I enter livestock in the Morgan County Fair?

Youth exhibitors go through the Morgan County Extension office and 4-H. Open-class entrants should ask the fair board for the premium book and deadlines.

How do I become a vendor at the Morgan County Fair?

Contact the fair board by email or phone and ask about booth fees, utilities, and food-vendor permits.

Are dogs allowed at Morgan County Fairgrounds?

Most fairs restrict pets, and service animals are permitted under the ADA. Ask the fair office for the current policy.

Who do I contact to rent Morgan County Fairgrounds?

Start with [email protected] or (256) 353-3976. Rental policy has not been published.

Is the Morgan County Fair the same as the Celebration Arena events?

No. Celebration Arena in Priceville is a separate property with a different owner history and is not the fairgrounds.