St. Clair County Alabama Fairgrounds Events

St. Clair County, Alabama doesn’t have a traditional fairgrounds with a row of exhibit halls. What it has is the St. Clair County Agriculture and Multi-Event Center, usually called the St. Clair County Arena, at 100 Arena Drive in Odenville. The county fair, the livestock shows, the rodeo and horse events, and most of the county’s community markets happen there.

Overview of St. Clair County Fairgrounds

Where the grounds are

The arena is in Odenville, in the western part of the county, with the address 100 Arena Drive, Odenville, AL 35120. Odenville sits on US Highway 411, about 32 miles northeast of Birmingham. St. Clair County has two county seats, Ashville and Pell City, and the arena is in neither. An older article about the original rodeo arena places it on Blair Farm Road, so you may see that name in older directions.

Who runs it

The county owns it. The St. Clair County Commission operates the facility, and Ashley Hay, who came to the county from the Springville parks department, manages it. A county parks and recreation board formed in 2011 pushed the project forward. Its early members included Lude Mashburn, then an Odenville High School agriculture teacher, and Herschel Phillips, a retiree from Argo.

The county fair is a separate effort run by the St. Clair County Fair Committee, chaired by Jodi Shirley, who is also coordinator of the St. Clair County Soil and Water Conservation District.

How the arena began

It started as a privately built horse arena. The county bought it with roughly 25 acres for about $350,000, then spent about $650,000 more on improvements. The goal was a rodeo venue, and the county studied arenas in Cullman and Shelby County before opening. Mashburn’s argument for buying it was that the county has plenty of rural kids who don’t play ball sports but are deeply interested in agriculture.

For years it was a rodeo and horse arena. Later the county added a 12,000-square-foot indoor Event Center next door, built with federal pandemic relief money plus an additional $1 million from the county. The county designed it so it could also work as an emergency operations site in a disaster.

Why it matters to the county

Before the county fair existed, Shirley said, local livestock kids had to travel to other counties and states to show their animals. The arena gave them a home venue, and the fair gave them a hometown audience.

Facilities and Grounds

The covered arena

The arena is covered, 22,000 square feet, with a dirt floor, bleachers, lights, and industrial overhead fans. Behind it is an uncovered warm-up pen, and the county has added a wash bay. Hay says equine events outnumber everything else on the calendar, and the arena is unusually open to public rides outside of events. At the time of that reporting, about 80 members were horse riders.

The Event Center

The climate-controlled Event Center has a multi-use court for pickleball, volleyball, and basketball, plus space for banquets. The Farm-City Banquet is held in the county’s facilities, and wedding receptions and other private events are rented here.

Memberships

Both buildings run on memberships open to anyone. Annual membership has been listed at $100 for county residents, with a $10 day pass for the Event Center. Registration is through stclairco.recdesk.com.

Camping and RV

There are currently no confirmed RV hookups or campground. Hay has said the county wants to add RV hookups so visitors can stay for the length of a show, and county leaders have talked about RV parking as a future expansion. Anyone traveling with a horse or camper should call before assuming overnight space is available.

Parking and accessibility

Parking is free at the fair. A volunteer shuttle has carried families from the parking area to the fair. I couldn’t find a published count of parking spaces, ADA spaces, or paved walkways, so call ahead if you need accessibility details.

Upcoming Events at St. Clair County Fairgrounds

The arena runs a heavy schedule in spring and fall. Hay told Discover St. Clair that in March, April, May, and again in September, October, and November, there’s an event nearly every weekend. Over a recent 12-month stretch the grounds hosted a dog show, a vintage market, a circus, car shows, a community yard sale, barrel racing, ranch sorting, a pig squeal, and the county fair.

What’s on the calendar now

• October 17, 2026: 8th Annual Odenville Car Show, with vendors, food, and live entertainment
• December 12, 2026: Mesozoic Park Exotic Pet and Plant Expo, listed on an event aggregator
• March 2027: The Rustik Bucket Vintage Market, which has run in March and September, with exact 2027 dates not yet posted

The vintage market has charged a small admission fee, listed at $5, with around 50 vendor spots. That comes from third-party listings, so confirm with the organizer.

Visitors exploring St. Clair County Alabama Fairgrounds Events can also discover exciting local gatherings and seasonal activities through Shelby County Alabama Fairgrounds Events. Both counties offer opportunities to enjoy agricultural exhibitions, livestock shows, community festivals, family-friendly entertainment, and celebrations that showcase Alabama’s local culture and traditions. Exploring events in St. Clair and Shelby counties helps families and travelers find new attractions, plan enjoyable weekend outings, and experience the welcoming community spirit that makes local fairs and gatherings special throughout Alabama.

Where to find the current schedule

The most reliable source is the arena’s Facebook page, facebook.com/stclaircoarena. The Visit St. Clair events calendar at visitstclairalabama.com also lists arena events.

Renting the facility

The arena and Event Center are rented for banquets, receptions, volleyball and basketball games, and other private events. The county’s recreation desk number listed for the Event Center is (205) 360-3346. Rental rates aren’t published, so ask directly.

