Tallapoosa County Alabama Fairgrounds Events

If you searched for the Tallapoosa County fairgrounds, here is the short answer. The county’s livestock, rodeo, and agricultural events now happen at the Tallapoosa County Ag/Entertainment Center, 303 Main Street, Jackson’s Gap, Alabama 36861. It is a brand-new facility, and as of this writing I could not find an annual county fair with a carnival midway attached to it. What the county has instead is a busy calendar of pig shows, horse shows, team ropings, and rodeos, many of them run by 4-H and FFA groups.

The rest of this guide covers what is on the calendar, how to get there, how to enter or sell, and which details still need a phone call to confirm.

Overview of the Tallapoosa County Fairgrounds

Where the grounds are

The Ag/Entertainment Center sits in Jackson’s Gap, a small town in east-central Tallapoosa County. The groundbreaking coverage placed the site along Highway 280, the road most people already use to get between Alexander City, Dadeville, and the Lake Martin area. The official address is 303 Main Street.

How the center came to exist

County leaders cut the ribbon on Phase 1 of the center in late April 2026. WSFA reported that the arena had been in the works for more than five years. The local paper covered the groundbreaking the year before, when District 3 Commissioner John McKelvey, who worked on the project closely, joked that it was practically his fifth grandchild. County commissioners said the project was funded without borrowing money.

Officials described the purpose broadly: livestock shows, 4-H competitions, rodeos, and other events that serve both Tallapoosa County and agricultural groups across Alabama. Jackson’s Gap Mayor Frank Lucas said he expects new businesses to follow along the highway.

Who runs it

The county commission built the center, and the Ag Center maintains its own website and Facebook page for scheduling. Verify locally: whether day-to-day operations sit with the commission, a dedicated board, or the Extension office. Call the contact listed on the Ag Center site before sending money or paperwork anywhere.

Why it matters locally

Tallapoosa County had no dedicated covered arena of this kind before. The Charles E. Bailey Sr. Sportplex in Alexander City has a horse-riding arena, and neighboring Chambers County has an agricultural arena in LaFayette, but a purpose-built livestock and rodeo venue inside the county changes things for local 4-H and FFA families. Student exhibitors who once hauled animals to other counties can now show closer to home.

What I could not confirm

Acreage, the number of permanent buildings, and the layout of future phases are not published anywhere I could find. Phase 1 is the arena, and the name “Phase 1” implies more construction ahead. Treat anything beyond the arena as unconfirmed until the county says otherwise.

Upcoming Events at the Tallapoosa County Ag/Entertainment Center

Events on the calendar now

These are the dated events listed at the time of writing. Dates and times can change, so check the Ag Center calendar before you drive out.

Horseshoe Bend FFA Pig Show: Saturday, November 21, 2026. A youth livestock showcase run by the local FFA program.
Alex City Horse Riding Club Horse Show: Saturday, April 10, 2027. Equestrian riding and competition.
Tallapoosa County Career Expo: Thursday, April 15, 2027. A regional career and workforce event.
BRHS FFA Alumni Rodeo: Friday and Saturday, May 28 and 29, 2027. An annual alumni rodeo with traditional rodeo events and family entertainment.

The published listing shows long time windows for some of these, such as 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM, which look like all-day facility bookings and not performance times. Do not plan your evening around those numbers. Confirm start times with the organizer.

What has already happened here

The center’s first season shows the pattern. Allen’s Roping Productions held its Summer Sizzler team roping on June 27 and 28, 2026, and listed another team roping for August 29, 2026. In September, the Ag Center promoted a Tallapoosa County 4-H Chicken Showmanship Clinic on the 14th, from 5 to 7 PM. Earlier in the spring, Tallapoosa County 4-H announced its 2026 Pig Squeal Show and Auction for April 30 at 6:00 PM. I could not confirm from the sources I found whether that show was held at the Ag Center, so I’m not claiming it was.

Seasonal pattern

With one season of data, this is a rough read and not a rule:

Fall and winter: FFA livestock shows and clinics, like the November pig show.
Spring: The busiest stretch so far, with horse shows, the career expo, 4-H pig competitions, and rodeo weekends.
Summer: Team roping weekends.

Visitors exploring Tallapoosa County Alabama Fairgrounds Events can also discover exciting local gatherings and seasonal celebrations through Talladega County Alabama Fairgrounds Events. Both counties offer opportunities to enjoy agricultural exhibitions, livestock shows, community festivals, family-friendly entertainment, and events that showcase Alabama’s local heritage. Exploring fairs and activities in Tallapoosa and Talladega counties helps families and travelers discover new traditions, plan enjoyable weekend outings, and stay informed about upcoming events and community celebrations throughout Alabama.

