Conway County Arkansas Fairgrounds Events
The Conway County Fairgrounds are located in Morrilton, Arkansas, beside Morrilton City Park. The fair is a major annual gathering for local families, agricultural exhibitors, school communities, civic groups, and businesses. Its program combines livestock competitions, educational exhibits, commercial booths, a carnival midway, and community activities that bring residents together each September.
The fairgrounds are associated with the Conway County Fair, organized by a volunteer fair board. The fair’s schedule and exhibitor information are published through its official fair program, while the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service is a key local resource for agricultural education and 4-H questions.
Visitors should distinguish Conway County from Faulkner County. The city of Conway is in Faulkner County, while Conway County’s fair is held in Morrilton. Searching for “Conway fairgrounds” without including the county name can lead to the wrong venue.
Address and location
The fairgrounds are listed at 100 City Park Drive, Morrilton, Arkansas 72110. The site is adjacent to Morrilton City Park, making the city park a useful local landmark when planning the drive.
Morrilton is the county seat and a regional service center in the Arkansas River Valley. US Highway 64 and Interstate 40 serve the wider area, connecting Morrilton with communities to the east and west. Visitors should use the fairgrounds address and follow the event’s current parking directions, especially during parade and midway hours.
Facilities and fair organization
The fair uses dedicated areas for livestock, educational exhibits, and commercial displays. The livestock barn hosts scheduled animal check-ins, shows, and showmanship activities. The Educational Exhibit Building displays entries such as artwork, crafts, baked goods, horticulture, and photography. A separate Commercial Exhibit Building provides booth space for participating businesses and organizations.
The Conway County Fair Board coordinates the fair program and relies on volunteers to prepare exhibits, support competitions, manage displays, and operate fair activities. The exact inventory of all permanent buildings, the total acreage, and the capacity of individual spaces are not confirmed in the public information used for this guide.
Why the fair matters locally
The Conway County Fair gives young exhibitors a goal to work toward throughout the year. Raising an animal, preparing a project, or entering a handmade item takes planning, practice, and attention to detail. Judging provides a public setting for participants to demonstrate what they have learned.
The fair also gives local businesses and civic groups an opportunity to meet residents directly. Commercial booths, food stands, the midway, and the downtown parade create several ways for people to take part even if they are not entering an exhibit or showing livestock.
Upcoming Events at Conway County Fairgrounds
When is the next Conway County Fair?
The 2026 Conway County Fair ran from September 8 through September 12, 2026. Those dates have passed as of October 18, 2026. A confirmed 2027 schedule has not been established here, so visitors should wait for the fair board’s next official announcement before booking travel or committing to an exhibitor deadline.
The annual fair traditionally takes place in September. Its events are spread across several days, and not every activity follows the same opening and closing times. Livestock check-in, judging, educational exhibits, the parade, and the carnival midway each have their own schedule.
Events associated with the fair
The 2026 program included the following activities:
- A horse show in the livestock barn.
- Poultry and rabbit shows.
- Dairy cattle and dairy goat shows.
- Beef and hog shows.
- Meat goat and market lamb competitions.
- A livestock Showmanship Showdown.
- Educational exhibits and commercial vendor displays.
- A downtown Morrilton parade.
- Carnival rides, concessions, and a bingo stand.
These events provide a useful picture of the fair’s program, but they should not be treated as a confirmed 2027 schedule until the new rules and dates are released.
Finding the current event calendar
For upcoming events at Conway County Fairgrounds, check the current Conway County Fair schedule and exhibitor announcements. The fair’s official information is the most useful source for entry deadlines, livestock rules, commercial booth arrangements, and event times.
