Nostalgia is a powerful feeling and for me, summertime fairs and festivals bring back some of the best memories from childhood. Spinning around and around on the Tilt-a-Whirl, getting an amazing aerial view from the top of the Ferris Wheel, indulging in yummy but not so good for me food and drinks like corn dogs, lemon shakeups, and cotton candy, and wasting someone else’s money on carnival games just so I could win a goldfish that would die withing 48 hours of taking it home 😀 Okay, that’s not a really fun memory, but it was a part of the experience!
Lucky for us living in the Franklin County area, there’s lots of opportunities to create new fair memories all summer long.
June
June kicks off fair season in and around Franklin County. The first fair of the season happens just west of Franklin County in the small town of Belle.
Belle Fair, Wednesday, June 3 – Saturday, June 6
The 78th Annual Belle Fair is happening for four days. Experience fair rides, live music, entertainment, food, livestock shows, and more.
Get more info.
Route 66 Summerfest, Thursday, June 4 – Saturday, June 6
Rolla’s Route 66 Summerfest is happening downtown, with live music, a car show, a drone show, parade, food vendors, and more.
Find out more.
Franklin County Fair, Thursday, June 11 – Sunday, June 14
The Franklin County Fair in Union will feature carnival rides and games, food, entertainment, and more.
Get more info.
Summer Carnival, Thursday, June 18 – Saturday, June 20
The town of Salem is having a summer carnival at the Dent County Commons.
Follow the Salem Chamber for more info.
Meramec Community Fair, Tuesday, June 23 – Saturday, June 27
The Meramec Community Fair in Sullivan will have musical performances by country stars like Sara Evans and Clay Walker, carnival rides, fair food, games, and more.
Find the fair schedule of events.
Warren County Fair, Wednesday, June 24 – Saturday, June 27
The Warren County Fair in Warrenton will feature live stock shows, fair rides, live music and other entertainment, as well as a rodeo and firework display.
Find out more.
July & August
July kicks off with a bang, and some sparkle, with firework displays throughout small towns as well as county fairs, with fair season coming to a close in August.
Rolla, Wednesday, July 1 – Saturday, July 4
Rolla’s annual Lion’s Club Carnival is happening from July 1-4. The festivities will include a drone show the evening of Thursday, July 2, as well as a parade and fireworks display on July 4th.
Get more details.
New Haven Community Youth Fair, Friday, July 10 & Saturday, July 11
With a focus on live stock shows, tractor pulls, and kids activities like pony rides, a petting zoo, bounce houses, and more, the New Haven Community Youth Fair is two days of rural fun in July.
View the schedule of events.
Crawford County Fair, Tuesday, July 14 – Saturday, July 18
The 79th Annual Crawford County Fair in Cuba will have live music, games, fair rides, food, a truck and tractor pull, and livestock exhibits.
Get the complete schedule of events.
Gasconade County Fair, Wednesday, July 29 – Saturday, Aug. 1
The 79th Annual Gasconade County Fair in Owensville will feature demolition derbies, livestock shows, concerts, car shows, and of course fair concessions, carnival rides, and more.
Find out all the details.
The Washington Town & Country Fair, Wednesday, Aug. 5 – Sunday, Aug. 9
Perhaps it’s fitting that Franklin County’s largest fair closes out fair season. The fair happens at the Washington Fairgrounds and features several days of fair fun including rides, a classic car show, livestock and 4-H exhibits, vendors, food and drinks, and musical performances from national acts.
Get more info.
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