Benton County Fair Returns To Bentonville With Rides, Livestock And A Closing Night Dance
You catch the smell of food trucks firing up before you see the lights. Cowboy boots are the unofficial dress code. Somewhere past the gate, a ferris wheel turns slow circles against the sky, and live music drifts across the grounds. Backstage, a talent contest hopeful runs through their number one more time. A mirror ball waits over an empty dance floor for the sun to go down. The Benton County Fair is back.
THE DEETS
📅 Friday, September 25, 2026 – Saturday, October 3, 2026
🕐 Event Schedule
- Fri, Sept 25: gates 4 PM, carnival 5–11 PM, $15
- Sun, Sept 27 (Sensory-Friendly Day): gates 12 PM, carnival 1–5 PM, $10
- Mon–Thu, Sept 28–Oct 1: fairgrounds 9 AM–10 PM, gates 5 PM, carnival 6–10 PM, $10
- Fri, Sept 25, 5 PM: Guinness World Record attempt by Fiery Redd
- Sat, Sept 26, 6 PM: Talent contest Performance, Outdoor Music Stage
- Sun, Sept 27: Pageant check-ins & interviews 9:30 AM–6 PM, evening pageants at 6 PM
- Thu, Oct 1, 6:30 PM: Jr. Livestock Auction
- Sat, Oct 3, 6–10 PM: Two-Stepping on Main Stage
📍 Benton County Fairgrounds, 7640 SW Regional Airport Blvd, Bentonville, AR
🎟️ Gate admission includes unlimited carnival rides
🔗 More info | Full event schedule | Follow Benton County Fair and Expo Center for updates
Rides, Food Trucks And The Midway
You will find the Eclipse ride lit up against the night sky, along with the usual mix of spinning, dropping and stomach flipping rides that make up a county fair carnival. Food trucks line the walkway, and outdoor vendors set up shop right alongside them. Grab something to eat and ride the ferris wheel, boots and all.
Opening Night Brings A Guinness World Record Attempt
You can watch Fiery Redd attempt a Guinness World Record right there on the fairgrounds on opening night, with School of Rock performing later that evening.
A Slower Lap On Sensory-Friendly Day
One afternoon, you get the fair at a different pace. The carnival dims its lights and lowers the volume, so you and your family can take in the rides and games without the usual noise and flashing lights. Pet the goats, sheep and rabbits at the petting zoo, or grab something from a food truck. Either way, nobody is rushing you.
Step Up To The Mic At The Talent Contest
If you sing, dance or have some other act ready, you can enter the fair’s talent contest, split into three age groups covering kids through young adults. Sign up and you will run through a rehearsal the day before you perform on the Outdoor Music Stage. Rain pushes the whole thing to a new date.
The Pageant Fits Into One Day This Year
The Benton County Fair Pageant is changing things up. Instead of spreading divisions across the week, you will see every age division, from infants to adults in their seventies, competing on the same day. Check-ins and interviews run through the day, with the pageant itself that evening.
Livestock Takes Over Fair Week
You can catch livestock shows throughout fair week. It starts with the Horse Show on Saturday and continues with dairy goats, sheep, beef cattle, hogs and rabbits in the ring through Thursday, with 4-H and FFA exhibitors competing the whole way. The week closes out with the Jr. Livestock Auction.
The Fair Closes With A Dance Under The Lights
You can catch the Awards Ceremony and Animal Release first thing Saturday morning, then head to the Music Stage at noon for a Bike Show. Main Stage closes out the day with two-stepping from 6 to 10 PM.
Mark Your Calendar
The lineup can still shift as the fair gets closer, so come be part of it and give the Benton County Fair and Expo Center a follow on Facebook. That way you catch any changes before you head out the door. Come watch the shows and cheer on the pageant contestants. We’ll see you there.