The Conway County Cooperative Extension office can also help with local 4-H and agricultural-program questions. Its current listing gives the office address as 1537 University Boulevard at the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton (UACCM), Morrilton, AR 72110, and the phone number as (501) 977-2146. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Other events and facility rentals
The annual fair is the main recurring event associated with the grounds. A complete public calendar of unrelated flea markets, gun shows, motocross events, concerts, or year-round private rentals has not been confirmed. Anyone seeking to rent space for a livestock clinic, trade display, community gathering, or fundraiser should contact the fair organizers and ask about availability, rates, insurance, setup access, and cleanup requirements.
The Conway County County Fair
Fair week and major activities
The 2026 fair used the theme “Country Pride, County Wide, at the Conway County Fair!” The theme connected the annual celebration with the 250th anniversary of American independence and Conway County’s bicentennial year.
The week began with livestock and exhibit activities on Tuesday, September 8. The parade took place in downtown Morrilton on Wednesday, September 9, at 5 p.m., when the midway and carnival also opened for the first evening. The fair continued through Saturday, September 12.
The 2027 theme, opening date, parade route, and daily program should be confirmed once the next schedule is published.
Livestock judging categories
Conway County’s 2026 livestock program covered several species and included both individual shows and a concluding showmanship event.
The schedule included a horse show on Tuesday evening, poultry and rabbit shows on Wednesday, dairy cattle and dairy goats on Thursday morning, a beef show Thursday afternoon, and a hog show Thursday evening. Friday featured meat goats followed by market lambs, and the Showmanship Showdown was scheduled for Saturday evening.
Animal check-in and weigh-in are important parts of the schedule. Exhibitors should arrive at the designated time and review the rules for their species. The current livestock guide should be checked for animal identification, eligibility, health documentation, ownership requirements, grooming, showmanship divisions, and other entry conditions.
Educational exhibits
The Educational Exhibit Building gives residents a place to display work outside the livestock arena. The 2026 entry categories included arts, crafts, hobbies, baked goods, ceramics and pottery, clothing and household articles, creative recycling, needlework, flowers and plants, food preservation, horticulture, and photography.
Exhibitors were required to register by the published deadline, with the online education-entry window closing September 7, 2026, at 8 p.m. Most entries were checked in on September 8. Flowers, plants, horticulture, and baked goods had a separate check-in allowance on the morning of September 9.
Those were 2026 rules, not future deadlines. Exhibitors should use the new season’s instructions rather than assume that the same registration dates will apply again.
Carnival rides and midway
Pride Amusements provided the carnival midway for the 2026 fair. The midway was scheduled to operate from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, with armbands for unlimited rides and individual ride tickets available.
Wednesday night had free gate admission through sponsorships. Reported gate admission for Thursday through Saturday was $4 per person. Ride armband prices varied by night, so visitors needed to check the current day’s details rather than assume one price applied for the entire fair.
The 2026 arrangements are historical information only. A future fair may have different ride prices, hours, discounts, or midway arrangements.
Food, concessions, and entertainment
The 2026 fair included the Conway County Fair Burger Barn and cotton candy stand, alongside the Knights of Columbus bingo stand. The bingo stand was scheduled to operate from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. during the four midway evenings.
Commercial booths and educational displays remained part of the public fair experience. The downtown parade brought local organizations, businesses, schools, churches, civic groups, and individuals into the opening celebrations.
A current list of future food vendors, entertainment acts, and midway concessions should be confirmed from the new fair program. No unannounced concert, rodeo, tractor pull, or demolition derby should be assumed to be part of the fair.
Admission and parking
The 2026 fair offered free gate admission on Wednesday evening only, with a reported $4 gate charge on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. These prices should not be used as the admission schedule for 2027.
A current parking fee, season-pass offer, and formal policy for children or seniors have not been confirmed. Visitors should check the event announcement for parking directions, payment arrangements, and any restrictions on outside food, bags, pets, or re-entry.
Facilities and Grounds
Livestock barn
The livestock barn is the center of the fair’s animal competitions. It supports check-in and shows for the species listed in the official schedule, including poultry, rabbits, cattle, goats, hogs, lambs, and horses.
