Coconino County Arizona Fairgrounds Events – County Fairgrounds Events

The 77th Annual Coconino County Fair ran September 4–7, 2026, so the next one is the 78th, expected over Labor Day weekend in 2027. Labor Day falls on September 6 that year, which points to a Friday-to-Monday run of September 3–6. The county’s own wrap-up message told fairgoers to “see you Labor Day weekend 2027,” but exact dates, hours, and prices are announced closer to the event. This guide covers how the grounds work, what happens there, how to enter an exhibit or apply as a vendor, and how to get there without sitting in a parking line.

Overview of Coconino County Fairgrounds

Where the grounds are

The fairgrounds are inside Fort Tuthill County Park at 2446 Fort Tuthill Loop, Flagstaff, AZ 86005. The park is about three miles south of downtown Flagstaff. You reach it from I-17 (exit 337) or Highway 89, and it sits across from the airport. One side effect is that drones don’t work over the grounds because of the airport’s proximity.

Who runs it

Coconino County Parks and Recreation owns the park and puts on the fair. It is a county-run event, not a private association. County materials describe the fair as self-funding, with proceeds going back into park improvements at Fort Tuthill.

What Fort Tuthill was before it was a fairground

Fort Tuthill was built in 1930 as a training facility for the National Guard and closed around 1948. It later became the county park that now holds the fairgrounds. A military history museum and a separate military recreation area (run for Luke Air Force Base) also sit inside the park. The historic Quad was renovated in 2017.

Why it matters locally

Flagstaff sits at about 7,000 feet, so the fair is a late-summer ritual for a county that spans pine forest, the Colorado Plateau, and Navajo Nation communities. The fair’s stated purpose is to promote community interest in agriculture, horticulture, livestock, household arts, and the area’s diverse traditions. County officials call it northern Arizona’s largest Labor Day weekend event.

Upcoming Events at Coconino County Fairgrounds

The annual fair

The Coconino County Fair always lands on Labor Day weekend. Recent runs:

2024: August 30–September 2 (75th)
2025: August 29–September 1
2026: September 4–7 (77th)

Other events at Fort Tuthill

The county’s Parks and Recreation calendar lists events around the park through the warm months. In 2026 it included a gun show at Fort Tuthill on August 8–9 and a Forever Seger tribute concert at the Pepsi Amphitheater on August 22–23. The park also hosts archery clinics, trail work days, and bigger gatherings such as Overland Expo West, which took place there in May 2025.

Seasonal pattern

Fort Tuthill’s event season runs spring through early fall, with the fair as the anchor. A directory listing gives the park’s rental season as the first weekend in May through September 30. The campground is listed as open May through October. Winter use is limited, so don’t expect a cold-weather indoor event calendar.

Finding the current schedule

The fair has its own website with a daily schedule, ticket sales, and the Fair Book. The county’s Parks and Recreation calendar covers everything else at the park. For questions, call (928) 679-8000 or email the fair office at [email protected].

Renting the grounds

The county rents several venues at Fort Tuthill: the grandstand with the arena, the race track, the round arena, the motorsports arena, the Posse Arena, ramadas, a 6,700-square-foot commercial building, and the historic Quad. Event producers submit a special event application with a $25 fee, which does not guarantee dates. The fair complex itself is handled separately and needs county approval. The events contact is [email protected].

The County Fair Itself

Name and timing

It is simply the Coconino County Fair, numbered each year, and it runs four days over Labor Day weekend. The 2026 theme was “Route 66, Get Your Kicks and Fair Fix.” The county tied the year to Route 66 turning 100, Coconino County turning 135, Flagstaff’s Dark Sky designation at 25, and America at 250.

Hours (2026)

Friday through Sunday: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Monday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The carnival closes an hour after the fair, and many exhibit buildings close at 9 p.m. Friday through Sunday.

Competitions and exhibits

Inside the exhibit halls, the categories include schools and education, fine arts, horticulture, agriculture, home economics, gems and minerals, hobbies and collectibles, and 4-H youth exhibits. Every class, prize, and judging rule is in the Fair Book, published each year.

Carnival and midway

Brown’s Amusements runs the carnival. The fair sells one-day unlimited ride wristbands, though some rides take extra tokens. A student newspaper recap of the 2025 fair reported $45 wristbands and $40 fast passes, so check current prices. Rides can close for weather, and there are no refunds for closures.

Entertainment

The fair runs a main stage, a variety stage, and strolling acts all day. The 2026 Saturday lineup included the Flagstaff Community Band, AZ Idol Superstars, a mullet contest, a line-dancing performance with lessons, and country artist Chancey Williams at 8 p.m. The variety stage had juggling, a wildlife comedian, a Shakespeare act, and magic. Coco, the fair’s mascot, strolls the grounds and has a barn. A demolition derby has been a Saturday-night draw in past years, on a separate ticket.

