Cross County Arkansas Fairgrounds Events

If you’re looking for the Cross County fair, the answer has a few moving parts. Cross County, Arkansas has a county fair, and it has a county fair queen. But it shares a fair board and a fairground with two neighboring counties, and in 2026 the Cross County days were held at venues in Wynne. Most pages on this topic get that wrong or skip it. This page lays out where things happen, who runs them, and how to take part.

Overview of Cross County Fairgrounds

Where the fair actually happens

Cross County is a rural Northeast Arkansas county in the Delta. It was created in November 1862 as Arkansas’s 53rd county. Wynne is the county seat and largest city, and the seat moved there from Wittsburg in 1903. The county covers 622 square miles and had 16,833 residents at the last census.

Two places matter for fair purposes:

• The Three County Fairgrounds are on Highway 64B west of McCrory, between McCrory and Patterson on the U.S. 64 spur. They serve Cross, Jackson, and Woodruff counties. The fair board’s mailing address is 993 Poplar Ave., McCrory, AR 72101.
• The Wynne Sports Complex and the Wynne Saddle Club Arena host Cross County’s own fair days, plus the rodeo, exhibits, and School Day during Cross County’s 2026 stretch.

I could not confirm acreage, building counts, or the year the Three County Fairgrounds opened. Ask the fair board for those.

Who runs it

The Three County Fair board’s stated purpose is a fair and livestock show for the advancement, education, and improvement of agriculture, home, business, civic groups, and youth. The board is affiliated with the district and state fair organizations. The 2026 board president and vice president are both from Cross County, as is the treasurer, with a secretary from Jackson County and director seats from all three counties. Each county’s Extension office is part of the advisory structure. Cross County’s Extension office is at (870) 238-5745.

Upcoming Events at Cross County Fairgrounds

The 2026 fair schedule (completed)

The fair’s published 2026 calendar ran county by county. Today is October 18, so all of this has already happened.

Cross County segment (Wynne):

• Saturday, August 15 at Lynns Landing: the pageant, with a registration deadline of August 1.
• Saturday, August 22 at the Wynne Saddle Club: livestock check-in at 8 a.m., livestock show at 9 a.m., the Rodeo Queen Class at 10 a.m., and the fourth annual Speed Show at 5 p.m.
• Monday, August 31 and Tuesday, September 1 at the Wynne Sports Complex: exhibit drop-off, exhibit judging and viewing, and rodeo at 6 p.m. each night.
• Wednesday, September 2: School Day.
• Thursday, September 3: exhibit pick-up, 3 to 6 p.m.

Woodruff County segment (McCrory): the talent show, open mic, and live music on September 10, then livestock, exhibits, pageant, and Family Fun Day on September 12 at the Three County Fairgrounds.

Format changes

In 2024 and 2025 the Three County Fair ran as a single week at the McCrory fairgrounds. The 2024 week ran September 17–21, with the carnival opening on the Thursday and a rodeo on Friday and Saturday. The 2026 calendar was split into county-by-county blocks. I couldn’t find out whether the split is permanent, so treat the 2027 format and dates as unannounced.

Wynne FarmFest

Wynne FarmFest is the Chamber of Commerce’s big community event, and it works like a second fair. It began in 1976 as a bicentennial celebration and was formerly called Wynne Fun Fest. The 2026 edition was its 50th year, starting Wednesday, May 27 with events every day and a big Saturday. That Saturday included a car show, a Battle of the Badges kickball tournament, a carnival, vendors, food trucks, and a Rock Night with local bands. Most events were at the Wynne Sports Complex or the Bill Thomas Tech Center. A listing for the festival also mentions children’s games and county fair exhibits. Based on 2024, 2025, and 2026, expect late May or early June, but confirm with the Cross County Chamber.

Visitors exploring Cross County Arkansas Fairgrounds Events can also discover community gatherings through Crittenden County Arkansas Fairgrounds Events. Exploring both locations allows visitors to learn about local traditions, discover seasonal events, and enjoy activities that bring communities together.

Other regular events

• Wynne Saddle Club events. The Saddle Club’s Fall Buckle Series ran in September 2025 at the arena at the Wynne Sports Complex, with pee-wee, junior, and open divisions.
• Pageants. The 2026 Miss Cross County Fair and Junior Miss Cross County Fair are chosen locally and go on to the Arkansas State Fair pageant, raising their own travel money.

Finding current schedules

The Three County Fair’s website and Facebook page post the yearly calendar. The Wynne Progress runs fair stories in August and September. The Cross County Chamber of Commerce handles FarmFest.

The County Fair Itself

What is on the exhibit list

The fair’s exhibit categories for 2026 were:

• Livestock exhibits
• Family and Consumer Science exhibits
• Vegetable and Crop Show
• Educational exhibits
• Clothesline Art
• Canned goods (with downloadable tags and labels)

Reports from the 2024 fair add a rabbit show on opening night, a parade, a pet show, a cornhole tournament, a beauty pageant, a youth talent show, and open mic night.