Exhibitors should confirm the location and timing of unloading, weighing, and check-in before arrival. They should also ask about stall assignments, bedding, feed and water arrangements, trailer parking, and whether animals must remain on the grounds for a specified period.
A complete public inventory of stall numbers, species-specific barn sections, and rental fees has not been established here. Do not assume that stalls can be rented independently of fair entry.
Educational and commercial exhibit buildings
The Educational Exhibit Building displays competitive entries submitted under the fair’s published categories. The Commercial Exhibit Building is intended for business and organization booths.
For 2026, the commercial building listed 29 spaces, with booths roughly 8 feet by 10 feet. The published rental charge was $100 per booth. Vendors were expected to have displays ready by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, September 9, and keep them in place through Saturday night.
These are details from the 2026 program and should not be treated as guaranteed rates or space availability for the next fair.
Parking, accessibility, and amenities
The fairgrounds are next to Morrilton City Park, but visitors should follow the event’s designated parking instructions rather than assume that every nearby parking area is available for fair use. Livestock trailers and vendor vehicles may have separate access or setup rules.
A verified current site map detailing accessible parking, paved routes, accessible restrooms, first-aid locations, ATMs, and all public amenities was not available for this guide. Visitors who need step-free access or specific facilities should contact the organizers before arriving.
Camping and RV hookups at the fairgrounds have not been confirmed. Exhibitors planning to stay overnight should ask the fair board whether camping is allowed, whether reservations are required, and what services are provided.
Visitors exploring Conway County Arkansas Fairgrounds Events can also discover community gatherings through Columbia County Arkansas Fairgrounds Events. Exploring both counties helps families and travelers discover local traditions, find seasonal activities, and enjoy regional celebrations throughout Arkansas.
Vendor and Exhibitor Information
Commercial vendor booths
The 2026 commercial exhibit information named Hank DeSalvo as the contact for booth reservations at (501) 354-2377. The published arrangement listed 29 commercial spaces, approximately 8 by 10 feet each, at $100 per booth.
Because the information applies to the 2026 fair, vendors should reconfirm the contact, rate, booth size, and availability for the next season before making plans. Ask for the current application and booth rules, including setup hours, removal deadlines, electrical access, insurance, permitted products, and payment terms.
Commercial displays were expected to remain in place through the final evening of the 2026 fair. Vendors should not dismantle a booth early without approval, as event rules may require displays to remain open during scheduled midway hours.
Entering livestock
Livestock entries for the 2026 fair were accepted online from August 3 through August 20, closing at 8 p.m. The fair’s published rules stated that late livestock entries would not be accepted.
Future exhibitors should review the current livestock guide for entry deadlines and species-specific rules. Make sure the entry information matches the animal’s identification and the exhibitor’s details, and keep a record of the registration confirmation.
Entering arts, crafts, food, and horticulture
The 2026 educational-entry period closed September 7 at 8 p.m. Most exhibits were checked in on September 8, while a limited set of perishable categories had a Wednesday morning check-in window.
Entries may have requirements for labeling, size, preparation, condition, or category. Baked goods and preserved foods, for example, may be subject to different rules from photography or crafts. Review the applicable category rules instead of relying on general fair advice.
Contacting the fair organizers
For vendor questions, the 2026 commercial booth listing provided Hank DeSalvo’s number, (501) 354-2377. For educational exhibits, the 2026 information listed superintendent Vicky Ronk at (501) 208-1853.
These contacts and arrangements should be reconfirmed for the next season. The Conway County Cooperative Extension office is also a useful resource for questions about youth agricultural programming, but it should not be assumed to manage every commercial booking.
Getting to Conway County Fairgrounds
Driving to Morrilton
Use 100 City Park Drive, Morrilton, AR 72110 as the starting address for navigation. The fairgrounds are next to Morrilton City Park.
