Hendry County Florida Fairgrounds Events

The Hendry County Fairgrounds in Clewiston, Florida, are home to one of the county’s best-known annual community events: the Hendry County Fair and Livestock Show. The fair brings together agricultural education, youth livestock projects, pageants, carnival entertainment, food vendors, and activities for families from across Hendry County and neighboring communities.

The fair is particularly relevant to an area where sugarcane production, cattle ranching, and other agricultural activities contribute to the local economy. For visitors, it offers an opportunity to experience the community beyond its farms and rural roads. For young exhibitors, it provides a setting to demonstrate the animal-care, recordkeeping, and showmanship skills they develop throughout the year.

The fair’s official address is 710 South Francisco Street, Clewiston, Florida 33440. Visitors planning a trip in 2027 should distinguish between the annual fair’s usual seasonal pattern and confirmed dates: the latest available fair information looks ahead to 2027, but a complete 2027 daily schedule and ticket arrangements should be confirmed before travel.

Overview of Hendry County Fairgrounds

Location and local importance

The Hendry County Fairgrounds are located in Clewiston, in the eastern part of Hendry County near Lake Okeechobee. Clewiston is a major center for the county’s sugarcane industry and agricultural businesses. The fairground’s location makes the event accessible to residents of Clewiston, LaBelle, Felda, and surrounding rural communities.

The property is operated in connection with Hendry County Fair & Livestock Show Inc., the organization responsible for the fair and its associated livestock and youth programs. The organization also maintains a fair office at the grounds and publishes information about competitions, pageants, and facility rentals.

The exact acreage, complete building inventory, permanent seating capacity, and total parking capacity are not established in the public information reviewed. These details should not be assumed when planning a large event or arranging livestock transport.

Agricultural and cultural significance

The Hendry County Fair is more than a midway attraction. Livestock exhibitions and youth programs connect families with practical agricultural skills, including animal nutrition, breeding, health, handling, and responsible ownership.

The event also creates a meeting point for local businesses, school communities, exhibitors, and families. Pageants, public entertainment, and food stands add a community component to the agricultural program. Its annual return is part of the local events calendar, alongside Clewiston’s Sugar Festival and LaBelle’s Swamp Cabbage Festival.

Upcoming Events at Hendry County Fairgrounds

What visitors can expect

The annual Hendry County Fair and Livestock Show is the main recurring attraction at the fairgrounds. Its established program includes youth livestock activities, pageants, an exhibit hall, and carnival rides. The official fair organization also maintains livestock program information and a schedule-of-events section.

Depending on the published program for a particular year, visitors may find:

• Livestock shows and youth agricultural competitions.
• Market-animal and breeding-animal projects.
• Pageants and community entertainment.
• Carnival rides and midway attractions.
• Exhibits and displays connected with fair participation.
• Food concessions and opportunities to meet local organizations.

Not every activity should be treated as a confirmed event for every year. Rodeos, demolition derbies, tractor pulls, concerts, flea markets, and other specialty events should be included in a visit plan only when the relevant year’s schedule identifies them.

How to check the current schedule

The fair organization publishes information about the annual event, livestock programs, pageants, and its schedule. Its public information also identifies a pavilion rental calendar, indicating that facility use extends beyond simply attending the annual fair.

As of October 2026, the available public information indicates that the organization is looking ahead to 2027. A final event calendar, opening times, and individual entertainment bookings should be checked when the new schedule is released.

Private events and facility rentals

The fair organization lists pavilion rentals, which may interest people arranging gatherings, meetings, or other permitted functions. Availability, capacity, rental charges, insurance requirements, setup arrangements, and cleanup responsibilities must be confirmed directly with the organization. Do not assume that every building or livestock area is available for private hire.

The Hendry County Fair Itself

H3: Typical Fair Season — February; 2027 Dates Await Confirmation

The Hendry County Fair has historically been held in February. Florida’s agricultural fairs calendar also lists the Hendry County Fair and Livestock Show among the state’s February fairs. However, the exact dates for the 2027 fair should not be treated as confirmed until the organizers publish them.

The fair’s program has included livestock competitions, pageants, exhibits, and midway entertainment. Earlier editions also featured parades and a youth livestock auction, although visitors should consult the current program to establish which activities will return.

Livestock, exhibits, and competitions

Youth livestock activities are a major part of the fair’s identity. The fair organization publishes program information for market animals and non-market projects, including a market swine program and beef breeding and market steer program.

Livestock participation requires more than bringing an animal to the grounds. Exhibitors should review the applicable rules, application requirements, animal identification procedures, health documentation, weigh-in arrangements, and deadlines. Requirements can differ between market and breeding projects.

The exhibit hall and other competitive displays offer another way to participate. Categories and entry availability should be confirmed in the current year’s premium book or official competition information rather than assumed from another county’s fair.