How to find the current schedule

Start with the Tallapoosa County Ag Center website and its calendar page, then its Facebook page, which tends to post short-notice updates and event reminders. For 4-H and youth events, the Tallapoosa County Extension Office is the second stop. A caution about aggregator sites: some list a “Tallapoosa County Fair Schedule” that is really a general event feed and not an official fair calendar.

Renting the facility

The center is clearly open to outside groups, since roping promoters, riding clubs, and school alumni groups are already using it. Verify locally: rental rates, deposits, insurance requirements, and whether the arena can host non-agricultural events like concerts or trade shows. Use the contact form or phone number on the Ag Center website.

Is There a Tallapoosa County Fair?

I could not find an annual Tallapoosa County Fair with a fixed week, a traveling carnival, a midway, or a grandstand lineup. The county’s history is mostly one of local festivals and community events and not a fairgrounds-based fair.

That affects what you can expect:

Carnival rides and wristband deals: None confirmed.
Fair food: No fair-specific food tradition to report. Food at events varies by organizer.
Competitive exhibits like canning, baking, and crops: No countywide open-class exhibit program found.
Grandstand concerts: None confirmed.

If you want the full fair experience in Alabama this time of year, the closest options are in other counties. The Alabama National Fair runs in Montgomery each fall, and the Alabama State Fair runs at the Birmingham Race Course. Check their official sites for current dates and prices.

It is possible the center will one day host a full county fair. Nothing I found says that is planned, so don’t treat it as a promise.

Facilities and Grounds

What is confirmed

A covered agricultural arena (Phase 1), used for livestock shows, roping, horse shows, and rodeos.
Parking and access off Main Street. The Ag Center’s directions say spectators and contestants should continue past the intersection on the highway and make a U-turn to reach the entrance from Main Street. That detail suggests a median or turn restriction on the highway side, so follow the signs.

What to verify before you go

Seating capacity of the arena
Number and type of livestock stalls, pens, or barns, and how stalls are reserved
Whether camping or RV hookups exist (see the FAQ)
ADA parking, accessible restrooms, and paved paths
Concessions, first aid, and ATM availability
Overflow parking for large rodeo nights

Because this is a new building, much of this may exist but simply hasn’t been written up yet. The fastest route is to call the Ag Center or ask the event organizer, who usually knows the stall and parking setup for their specific event.

Vendor and Exhibitor Information

Competing as an exhibitor

Entry rules depend on the event. Each organizer runs its own entry process:

FFA and 4-H youth shows: Enter through your school’s FFA advisor or the Tallapoosa County Extension Office. These shows often require pre-registration, species-specific rules, and ownership or tagging deadlines set well before show day.
Horse shows: Contact the host club directly, such as the Alex City Horse Riding Club.
Roping and rodeos: Entries typically go through the producer, such as Allen’s Roping Productions, not through the Ag Center.

Selling as a vendor

No central vendor application is published that I could find. For a single event, ask the organizer whether vendor space is available, since the group running the show usually controls booths. For a recurring or standalone vendor presence, contact the Ag Center directly. Verify locally: booth fees, power access, and any permit requirements.

Contact points

Tallapoosa County Ag Center: the website and Facebook page listed above
Tallapoosa County Extension Office: Courthouse Basement, 125 N. Broadnax Street, Room 23, Dadeville, AL 36853. Phone (256) 825-1050. Hours: 8:00 to 12:00 and 12:30 to 4:30.

Getting to the Tallapoosa County Ag/Entertainment Center

Driving

The Ag Center is on the US 280 corridor, which makes it easy to reach from the places most people are coming from:

From Alexander City: Take US 280 toward Dadeville. Jackson’s Gap is the next community along the road.
From Dadeville: Take US 280 toward Alexander City.
From Auburn and Opelika: US 280 runs between the Auburn-Opelika area and this stretch of Tallapoosa County.
From Birmingham and Montgomery: Most drivers connect to US 280 and finish the trip along it. Check your GPS for the best connection from your starting point.

The final turn matters. Because of the highway layout, plan to go past the intersection and U-turn to enter via Main Street, as the Ag Center’s own directions say. Put 303 Main Street, Jacksons Gap, AL in your map app, but watch the signs.