US Highway 64 and Interstate 40 are major routes serving Morrilton and the surrounding Arkansas River Valley. Visitors approaching from outside the county should follow their navigation app to the fairgrounds address and watch for event-specific parking instructions as they get closer.
Parade traffic and arrival times
The downtown parade affects travel differently from the main fairground visit. In 2026, the parade was scheduled for 5 p.m. on Wednesday, September 9, in downtown Morrilton. Road restrictions around the route can affect drivers who are trying to reach nearby businesses or travel across downtown.
For future fair weeks, check the parade route and closure notice before driving through downtown during the event. If you want to see the parade and then visit the midway, allow time to park and walk between the two activities.
Public transportation and rideshare
A dedicated fair-week shuttle service or fixed public-transport schedule has not been confirmed. Visitors using rideshare services should agree on a pickup location that will remain accessible during the event and avoid assuming that a vehicle can reach the main gate during heavy traffic.
Livestock exhibitors and commercial vendors should use the specific access instructions provided by the fair rather than ordinary visitor directions.
4-H and FFA at Conway County Fairgrounds
Cooperative Extension and 4-H
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service supports local agricultural education and youth development. Its Conway County office is located at UACCM, 1537 University Boulevard, Morrilton, AR 72110, and its current published phone number is (501) 977-2146.
Families can contact the office to ask about 4-H enrollment, youth projects, agricultural education, and local program contacts. The office can help explain the educational side of fair participation, although the fair board’s current rules determine the official entry process.
The number of active 4-H clubs and a complete current list of club leaders have not been verified for this guide. Families should request the current information rather than rely on an old directory.
FFA and school agricultural programs
FFA chapters help students develop agricultural knowledge, leadership, and career skills. Students interested in fair participation should speak with their agriculture teacher or chapter adviser about eligibility, animal-project requirements, and registration.
A verified list of FFA chapters participating in the next Conway County Fair has not been established here. Participation should be confirmed with the relevant school and the fair’s current exhibitor rules.
Junior livestock auction and youth awards
The published 2026 livestock schedule included shows and a Showmanship Showdown, but a complete, verified junior livestock auction schedule and payout policy have not been established here.
If an auction is announced for a future fair, exhibitors and buyers should check the rules for registration, bidding, eligible animals, payment, processing arrangements, and how proceeds are handled. Do not assume an auction occurs simply because livestock competitions are scheduled.
The fair also supports youth achievement through its pageant and talent activities. In 2026, winners had opportunities to represent Conway County at Arkansas State Fair competitions, and proceeds from the pageant and talent events were directed back toward county-fair scholarships and youth programs.
Special Events Beyond the Annual Fair
Parade and youth competitions
The fair’s downtown parade is a significant part of opening week. In 2026, the theme connected local pride with the national semiquincentennial and Conway County’s bicentennial. Community organizations, businesses, churches, school groups, and individuals were invited to take part.
The pageant and talent show were held separately from the main fair week in August 2026 at Morrilton High School’s H.B. White Auditorium. These events are associated with the Conway County Fair program but are not held at the fairgrounds itself. Check the venue carefully when planning to attend a related event.
Markets, shows, and community fundraisers
The fairgrounds’ established annual activities include agricultural competitions, educational exhibits, commercial booths, the midway, and community concessions. A recurring schedule of independent flea markets, gun shows, swap meets, horse shows outside fair week, or motocross events has not been confirmed.
Organizations interested in staging a fundraiser or community event should contact the fair board and ask whether suitable space is available. Clarify insurance, permitted activities, setup and teardown times, sanitation, electrical needs, and whether public access or ticketing is the organizer’s responsibility.
Concerts, rodeos, and motor events
No confirmed upcoming rodeo, demolition derby, tractor pull, touring concert, or motocross event is listed here as part of the Conway County Fairgrounds calendar. These activities should be included in event planning only when a current announcement identifies the date and venue.