Visitors exploring Coconino County Arizona Fairgrounds Events can also discover local activities through Cochise County Arizona Fairgrounds Events. Exploring both counties allows families and travelers to learn about regional heritage, discover seasonal celebrations, and enjoy community gatherings across Arizona.

Food

The fair has food vendors throughout and a shaded picnic area. Some stands run long lines at peak hours, and some vendors take cash only, so carry some. Outside food and drink aren’t allowed, except sealed water bottles and empty refillable containers.

Admission and parking (2026)

Adults: $10
Youth (6–12): $6
Seniors (65+): $6
Children 5 and under: free
Military: $5 at the box office only, with a military ID (active, reserve, retired, veteran; not spouses or dependents)
Parking: $5 per vehicle per day, credit card only

Tickets are valid for one day with re-entry that day (get a stamp when you leave). Early-bird tickets and wristbands went on sale July 1–31, with regular pricing starting August 1. All sales are final.

Facilities and Grounds

Venues inside Fort Tuthill

The county fee schedule lists a grandstand with arena, a full race track, a round arena, a motorsports arena, and the Posse Arena with warm-up space. The Pepsi Amphitheater hosts concerts. The park also has stables, an equestrian arena, a cross-country course, an archery range, a bike park, a disc golf course, and about five miles of trails.

Camping and RVs

The Fort Tuthill County Park Campground has 101 campsites plus four group areas, with eight RV sites that have water and sewer hookups. There is no electricity and there are no showers. Generators are allowed with quiet hours from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. Pets must stay leashed. The campground is busiest on holiday weekends and during the fair. Call (928) 286-7060 for reservations or changes. A separate military recreation area is for current or former military ID holders.

Pets and accessibility

Pets are not permitted on the fairgrounds, and only service animals are allowed. Staff may ask whether a dog is required because of a disability and what task it is trained to perform. I couldn’t find published detail on accessible parking or shuttle lifts, so call the fair office if you need specifics.

On-site amenities

Drinking fountains are spread across the grounds, ATMs are on site, and recycling bins are placed throughout. The fair is tobacco-free, with smoking areas outside the gates, and no alcohol may be brought in or taken out.

Bag policy

A clear bag policy began in 2026. Permitted: clear bags up to 12 x 6 x 12 inches, a one-gallon clear freezer bag, a small clutch (about 4.5 x 6.5 inches, searched), medical and diaper bags (searched), and strollers (searched). Non-clear bags, camera bags without press credentials, laser pointers, and weapons are prohibited.

Vendor and Exhibitor Information

Commercial vendors

Applications for the 2026 fair closed before the event. The fair says it reaches roughly 40,000 people and takes amusement, food, commercial, indoor, midway, and nonprofit vendors. Coconino County-based for-profit businesses can apply for an early-bird rate on non-premium outdoor spots. That application opens in early summer of the year of the fair. Nonprofit, indoor, midway, and food vendors aren’t eligible for early-bird rates. Vendors need liability insurance, and the county points applicants to its Tenant User Liability Insurance Program.

Competitive exhibits

Entries go through the fair’s online exhibit system. Junior 4-H and FFA exhibitors must enter online. Adults can also use paper forms:

Entry Form A: non-livestock
Entry Form B: open livestock
Entry Form C: schools
The Coconino Bred and Fed form

Send paper entries to Coconino County Parks and Recreation, ATTN: Fair, 2446 Fort Tuthill Loop, Flagstaff, AZ 86005, or email [email protected]. Open livestock entries are paid after staff contact you, and a card processing fee applies unless you pay by cash or check. For help, call (928) 679-8030. The fair advises entering early because mistakes get printed on exhibit tags.

Contacts

Fair office: [email protected], (928) 679-8000
Entries: [email protected], (928) 679-8030

Getting to Coconino County Fairgrounds

By car

From downtown Flagstaff: Head south on Milton Road, then take I-17 toward Phoenix to exit 337.
From Phoenix: Take I-17 north to exit 337 and turn left.
From I-40: Take I-17 south toward Phoenix to exit 337.

Highway 89 also reaches the park.

Free shuttle

Coconino County partners with Mountain Line to run free park-and-ride service during the fair, which also saves the $5 parking fee. Buses leave from the Downtown Connection Center on Phoenix Avenue and from NAU’s Lot P62 on Pine Knoll Drive, with a stop near the Beulah Avenue Walmart on the way out. In 2026:

Friday: hourly from 4 p.m., last bus from the fair at 10:30 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday: every 20 minutes from 10 a.m., last bus at 10:50 p.m.
Monday: every 20 minutes from 10 a.m., last bus at 4:50 p.m.

