Hempstead County Arkansas Fairgrounds Events

The Hempstead County fairgrounds are at Hope Fair Park, a city-owned park on the southwest side of Hope, Arkansas. Two different fairs use the same grounds. The Hempstead County Fair, a youth-centered county event, runs in late August and early September. The Southwest Arkansas District Fair, which draws exhibitors from sixteen counties, follows about a month later with the carnival, the rodeo, and the arts and crafts crowd. A lot of search results blur the two, so this guide separates them.

Hempstead County Fairgrounds Overview

Location

Hope Fair Park is at 800 Mockingbird Lane in Hope, Arkansas 71801. The park’s RV listing gives the street as South Mockingbird Lane. An older news item gave a different street address for the fair park, so use the Mockingbird Lane address for GPS.

Hope is the county seat, a position it took over from Washington in 1939 after five contested elections. The park sits in the southwest part of town. A park RV listing says to leave Interstate 30 at Exit 30, go south on Arkansas Highway 278 to US Highway 67, then follow signs.

Who Runs It

The City of Hope owns the park, so the fair park and its campground are run through the city. The Hempstead County Fair has its own fair board, and the 2026 board president was William Gentry. The Southwest Arkansas District Livestock Show has a separate organization, with a mailing address of PO Box 262, Hope. The Hempstead County Extension office and the Hope FFA chapter supply most of the youth exhibitors.

Size

One listing says Fair Park spans nearly 190 acres, up from an original 80. I could only find that figure on a travel site, so treat it as approximate. The park also holds ball fields, a playground, a pool in season, and a walking trail, according to the campground’s listing, so the fair uses just part of it.

Upcoming Events at Hempstead County Fairgrounds

What’s Documented

The Hempstead County Fair, late August into early September
The Southwest Arkansas District Fair, the 82nd of which ran September 29 to October 3, 2026
The Hope Watermelon Festival, held at Fair Park in early August. The 2026 festival was listed for August 6–8
The Hope High School FFA Rodeo, held in April in the Hempstead County Coliseum arena
Premium livestock sales during fair week

I did not find confirmed events booked at the park for the rest of 2026. I also found no documented gun shows, swap meets, or motocross events, so I’m not listing any.

Seasonal Pattern

Spring: the Hope FFA Rodeo in April
Summer: the Watermelon Festival in August and the county fair at the end of the month
Fall: the District Fair at the end of September

Finding the Current Schedule

The Hempstead County Fair has its own website and a Facebook group, where entries and the pageant are posted. The District Fair has its own website. The local radio and newspaper in Hope also publish fair previews each year.

Renting the Facilities

Fair Park is a city park, and I found no published rate sheet for the coliseum or arena. Contact the City of Hope.

The Hempstead County Fair

Dates

The county fair opens the last weekend of August and runs about a week:

2019: the premium sale was held Friday, August 30
2024: the premium sale was held Friday, August 30
2026: the pageant was Saturday, August 29, and the fair ran through the junior livestock premium auction on Friday, September 4

I could not confirm 2027 dates. Expect the last weekend of August again, but wait for the fair board’s announcement.

Livestock Shows

Local radio’s description of an earlier fair listed the cattle show in the arena on Wednesday, with lamb, goat, and swine shows in the swine barn, and a 4-H poultry chain show and rabbit show on Thursday along with showmanship contests. The 2026 deadline for livestock entries was July 11. The Hempstead County Fair’s website also listed deadlines for arts, crafts, baked goods, canning, horticulture, and the flower show, with the flower show deadline on August 20.

Pageant

The fair opens with a pageant. In 2026 it was Saturday, August 29, with entries due August 20. Check the fair’s website for divisions.

Visitors exploring Hempstead County Arkansas Fairgrounds Events can also discover regional activities through Greene County Arkansas Fairgrounds Events. Exploring both locations allows visitors to learn about community traditions, enjoy local gatherings, and discover seasonal celebrations throughout Arkansas.

Junior Livestock Premium Auction

This is the main event of the week for local families:

In 2026 it was Friday, September 4, with a buyer’s luncheon at 11:30 a.m. and the auction at noon in the Fair Park Coliseum
It’s a premium auction. Buyers bid on a premium that rewards the exhibitor’s work and showmanship, not on the market value of the animal. The exhibitors keep their animals
Premium buyers make a tax-deductible donation
In 2024, over 50 exhibitors were scheduled
In 2019, total pre-commission sales among all prize-winning exhibits were $32,390, and Hope Public Schools students alone sold animals for $9,525

Donations can be made in person at the auction or through the fair board president.

Midway and Admission

A traveling carnival is a regular part of the District Fair. I could not find carnival information for the county fair itself, nor a published gate price. Check the fair’s website.

The Southwest Arkansas District Fair

The 82nd Southwest Arkansas District Fair ran September 29 through October 3, 2026, at Hope Fair Park. It serves sixteen counties: Clark, Columbia, Garland, Hempstead, Hot Spring, Howard, Lafayette, Little River, Miller, Montgomery, Nevada, Ouachita, Pike, Saline, Sevier, and Union.