History of Conway County Fairgrounds
Agricultural roots and community participation
Conway County’s fair brings together agricultural education, livestock exhibition, crafts, local commerce, and public entertainment. These activities give young people a place to present projects and allow residents to see the results of work carried out in homes, schools, gardens, and farms.
The 2026 fair’s “Country Pride, County Wide” theme also recognized Conway County’s 200th anniversary. That celebration connected the fair with local history while placing the event within the wider national observance of 250 years of American independence.
The fairgrounds and their development
A fully documented founding date for the current fairgrounds, an exact opening year for every building, and a detailed chronology of facility changes have not been established for this guide. The fair’s current venue is next to Morrilton City Park, and its present program uses separate livestock, educational, and commercial exhibit areas.
Historical fair programs, county newspaper archives, board records, and local historical collections would help establish how the fair developed, which facilities were added over time, and how participation changed. Without those records, it would be misleading to claim a specific founding year, attendance record, or major construction date.
Cancellations and notable milestones
No specific historical cancellation due to weather, economic hardship, or public-health restrictions has been verified for this guide. Likewise, a record attendance year or a famous visiting performer should not be attributed to the fair without supporting records.
The 2026 bicentennial theme is a documented recent milestone in the fair’s public program. Future histories can build on that record by preserving annual schedules, photographs, award lists, and reports about the people and organizations involved.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Conway County Fair in 2026 or 2027?
The 2026 Conway County Fair ran September 8–12, 2026. The 2027 dates have not been confirmed here. Check the next official fair announcement before planning a visit.
What time does Conway County Fairgrounds open?
Opening times depend on the event and the part of the fair you plan to attend. During the 2026 fair, the carnival midway was scheduled for 5–10 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, while livestock and exhibit activities followed separate schedules.
Where are Conway County Fairgrounds located?
The fairgrounds are listed at 100 City Park Drive, Morrilton, Arkansas 72110, adjacent to Morrilton City Park.
Is there camping at Conway County Fairgrounds?
On-site camping and RV hookups have not been confirmed. Contact the fair organizers before bringing a camper or planning to stay overnight.
How do I enter livestock in the Conway County Fair?
Review the current livestock rules and register by the published deadline. Confirm the requirements for animal identification, health paperwork, check-in, weigh-in, and the relevant show class. The 2026 livestock-entry deadline was August 20 at 8 p.m.; future dates may differ.
Are dogs allowed at Conway County Fairgrounds?
A current pet policy has not been confirmed. Ask the organizers before bringing a dog, and do not assume that rules for pets are the same as rules for service animals.
Where do I park at Conway County Fairgrounds?
Use the parking directions in the current event announcement. The fairgrounds are beside Morrilton City Park, but nearby parking areas may have different rules during the fair and parade.
Who do I contact to rent Conway County Fairgrounds?
A complete current rental policy and general facility-rental contact have not been confirmed here. Contact the fair organizers to ask about availability, rental charges, insurance, permitted activities, and setup requirements.
How much does it cost to get into the Conway County Fair?
In 2026, Wednesday evening gate admission was free, and reported admission Thursday through Saturday was $4 per person. These are historical prices, not confirmed rates for the next fair.
How much does a commercial vendor booth cost?
The 2026 commercial exhibit information listed booths roughly 8 by 10 feet for $100 each, with 29 spaces available. Reconfirm the booth fee, size, application deadline, and contact information for the next season.
Does the Conway County Fair have carnival rides?
Yes. The 2026 midway featured Pride Amusements, with rides scheduled Wednesday through Saturday evening. The provider and ride schedule for the next fair should be confirmed when the new program is announced.
Where can I get information about 4-H and livestock projects?
The Conway County Cooperative Extension office is at 1537 University Boulevard at UACCM in Morrilton. Its current published telephone number is (501) 977-2146. Contact the office for local 4-H and agricultural-program information, and consult the fair’s current rules for official entries.