Carnival and midway

The 2024 fair opened its carnival on Thursday night, ran a free carnival night on Friday, and opened again at noon on Saturday. I couldn’t confirm the carnival company, ride count, or wristband prices.

Rodeo

The rodeo is the biggest paid event. In 2025, JB Rodeo Company presented two nights at 7 p.m. Admission was $10 for adults 12 and up, $5 for kids 6–11, and free for 5 and under. Events included bareback, saddle, and ranch broncs, tie-down and break-away roping, team roping 50+, goat tying, barrel racing, steer wrestling, mutton bustin’, steer riding, and bull riding. Mutton bustin’ sign-up closed at 6 p.m. each night, with $2,400 in added money. In 2024 most other events were free except the rodeo. I couldn’t find 2026 prices.

Facilities and Grounds

I could not verify seating capacity at the arenas, number of barns, camping or RV hookups, ADA details, or parking capacity. The fair board’s website mentions an Exhibition Building that it wants to fill with educational and commercial vendor booths, which is the only building I could confirm. Ask the board about the rest before publishing specifics.

Vendor and Exhibitor Information

Vendors

The fair is looking for educational and commercial vendor booths to fill its Exhibition Building. The board takes applications through an online form linked from its Exhibitions page. Contact the board at [email protected] or P.O. Box 416, McCrory, AR 72101.

Exhibitors

Online registration is handled through the fair’s entry system, with separate entry pages for each county’s events. Rules and catalogs are posted by category: livestock, Family and Consumer Science, vegetable and crop, and educational. For Cross County’s 2026 events, the stated deadlines were August 1 for the pageant, the livestock show, and the Rodeo Queen Class. Dates for 2027 will be posted in the same places once set.

Getting to the Fair

• Wynne events: Wynne is the county seat, in south-central Cross County. Use a mapping app for the Wynne Sports Complex and the Saddle Club arena, since I couldn’t confirm street addresses.
• McCrory events: The Three County Fairgrounds are on Highway 64B west of McCrory, between McCrory and Patterson on the U.S. 64 spur. McCrory is west of Wynne along U.S. 64.
• Transit and rideshare: I found nothing on shuttles or rideshare for the fair.

4-H and FFA

The county Extension office coordinates 4-H and Family and Consumer Science exhibits as part of the fair advisory structure. Call (870) 238-5745 for current club counts and project requirements. I couldn’t verify which FFA chapters exhibit or how a junior livestock auction would work. The fair’s livestock rules for 2026 are posted on its Exhibitions page, so start there.

Special Events Beyond the Fair

• Rodeo and speed shows. A Three County Fair rodeo and speed show was held in October 2024 at the Wynne Saddle Club Arena, with $3 admission and children under 5 free. Rodeos and horse events also fill Wynne and nearby Forrest City weekends in September.
• Wynne FarmFest every late spring.
• Village Creek State Park, the second-largest state park in Arkansas, is near Wynne and has more than 33 miles of trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding.

History

Wynne FarmFest has a documented start: 1976, as part of the national bicentennial. For the Three County Fair itself, I couldn’t find a founding date or cancellation history. The fair board’s website lists a copyright of 2017–2026, which only tells you when the website was built. Ask the board before you print a founding year.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Cross County fair in 2027?
Not yet announced. The 2026 Cross County events ran August 15 through September 3 in Wynne, and the McCrory days ran in September. Check the Three County Fair’s website and Facebook page.

Where is the Cross County fairgrounds?
There is no standalone Cross County fairgrounds. The shared Three County Fairgrounds are on Highway 64B west of McCrory, and Cross County’s own events are held at the Wynne Sports Complex and Wynne Saddle Club Arena.

How do I enter livestock or exhibits?
Register online through the Three County Fair’s entry system for Cross County. Rules for livestock, Family and Consumer Science, crop, and educational exhibits are on the fair’s Exhibitions page.

How do I become a vendor?
Fill out the vendor application on the fair’s Exhibitions page, or email [email protected]. The fair wants both educational and commercial booths.

How much does it cost to get in?
The fair’s regular events have been free except the rodeo. The 2025 rodeo cost $10 for adults and $5 for ages 6–11. 2026 and 2027 prices weren’t published.

What time does the fair open?
Hours change by event. For example, the 2024 carnival opened at 6 p.m. on its first night and at noon on Saturday. Check the posted schedule.

Is there camping or are dogs allowed?
I couldn’t confirm either. Ask the fair board. The 2024 fair did hold a pet show on its Saturday.

Who do I contact?
The fair board president, Cathy Helton, is listed at (870) 588-6057, and the fair email is [email protected]. For 4-H and exhibits in Cross County, call the Extension office at (870) 238-5745.