Drew County Arkansas Fairgrounds Events

The Drew County Fair is a real county fair, run by a local association out of the fairgrounds on Highway 35 South in Monticello. The 2026 fair just wrapped up, so most readers now want to know what’s next: when the 2027 fair is likely to happen, what the December craft fair costs, and how to enter livestock, pageants, or a parade float. This page covers all of it.

Overview of Drew County Fairgrounds

Location and who runs it

The Drew County Fairgrounds are at 2100 AR-35, Monticello, AR 71655 (Highway 35 South), according to a fair listing. The grounds include the Homer Pace Auditorium, also called the Homer Pace Building, which hosts pageant rehearsals and the December craft fair.

The fair is run by the Drew County Livestock Show and Fair Association Inc., a nonprofit in Monticello whose stated mission is public education regarding agriculture and livestock. The fair board’s mailing address is P.O. Box 1155, Monticello, AR 71657, and its email is [email protected].

The county

Drew County was created November 26, 1846 as Arkansas’s 51st county and named for Thomas Drew. Monticello is the county seat and largest city, and it is home to the University of Arkansas at Monticello. The northwest corner of the county, around Monticello, sits in the South Central Plains, while the eastern part is Arkansas Delta.

I could not confirm acreage or when the fairgrounds first opened.

Upcoming Events at Drew County Fairgrounds

Drew County Fair

• 2024: October 1–5.
• 2025: The fair’s own site footer lists October 28 to November 1.
• 2026: The fair’s website lists October 6–10. A local news outlet’s schedule covered a longer span of October 5–11, which fits a week of exhibits, bingo, and a livestock auction around the main days. The 2026 theme was “Stars, Stripes & Show-Ring Nights.”
• 2027: Not announced. The fair board has posted dates in late summer, and it ran in October in 2024 and 2026.

Arts & Craft Fair

The board runs a craft fair on the first Saturday of December in the Homer Pace Auditorium. The December 6, 2025 edition ran 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Booth costs: $40 for aisle space, $45 for an exterior wall booth, and $5 for electricity. A single booth is about 10 by 10 feet, and larger space means buying more than one. Setup was Friday from noon to 7 p.m., and the building is locked Friday night. Applications go to Terry Koone at 130 Harper Koone Rd, Wilmar, AR 71675, with checks payable to Drew County Fair, or online. The 2026 date should be Saturday, December 5, but confirm it with the fair board.

Other uses

The fair association publishes a rental agreement for the fairgrounds, last updated August 2026, so the grounds are available to outside groups. I couldn’t find rental rates.

Finding schedules

• The fair’s Google Sites page, which carries the schedule, forms, and fair tabloid.
• Monticello Live, a local news site that posts the fair schedule and carnival schedule.
• The Monticello-Drew County Chamber of Commerce, which handles the parade.

The County Fair Itself

2026 schedule highlights

• Saturday, September 26: Pageant day, plus poultry testing at 10 a.m. at the fairgrounds.
• Tuesday, October 6: Parade at 5:30 p.m. on North Main.
• Thursday, October 8, 6 p.m.: Poultry and livestock show.
• Friday, October 9, 6 p.m.: Livestock auction.

The fair also featured carnival rides, exhibits, and bingo.

Pageants

Pageants cover ages from babies to young adults:

• Miss Drew County: ages 18–23
• Jr. Miss Drew County: ages 14–17
• Petite Miss, Pixy Miss, Pixy Princess, Young Miss, Little Miss: school-age and preschool divisions
• Tiny Miss, Miss Tot, and Baby Girl and Baby Boy divisions: from birth to age 4

The 2026 entry fee was $40, with an optional $10 photogenic entry. Entry forms were due September 18, with a mandatory rehearsal on September 20 at the Homer Pace Building. Contestants must be Drew County residents for six months, with an exception for full-time UAM students carrying 12 credit hours. Jr. Miss and Miss compete in interview, evening gown, and onstage question. Winners can go on to the Arkansas State Fair pageant, as Miss Drew County did in earlier years.