Past editions have included:

A parade in downtown Hope on opening night
A carnival, with a dollar night on Tuesday and armband day on Wednesday
Livestock shows, arts and crafts, and a fair queen and talent contest
Friday and Saturday rodeo nights at 7:30 p.m., with mutton bustin’ for children

Armbands were $25 plus gate admission at the 79th fair. Prices change, so check the District Fair’s website. County exhibitors who place at their own county fair often go on to the District Fair and then the Arkansas State Fair in Little Rock. Entry results for the 2026 District Fair show exhibitors from Hempstead County winning in arts and crafts, sewing, canning, honey, and baked goods.

Facilities and Grounds

Documented:

The Hempstead County Coliseum, also called the Fair Park Coliseum, used for the premium auction and the rodeo arena
A swine barn, used for lamb, goat, swine, poultry, and rabbit shows
An arena used for cattle shows
A covered arena, mentioned in campground reviews
An RV park with full hookups

Camping

Hope Fair Park has an RV park at 800 South Mockingbird Lane. A park listing describes full hookups, and a recent traveler review reports 30 and 50 amp service, water, a dump station, and a $25 nightly rate paid by cash in a slot at the office. That rate was reported in November 2025, so confirm it. Reservations weren’t needed except for the Watermelon Festival weekend in August. Reviewers also warn that during events, parking gets crowded and the middle of the park is hard to navigate with an RV.

Not Confirmed

Coliseum seating capacity, number of exhibit buildings, stall counts, ADA parking, first aid, and ATMs. Call before relying on any of those.

Vendor and Exhibitor Information

Exhibitors

For the county fair, exhibitors register through the fair’s website. The 2026 livestock deadline was July 11, and the arts, crafts, baked goods, canning, and horticulture deadlines were set separately, so check the current premium book on the fair’s site.

Commercial Vendors

I could not find a published commercial vendor application or fee for either fair. Contact the fair board for the county fair and the district fair’s director for the District Fair. The Watermelon Festival also hosts arts and crafts vendors, and the Chamber lists a contact phone number of 870-777-3640 for that festival.

Contacts

Hempstead County Fair board president, William Gentry, 870-904-9641 (as published in August 2026; confirm)
Southwest Arkansas District Fair, PO Box 262, Hope, AR 71802
Hope Fair Park RV Park, 870-777-7500

Getting to Hempstead County Fairgrounds

Hope is on Interstate 30 between Texarkana and Little Rock. Take Exit 30, go south on Arkansas 278 to US 67, then follow signs to 800 Mockingbird Lane. I found no public shuttle or rideshare drop-off zone. Hope is a small city, so rideshare is not reliable.

4-H and FFA at the Fairgrounds

4-H

The Hempstead County 4-H Club and the county Extension office coordinate youth exhibits. I could not find a current club count, so I’m not stating one.

FFA

Hope High School FFA exhibitors are a regular part of both fairs, and FFA students from other county schools also take part. Hope’s FFA chapter also produces its own rodeo each spring, which the school has called the oldest and biggest student-produced rodeo in Arkansas, in its 62nd year at the time of that report. Tickets in recent years were $5 per night, with performances at 7 p.m.

Special Events Beyond the Annual Fair

The Hope Watermelon Festival, in its fiftieth-plus year, with the Watermelon Olympics, a car show, civic-club food, arts and crafts, and concerts at Fair Park
The Hope FFA Rodeo in April
Rodeo nights at the District Fair

History of Hempstead County Fairgrounds

The 34th annual Hempstead County Fair was reported on by local radio in the same year the 75th District Fair was set for late September. That radio report didn’t give a year, but the 75th District Fair ran in 2019, so the 2026 county fair would be about the 41st. Treat that number as an estimate. The District Fair’s own site counts its 82nd as 2026, and its first manager served from 1975 to 2015. I could not find Fair Park’s founding year, a record of cancellations, or attendance records.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Hempstead County Fair in 2026 and 2027?

The 2026 fair began Saturday, August 29 with the pageant and ended with the junior livestock premium auction on Friday, September 4. I could not confirm 2027 dates.

What time does Hope Fair Park open?

The park is a public city park. Event hours vary. The premium auction began at noon and the buyer’s luncheon at 11:30 a.m. in 2026.

Is there camping at Hempstead County Fairgrounds?

Yes. Hope Fair Park has an RV park with hookups at 800 South Mockingbird Lane. A traveler reported a $25 nightly rate in late 2025, and reservations were only needed for the Watermelon Festival. Call 870-777-7500 to confirm.

How do I enter livestock in the Hempstead County Fair?

Register through the fair’s website. The 2026 livestock deadline was July 11, and exhibitors usually work through the Hempstead County 4-H program or the Hope FFA.

Are dogs allowed at the fairgrounds?

The RV park accepts pets, according to its listing. I found no published pet policy for the fair itself, so call ahead.

Where do I park?

Parking details are not published. During events, the park’s streets and middle area get crowded.

Who do I contact to rent Hope Fair Park?

Contact the City of Hope. I found no published rate sheet.

How much does it cost to get into the fair?

No gate price is published for the county fair. District Fair armbands were $25 plus gate admission at the 79th fair.