The St. Clair County Fair

The basics

The St. Clair County Fair is a free, two-day fair held in early October at the arena. The 2026 fair ran Friday, October 2 (4 to 8 p.m.) and Saturday, October 3 (10 a.m. to 8 p.m.). It was the fair’s third year. Organizers said about 5,000 people came in each of the first two years, and it took a year and a half to two years of planning to get it started.

The 2027 dates haven’t been announced. Based on the pattern, expect early October, but wait for the committee’s confirmation.

Cost

Admission, parking, and rides are free. Families pay only for food, games, and anything they buy from vendors. Organizers have made affordability a core part of the fair’s identity.

What happens there

Livestock showing is the center of it. The committee describes the fair as built around a county livestock competition, with sheep, cattle, and hogs the animals mentioned most. Alongside that, organizers say ribbons go to everything from pies to pigs to pickles, quilts to crafts. Past fairs have included:

• A greased pig event
• Milking demonstrations by local farmers
• Herding dog demonstrations
• A petting zoo
• A vendor market with local artists and crafters
• Music running from gospel to rock and roll

Rides and food

This is not a traveling-carnival midway. Rides have been small and free: a rock-climbing wall, spinning teacups, a mechanical bull, swings, mini airplanes, and bounce houses. Shirley has said they’d love a Ferris wheel someday but are taking “baby steps.” Food is classic fair fare, including corn dogs, funnel cakes, cotton candy, lemonade, and caramel apples.

What it isn’t

I found no grandstand concerts, demolition derby, tractor pulls, wristband system, or season pass. Be careful with search results that mention those. They belong to the Michigan fair.

4-H and FFA in St. Clair County

The fair came together through a partnership of the St. Clair County Cattlemen’s Association, the Women’s Committee of the Alabama Farmers Federation, the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, FFA, and local businesses. Shirley also helped found the St. Clair Lamb Club with the county’s 4-H program after noticing the county had no show club for lamb exhibitors.

I couldn’t find a published number of active 4-H clubs, a list of participating FFA chapters, or a junior livestock auction. If you’re a parent or exhibitor, the Alabama Cooperative Extension System office serving St. Clair County and the fair committee are the right first calls.

Vendor and Exhibitor Information

Becoming a fair vendor or exhibitor

No public application form or premium book is posted. Reach the fair committee through its Facebook page, facebook.com/stclairfair, or by phone at (205) 338-7215, which is the number listed for the committee and the county conservation district. The email listed is [email protected]. Ask early, because the fair is a small, volunteer-run event.

Other shows at the arena

Outside shows, like the vintage market or car show, handle their own vendors. Apply to the organizer, not the county.

Getting to St. Clair County Fairgrounds

Put 100 Arena Drive, Odenville, AL 35120 into your GPS. US-411 runs through Odenville, which makes it the main road in. From Birmingham, the arena is about 32 miles northeast. From the county seats, Pell City and Ashville are both a drive of some distance, since the county is long and narrow.

I found no public transit or fair-week shuttle service to the site, apart from the volunteer shuttle between the parking area and the fair. Rideshare coverage in this part of the county can be thin, so line up your ride home before you go.

Special Events Beyond the Annual Fair

The arena was built for rodeos and horse events, and those still dominate: barrel racing, ranch sorting, and open rides. Beyond that, expect car shows, community yard sales, craft and vintage markets, dog shows, circus visits (Loomis Bros. Circus has played the arena), banquets, pickleball, and private events. County leaders have said they don’t want the arena competing with other event spaces in the area. I found no gun shows, motocross events, or demolition derbies.

History of St. Clair County Fairgrounds

The county formed its parks and recreation board in 2011. It bought a privately built horse arena and invested roughly $1 million total to open it as a public rodeo and horse venue. County officials date the arena’s growth as a community hub to 2014. During the pandemic it was converted to meet the community’s needs, and federal funds later built the Event Center.

The fair is far newer than the grounds. It launched in 2024 after about two years of community organizing, and 2026 was its third year. Because it is so young, it has no history of cancellation.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the St. Clair County Fair in 2026–2027?
The 2026 fair was held October 2–3 at the St. Clair County Arena in Odenville. The 2027 dates haven’t been announced, but the fair has been held in early October. Watch facebook.com/stclairfair.

What time does the St. Clair County Fairgrounds open?
The arena runs event by event with no standing public hours. The 2026 fair ran 4 to 8 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday.

Is there camping at the St. Clair County Fairgrounds?
Not confirmed. The county has said it wants to add RV hookups, but I found no campground or hookups in place.

How do I enter livestock in the St. Clair County Fair?
Contact the St. Clair County Fair Committee at (205) 338-7215 or through its Facebook page. The fair centers on sheep, cattle, and hog shows for local youth. No public entry form or deadline is posted.

Are dogs allowed at the St. Clair County Fairgrounds?
No pet policy is published. Herding dogs have performed at the fair, but ask the committee before bringing your own.

Where do I park at the St. Clair County Fairgrounds?
Parking is on site at 100 Arena Drive and has been free, with a volunteer shuttle to the fair.

Who do I contact to rent the St. Clair County Fairgrounds?
Call the county recreation desk listed for the Event Center at (205) 360-3346 or message facebook.com/stclaircoarena. The arena and Event Center rent for banquets, receptions, and private events.

How much does it cost to get into the St. Clair County Fair?
Nothing. Admission, parking, and rides have been free. You pay for food, games, and purchases.