Fairgoers can ride any Mountain Line route free by telling the driver they’re headed to the fair.

By bike

The Flagstaff Urban Trails System connects to the park, and the fair has bike parking.

4-H and FFA at Coconino County Fairgrounds

Junior exhibitors are part of the fair’s identity. The 4-H youth exhibits are among the exhibit-hall categories, and livestock shows run in the main show ring through the weekend. In 2026, swine showmanship opened Saturday morning.

The junior livestock auction

The Northern Arizona Junior Livestock Auction is run by the Northern Arizona Junior Livestock Association, not by the county. Junior exhibitors must register with that association to take part in the auction. In 2026 it was scheduled for Saturday at 4 p.m. in the show ring. Details on buying and on where proceeds go come from the association and the Fair Book. I don’t have verified numbers for 4-H clubs or participating FFA chapters, so contact the county’s 4-H office for current club information.

Special Events Beyond the Annual Fair

Gun show: listed at Fort Tuthill in August 2026.
Concerts: the Pepsi Amphitheater hosts tribute and touring acts.
Overland Expo West: a large outdoor travel and vehicle event held at Fort Tuthill in May 2025.
Equestrian and arena events: the Posse Arena, round arena, and equestrian grounds are rentable.
Outdoor recreation: archery clinics, trail work, mountain biking, and disc golf run through the season.

History of Coconino County Fairgrounds

The county fair began in 1949. Arizona Daily Sun coverage for the fair’s 70th anniversary places the first fair at the Flagstaff Armory near Thorpe Park in October 1949. The fair then grew into Fort Tuthill. Over the decades:

1950s and 1960s: beauty pageants crowned a Coconino County Fair Queen.
Racing: horse races, eight a day, ran at the Fort Tuthill racetrack and grandstand before the demolition derby took over as the main draw.
2017: the fair returned with newly renovated facilities.
2020: the pandemic led the county to scale the fair down, dropping the traditional carnival, food, and entertainment and focusing on 4-H and the livestock auction.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Coconino County Fair in 2026 and 2027?

The 2026 fair ran Friday, September 4 through Monday, September 7 at Fort Tuthill County Park. The 2027 fair is expected over Labor Day weekend, likely September 3–6. Confirm dates on the fair’s website.

What time does Coconino County Fairgrounds open?

During the 2026 fair, gates opened at 10 a.m. daily. Closing was 10 p.m. Friday through Sunday and 4 p.m. Monday, with the carnival open an hour later and many exhibit buildings closing at 9 p.m.

Is there camping at Coconino County Fairgrounds?

Yes, nearby. The Fort Tuthill County Park Campground has 101 sites and four group areas, with eight water-and-sewer RV sites and no electricity or showers. Reserve ahead for fair weekend at (928) 286-7060.

How do I enter livestock in the Coconino County Fair?

Enter through the fair’s online exhibit system. Junior (4-H and FFA) exhibitors must enter online and also register with the Northern Arizona Junior Livestock Association to take part in the auction. Open livestock can use Entry Form B. Questions go to [email protected] or (928) 679-8030.

Are dogs allowed at Coconino County Fairgrounds?

No. Pets are not permitted during the fair, and only ADA service animals are allowed.

Where do I park at Coconino County Fairgrounds?

Park on the fairgrounds for $5 per vehicle per day, paid by credit card only. A parking pass covers one entry and one exit. You can skip parking by taking the free Mountain Line shuttle or biking in.

Who do I contact to rent Coconino County Fairgrounds?

Coconino County Parks and Recreation handles rentals at Fort Tuthill. Email [email protected] or call (928) 679-8000. Event producers file a special event application with a $25 fee.

How much does it cost to get into the Coconino County Fair?

In 2026, adults paid $10, youth (6–12) and seniors (65+) $6, and children 5 and under got in free. Military members paid $5 at the box office with ID. Parking was $5 per vehicle, and ride wristbands cost extra.

How do I become a vendor at the Coconino County Fair?

Apply through the fair’s vendor page. Applications for 2026 are closed, and 2027 applications open in early summer. Local for-profit businesses may qualify for early-bird rates on non-premium outdoor spots. All vendors need liability insurance.

Is there a bag policy at the Coconino County Fair?

Yes. A clear bag policy started in 2026, with a 12 x 6 x 12 inch limit for clear bags, plus exceptions for small clutches, medical bags, diaper bags, and strollers, all of which are searched.

Is there a free way to get to the fair?

Yes. Mountain Line runs a free shuttle from the Downtown Connection Center and NAU’s Lot P62 during fair days.