Carnival rides, food, and entertainment

The fair has promoted a traveling midway provider, with Hildebrand Amusement Rides identified in its recent public information. The number of rides, operating hours, wristband offers, and individual ride prices may change annually.

Visitors can expect the possibility of traditional fair concessions, such as fried foods, sweet treats, drinks, and quick meals, but specific vendors and local menu specialties should be confirmed for each edition.

Pageants are an established part of the program. The fair’s pageant information has listed Miss Hendry County, Junior Miss Hendry County, and Little Miss Hendry County. Livestock events, exhibits, and other entertainment round out the schedule when included in that year’s program.

Admission and parking

The fair’s published information has listed $10 general gate admission. That figure should be treated as a previously advertised price, not a guarantee of the 2027 rate. Ride wristbands and admission may be priced separately.

Current child and senior admission policies, parking charges, season passes, and payment methods require confirmation before arrival. No reliable public figure was established for the site’s total parking capacity or any designated overflow parking area.

Facilities and Grounds

Exhibition areas and livestock facilities

The Hendry County Fairgrounds support the livestock and exhibit activities associated with the annual fair. Published program materials establish that the property hosts youth livestock projects and provides an office and pavilion rental arrangements. However, a verified public inventory of permanent exhibition buildings, species-specific barns, stall counts, and arena dimensions was not available.

Exhibitors should ask the organizers which barns or pens are assigned to their project, whether bedding is provided, when animals may arrive, and whether overnight animal care is required. Anyone transporting cattle, swine, or other livestock should confirm unloading arrangements before arriving.

Accessibility, parking, and visitor amenities

Before attending, visitors who need accessible parking, step-free routes, accessible restrooms, or mobility assistance should confirm the facilities available for the specific event. Publicly available information does not establish a complete ADA accessibility inventory for the property.

The same applies to first-aid stations, ATMs, water refill points, shaded seating, and permanent concession buildings. Some services may be provided temporarily during fair week, so their availability should not be assumed outside the annual event.

Camping and RV facilities

No confirmed public information establishes on-site RV hookups, public camping reservations, or a campground operating at the fairgrounds. RV travelers should arrange accommodation separately unless the fair organization confirms that camping is permitted for the relevant event.

Vendor and Exhibitor Information

Applying for a commercial vendor space

Businesses, concession operators, artisans, and community organizations interested in participating should contact Hendry County Fair & Livestock Show Inc. before preparing a booth. Ask whether applications are open, which space types are available, and whether food service, electrical connections, tents, or refrigerated equipment are permitted.

Vendors should also ask about application deadlines, booth dimensions, insurance, permits, setup windows, fees, and cancellation policies. A space offered for one fair edition does not necessarily remain available the following year.

Entering competitive exhibits

People interested in livestock, animal projects, or other fair competitions should begin with the current year’s official entry materials. The livestock information section provides program-specific applications and rulebooks, including materials for the 2027 season.

Exhibitors should confirm eligibility, entry deadlines, ownership requirements, animal identification, health paperwork, showmanship rules, and any required project records. Deadlines for youth market animals may differ from deadlines for non-market projects or other competitions.

Contacting the fair organization

The organization’s published location is 710 South Francisco Street, Clewiston, FL 33440. Visitors, prospective vendors, and exhibitors should use the fair office’s current contact details to ask about event schedules, rental arrangements, entry forms, and admission updates.

Local fairgrounds bring communities together through agricultural displays, livestock shows, food vendors, and seasonal festivals. People searching for Hendry County Florida Fairgrounds Events can explore community gatherings and family-friendly activities while also discovering Hardee County Florida Fairgrounds Events.

Getting to Hendry County Fairgrounds

Driving from Clewiston and nearby communities

The fairgrounds are located in Clewiston, making the town the most direct point of reference for visitors. Travelers coming from the Clewiston town center should navigate toward South Francisco Street and confirm the destination before departure.

From LaBelle, the county seat, visitors generally travel east toward Clewiston using the regional road network, including State Road 80 and connections toward US 27. Visitors coming from the Lake Okeechobee area may approach via US 27, depending on their starting point. Exact turn-by-turn directions depend on the origin and current road conditions.

Public transportation and rideshares

A dedicated fair-week shuttle, fixed public transportation service to the grounds, and designated rideshare pickup zones could not be verified. Visitors relying on a taxi or rideshare should agree on a convenient pickup point with their driver and expect traffic or delays during major events.

For livestock exhibitors, confirm the approved vehicle entrance and unloading location separately from ordinary visitor parking. Large trailers may need different access arrangements.

4-H and FFA at Hendry County Fairgrounds

Youth agricultural education

The University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension coordinates Hendry County 4-H programming. Its local 4-H information identifies activities and meetings in LaBelle, Clewiston, and Felda.

The program includes hands-on learning opportunities that can prepare young people for fair participation. Examples documented in the county’s program information include the Pigskin and Cowhide Classic, which focuses on swine and beef projects, a rabbit club, and a livestock-focused program for young exhibitors learning about market swine and related animal-care skills.

