Central Missouri / Missouri River Corridor
Sedalia hosts the Missouri State Fair, a statewide institution
The Missouri State Fair is a permanent state institution headquartered in Sedalia, which shapes the city's identity, calendar, and economy in a way no other Missouri county shares.
Sedalia is the permanent home of the Missouri State Fair. The fair is a state event. It is run under the Missouri Department of Agriculture, not by a private group or the city. The fairgrounds take up a large site in the city. The fair happens in late summer. It brings farming contests, livestock (farm animal) shows, and concerts. So many people come that the area’s population grows for a short time.
Here is the practical part for you if you live in or move to Pettis County. The fair is a yearly event you can plan around. During fair time, traffic, places to stay, and seasonal hiring all change. The dates and the lineup are different each year. So check the current schedule and any road or parking notices through the Department of Agriculture’s official fair information. Do not rely on older listings.
Where to see it
- Missouri State Fair
Use the fair site for current dates, events, tickets, maps, and visitor details.
- Missouri Department of Agriculture: State Fair
Use the state agriculture page for the official state-fair agency context.
References
More from Pettis County: browse every local note for the county.
Last checked against the sources above: June 15, 2026.