After eleven days of record-breaking daily visitor numbers, the Kentucky State Fair comes to an end

The 120th Kentucky State Fair ended on a high note on Sunday with great weather, large crowds and unique activities.

During the 11-day event from August 15 to 25, the fair saw record-breaking attendance for several days. From Sunday, August 18 to Thursday, August 22, all attendance records were broken.

The theme of this year’s event was ‘120 Years, 120 Counties’, highlighting the unique opportunity to perfectly match the number of fairs to the number of counties in the Commonwealth. A special exhibition was created and displayed specifically for this theme, showing a timeline of the fair and the involvement of all counties over the years. In addition, the Pride of the Counties exhibition featured almost twice as many counties compared to last year, namely 105 counties.

“The Kentucky State Fair is special every year, but this year’s energy was extra special,” said David S. Beck, president and CEO of Kentucky Venues. “With the crowds, exhibits and tens of thousands of attendees at the fair, we again had attendees from all 120 counties, reflecting our mission to make the fair a statewide celebration.”

The number of entries at the Kentucky State Fair has been consistently high for the past decade, bringing in around 25,000 entries annually. In 2024, the general exhibits had over 15,000 entries, with categories ranging from quilts to culinary and everything in between. Homebrew and wine entries increased by nearly 637 entries from the previous year. The livestock competitions filled the West Wing, West Hall and Pavilion with over 9,650 entries. FFA and 4-H participants contributed another nearly 10,000 entries.

The 121st Equestrian World Championship crowns the world champions

The World’s Championship Horse Show is held in conjunction with the Kentucky State Fair and is considered the most prestigious horse show in the world. Exhibitors competed in 236 classes for world championship titles and prizes valued at over $1.5 million. Trainers, owners and riders from all fifty states, Germany, Canada and South Africa came to Louisville for the annual event – over 150 were new participants.

A mare named “Midd’s Delaney,” owned by Christine Broder of Shelbyville, KY, ridden and trained by Tiffany Wheeler of Shelbyville, was crowned the 2024 Five-Gaited World’s Grand Champion.

Commonwealth celebration at the centre of the fair

• Kentucky Venues unveils renovation concepts and begins Phase I and II renovations at Kentucky Exposition Center

Surrounded by community stakeholders and state leaders, Kentucky Venues leadership proudly unveiled the visual concepts for the Phase I and II renovations of the Kentucky Exposition Center. The event marked the ceremonial groundbreaking and start of this multimillion-dollar project, which includes construction of a 350,000-square-foot multi-purpose building in Phase I and several additional facility improvements.

• Record-breaking ham sold for $10.5 million

The 60th Kentucky Country Ham Breakfast saw a record auction for the fourth year in a row when the Grand Champion Ham was auctioned to Kelly and Joe Craft for $10.5 million.

• Inclusive livestock competition records record participation

This year, the Kentucky State Fair welcomed a record number of participants to the 3rd Annual Sunshine Livestock Class, co-sponsored by Commissioner Jonathan Shell and the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, and David Wallace and Heritage Bank. Each exhibitor, along with a mentor, presented a lamb and all received a championship banner at the end. With the support of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture and Special Olympics Kentucky, this event highlighted the fair’s inclusive spirit and provided participants with a unique opportunity to exhibit livestock alongside young leaders in the show ring.

• The third annual sensory-friendly morning welcomed guests with sensory sensitivities

Through partnerships with Kissel Entertainment, FEAT (Families for Effective Autism Treatment) of Louisville, the Kentucky Autism Training Center and the Home of the Innocents, over 1,200 admission and midway wristbands were distributed to fairgoers with sensory processing disorders.

• The second annual Latin Music Fest highlighted the Latin American community and culture

The Kentucky State Fair concluded with the Latin Fest in the BIG Tent. There were events and activities throughout the day showcasing the best of the Latin community and culture. From salsa dance lessons to performances by some of the area’s best Latin bands, there was something for everyone.

• The second annual beer festival showcased the best beers from the Bluegrass region

The Kentucky State Fair showcased the Commonwealth’s best craft beers at the one-day Beerfest. The event featured beers from nearly 11 breweries and featured live music, food trucks, yard games and photo opportunities.

Several changes at the Kentucky State Fair provided even more entertainment for fairgoers. Three additional outdoor entertainment areas were reestablished in the West Hall Courtyard, on the West Lawn, and near Lot L. The Mules and Jacks Tent was moved from behind Broadbent Arena to the front of the building so fairgoers could better view the animals. The same tent was later used for three Ohio Valley Wrestling performances. In addition, an additional indoor entertainment stage was installed in the South Wing B Lobby.

Editor’s note: The fair management will announce complete attendance figures as soon as they are available.

Venues in Kentucky