These examples are more useful than assuming a particular number of clubs: the total number of active clubs can change, and a current verified countywide count was not established.

FFA and junior livestock sales

Future Farmers of America (FFA) provides agricultural education through school-based chapters. Families interested in participating should confirm which Hendry County school chapters are entering the upcoming fair, since participation and project availability can vary from year to year.

The fair’s published livestock materials include a market-animal sale program. In a typical youth livestock sale, eligible exhibitors present animals or projects to buyers, and proceeds are handled according to the fair’s published sale rules. Buyers may include businesses, families, and community supporters.

The precise date, sale order, buyer registration procedure, payment terms, and rules for proceeds at the next Hendry County Fair should be confirmed with the organizers. Do not assume that every exhibitor receives identical proceeds or that every sale follows the same arrangement.

Special Events Beyond the Annual Fair

The fairgrounds’ most clearly established recurring role is hosting the Hendry County Fair and Livestock Show, together with its youth programs and pavilion rental activity. Other events require individual confirmation.

Visitors searching for flea markets, gun shows, motocross, ATV competitions, horse shows, rodeos, touring concerts, or seasonal festivals should check the event’s own listing before traveling. These activities should not be presented as regular fairground attractions without evidence of a scheduled event.

Hendry County has other established community festivals, including the Clewiston Sugar Festival and LaBelle’s Swamp Cabbage Festival. These are separate events, not interchangeable names for the Hendry County Fair, and they take place at different locations.

History of Hendry County Fairgrounds

Agricultural roots and community traditions

Hendry County’s agricultural history helps explain the importance of its fair and livestock programs. The county was created in 1923 and named after Captain Francis Asbury Hendry, a cattleman associated with the region’s early development. Clewiston later became an important center for sugar production, while cattle ranching remained part of the surrounding rural economy.

The Hendry County Fair and Livestock Show developed as a place for agricultural displays, youth participation, public entertainment, and community gatherings. Historical coverage documents earlier editions featuring livestock shows, pageants, a parade, and a youth livestock auction.

The fair organization continues to publish youth livestock rules, market-animal applications, pageant materials, and event information. Its recent public information reported more than 15,000 visitors during the week-long 2026 fair, demonstrating the event’s continuing reach.

A fully documented founding year for the current fairgrounds, a complete timeline of facility construction, historical attendance records, and confirmed records of cancellations were not established in the available information. Those details should be verified through the fair organization or local historical archives before being published as established facts.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Hendry County Fair in 2027?

The Hendry County Fair is traditionally held in February. The exact 2027 dates should be confirmed through the fair organization once its official calendar is published.

What time do the Hendry County Fairgrounds open?

Opening times depend on the event and the day’s program. Visitors should check the current fair schedule before arriving, especially for livestock shows, pageants, and evening midway activities.

Where are the Hendry County Fairgrounds located?

The published address is 710 South Francisco Street, Clewiston, Florida 33440, in Hendry County.

How much does it cost to enter the Hendry County Fair?

The fair’s published information has listed general admission at $10. Prices for the next fair, ride wristbands, and any special admission categories should be verified before visiting.

Is there camping at Hendry County Fairgrounds?

Public on-site camping and RV hookup availability could not be confirmed. Contact the fair organization before planning to stay overnight at the property.

How do I enter livestock in the Hendry County Fair?

Start with the fair’s current livestock application and rulebook. Confirm eligibility, entry deadlines, animal identification, health requirements, weigh-in arrangements, and show dates before bringing an animal to the grounds.

Are dogs allowed at Hendry County Fairgrounds?

A current general pet policy could not be verified. Contact the organizers before bringing a dog. Service-animal access and any restrictions for livestock or crowded event areas should be addressed separately.

Where do visitors park at Hendry County Fairgrounds?

Visitors should follow the parking instructions provided for their event. The exact parking capacity, overflow locations, and any parking fees were not confirmed in the available public information.

Who do I contact to rent Hendry County Fairgrounds?

Hendry County Fair & Livestock Show Inc. is the relevant organization to contact about pavilion rentals and facility use. Ask about availability, capacity, rates, insurance, and permitted activities.

Does Hendry County Fair have carnival rides?

Yes. Carnival rides have been part of the annual fair, and the organization has identified Hildebrand Amusement Rides as a recent midway provider. The 2027 ride lineup, hours, and prices should be confirmed when the next program is announced.

Are there 4-H livestock competitions at the fair?

Youth livestock projects are a documented part of the fair. Hendry County 4-H offers hands-on agricultural activities, and prospective exhibitors should consult the current fair rules and local extension program information.

Can businesses apply for vendor booths?

Businesses and concession operators should contact the fair organization to ask about vendor applications, available spaces, fees, insurance, permits, and deadlines. Approval and availability depend on the particular fair edition or rental event.