Visitors interested in Drew County Arkansas Fairgrounds Events can also explore community celebrations through Desha County Arkansas Fairgrounds Events. Both locations offer opportunities to discover local traditions, enjoy regional activities, and plan memorable outings across Arkansas.

Parade

The parade is free to enter. Categories are schools or youth groups, civic and special interest clubs, businesses, and individuals. For 2026, entries closed Friday, October 2, and the lineup needed to be in place by 5 p.m. Prizes in the youth, nonprofit, and commercial categories were $50, $40, and $30. Horses need a current Coggins, and entries are judged on the fair theme. Entries go through the Monticello-Drew County Chamber of Commerce at 335 East Gaines St.

Fair shirts

The 2026 fair shirt was $20, preordered online.

Admission

An older fair listing showed $2 to $3 admission, but it hasn’t been updated since 2023, so don’t print a price. Check the fair’s Facebook page and tabloid.

Facilities and Grounds

Confirmed: the Homer Pace Auditorium, a livestock barn that was rebuilt after tornado damage in 2009, and an arena used for the livestock show and auction. I could not verify barn counts, grandstand seating, camping, ADA details, or parking capacity.

Vendor and Exhibitor Information

Commercial vendors

The fair’s Commercial Exhibits page has an entry form. Questions go to the contact listed on that page.

Livestock entries

The 2026 Junior Livestock Show deadline was Wednesday, September 30. Separate online forms covered dairy goats, goats, sheep, swine, cattle, rabbits, and poultry. A Livestock Handbook is posted on the fair site. Questions can be directed to the contact listed on the page.

Home Economics

The Home Economics Division, run with the Extension Homemakers, publishes its own exhibit book on the fair site.

4-H, FFA, and Extension

The Drew County Extension office is at 210 South Main, Room H, in the Drew County Courthouse in Monticello, phone 870-460-6270. It serves Monticello, Wilmar, Winchester, Jerome, and other Drew County towns, and covers 4-H, Extension Homemakers, soil testing, and food preservation.

Local reporting has noted the Drew Central FFA working with a Drew County family on dairy goats. I couldn’t verify the number of 4-H clubs or which FFA chapters exhibit.

Getting to the Fairgrounds

The fairgrounds are on Highway 35 South in Monticello. For the parade, head to North Main in downtown Monticello. I couldn’t verify routes from Pine Bluff, McGehee, or Warren, or any shuttle or rideshare plan, so use a mapping app.

History

Three milestones are documented. A tornado in May 2009 damaged the fairgrounds, and the fair board and the University of Arkansas system agreed to a 25-year lease on the grounds as the fair recovered, with a goal of rebuilding the livestock barn in time for the September fair. A separate storm blew the roof off the exhibit building. The fair also honors a “Farm Family of the Year,” now called the Homestead Family, with the Rodriguez family’s “3 Chicks Farm” named for 2026. I couldn’t find a founding year, so don’t print one without asking the fair board.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Drew County Fair in 2027?
Not announced. The 2026 fair ran October 6–10, with the Monticello Live schedule covering October 5–11, and 2024 ran October 1–5.

Where is the Drew County Fairgrounds?
2100 AR-35, Monticello, AR 71655, on Highway 35 South.

How do I enter livestock?
Fill out the species form on the fair’s Livestock page. The 2026 deadline was September 30, and the species were dairy goats, goats, sheep, swine, cattle, rabbits, and poultry.

Who do I contact to rent the fairgrounds?
The Drew County Fair board at [email protected] or P.O. Box 1155, Monticello, AR 71657. A rental agreement form is on the fair site.

How do I become a craft fair vendor?
Apply for the December craft fair in the Homer Pace Auditorium. 2025 booths cost $40 for aisle space and $45 for exterior wall space, plus $5 for electricity.

How do I enter the parade?
Entries go through the Monticello-Drew County Chamber of Commerce and are free. The 2026 deadline was October 2.

How much does the fair cost?
I couldn’t confirm 2026 pricing. An older listing showed $2 to $3.

Is there camping or are dogs allowed?
I couldn’t confirm either. Ask the fair board.