Public transportation and rideshare

I found no shuttle or public transit service to the center. Rideshare availability in rural Tallapoosa County is limited, so arrange your return trip before you go, especially for evening rodeos.

4-H and FFA at the Ag Center

Why this is the center’s core purpose

Local officials and students talked about the center as an educational facility first. The state representative quoted by WSFA called it great for educational purposes, 4-H, and FFA. FFA students said the new arena opens up more opportunities for livestock shows and learning.

Who is using it

Horseshoe Bend FFA is running its pig show here in November.
Benjamin Russell High School’s FFA alumni (the “BRHS” in the listing) host a rodeo in May.
Tallapoosa County 4-H, working through the Extension Office, runs youth livestock programming, including pig showmanship and a spring Pig Squeal Show and Auction, and a chicken showmanship clinic in September.

Junior livestock auctions

Youth auctions like the Pig Squeal Show and Auction typically work as follows: exhibitors show market animals, then local businesses and individuals bid on them, and the money goes back to the young exhibitor to cover project costs and savings. For Tallapoosa County specifics, such as who may bid, registration, and how proceeds are distributed, contact the Extension Office.

Verify locally: the number of active 4-H clubs in the county and which high schools beyond Horseshoe Bend and Benjamin Russell have FFA chapters showing at the center.

Special Events Beyond Livestock

The center’s mix already goes past agriculture:

Rodeos: The May alumni rodeo is the clearest example.
Horse shows: The April riding club show.
Team roping: Roping weekends in summer.
Community events: The career expo shows that the building will serve as a general civic venue.

Other events in the county this season are not at the Ag Center but are good for the same audience:

Halloween Night Glow Golf Tournament, Saturday, October 31, 2026, 6:00 PM, Stillwaters Golf Course, 797 Moonbrook Drive. A four-person scramble with night-glow holes, chili, and live music.
Fall Family Festival, Saturday, October 31, 2026, 10:00 AM, Russell Crossroads, 27 Russell Farms Road. A children’s fall festival on the Town Green.
Christmas at Crossroads and Holiday Bazaar, Friday, November 27, 2026, at Russell Crossroads. Different listings show 9:00 or 10:00 AM starts, so confirm the time.

I found no gun shows, swap meets, or motocross events on the Ag Center schedule so far.

History of the Tallapoosa County Fairgrounds

There is no long fairgrounds history to tell, and I won’t invent one. What is documented is a short, recent one:

The project took more than five years from idea to opening.
Groundbreaking happened at the site along Highway 280, with Commissioner McKelvey leading the work.
Phase 1 opened with a ribbon cutting in late April 2026, and the arena was booking events immediately.

Before this, Tallapoosa County’s gathering places for agriculture and horses were smaller, such as the Sportplex arena in Alexander City. An old photograph in the Alabama Department of Archives and History shows an agricultural fair display that was “probably” in Tallapoosa County, taken by a photographer in Alexander City, so there was some fair tradition once. The details are not documented, so I’m leaving it there.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Tallapoosa County Fair in 2026–2027?

There is no confirmed annual county fair with set dates. The Ag Center’s calendar lists individual events instead, including the Horseshoe Bend FFA Pig Show on November 21, 2026 and the BRHS FFA Alumni Rodeo on May 28 and 29, 2027.

What time does the Tallapoosa County Ag Center open?

Hours vary by event. Some calendar listings show long windows like 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM, which appear to be booking times, so confirm the start time with the event organizer.

Is there camping at the Ag Center?

I could not confirm camping or RV hookups. Ask the Ag Center before you pack a trailer. Lake Martin is nearby and has established campgrounds.

How do I enter livestock in a show at the Ag Center?

Enter through the host group. For youth shows, that means your FFA advisor or the Tallapoosa County Extension Office at (256) 825-1050. Each show sets its own deadlines and animal requirements.

Are dogs allowed?

No published policy. Most livestock venues restrict pets for animal health and safety reasons, so ask before bringing one.

Where do I park?

Use the entrance off Main Street. Per the Ag Center’s directions, travel past the highway intersection and make a U-turn to reach Main Street. Overflow parking details for big events are not published.

Who do I contact to rent the facility?

Use the contact information on the Tallapoosa County Ag Center website.

How much does it cost to get in?

No admission policy is published. Events differ: some are free community events, while rodeos and ropings commonly charge spectators. Check the specific event listing.

Is the Ag Center the same as the county fairgrounds?

For practical purposes, yes. It is the county’s agricultural events venue, though it is not a traditional fairgrounds with a carnival and fair week.