FRANKFORT, Ky. (Aug. 1, 2024) – Get ready, Kentucky! It’s almost time for 11 days of food, fun, and fellowship at the Kentucky State Fair Aug. 15-25.

This will be my first State Fair as Kentucky’s Agriculture Commissioner and I can’t wait to share it with you. Now in its 120th year, the Kentucky State Fair is recognized as one of our state’s oldest events that truly embodies the best Kentucky has to offer. 

With you by my side, I want to experience the sights, the sounds, and the smells that make up one of the best times of the year. The State Fair is the perfect showcase of Kentucky’s agricultural spirit. Rural and urban residents come together in this unique atmosphere to celebrate everything Kentucky has to offer.

For myself, and many across Kentucky, farming is a way of life. But it’s no secret our agriculture industry is changing, and many Kentuckians are removed from farm life. The State Fair can serve as a rekindling of good times visiting family or friends on their farms. Whether it was helping grandma snap beans or grandpa feed the cows, that rural connection bubbles to the surface when the State Fair rolls around each year.

Even if you don’t have that personnel connection, farming, and the food and fiber, it produces has a vital impact on your life. This is why I’m dedicated to ensuring a bright future for Kentucky agriculture and that future shines bright at the State Fair. From popular music concerts to gourmet chef demonstrations to, of course, the incredible horse shows and the parade of livestock champions, hundreds of thousands enjoy the state fair each year.

As a member of the State Fair Board, I can assure you lots of behind-the-scenes actions take place to make the Kentucky State Fair a showcase for our state. Planned renovations, being furnished by a $200 million appropriation for the Kentucky State Fair by our General Assembly, will create an even better experience for fairgoers in the coming years. 

Changes on a smaller scale are also part of this year's AgLand, which brings together more than an acre of agriculture exhibits in the South Wing highlighting Kentucky’s farm and field heritage, including the future of farming and agribusiness. It’s where you’ll find Kentucky 4-H, Kentucky FFA, and other ag exhibits reaching a broad and diverse audience. This year’s AgLand will include immersive and interactive exhibits bringing the farm to Kentucky residents. You won’t want to miss it.

At the Kentucky State Fair, you will see why we’re Kentucky Proud of our agriculture industry. Kentucky’s leading youth livestock exhibitors compete for the highest honors of the livestock show season. Kentucky’s commodity groups serve delicious meals at the Great Kentucky Cookout Tent. The agricultural displays highlight the best our Kentucky farmers have to offer.

As always, your Kentucky Department of Agriculture will be on the job at the fair. Our employees meet the public and talk about the ways agriculture affects everyday lives. We want you to leave the fair with fond memories that will last a lifetime. So, if you see me at the Fair this year, stop and say “hi.” I want to leave with those fond memories, as well, and there is no better way to do that than meeting the great people who call Kentucky home.