Kalamazoo County Fair Opens August 4 With Expanded Programming
The Kalamazoo County Fair opens Tuesday, August 4, at the Kalamazoo County Expo Center & Fairgrounds, 2900 Lake St. in Kalamazoo, and runs through Saturday, August 8.
The 2026 fair keeps 4-H agriculture and youth achievement at its center while adding a broader public program with live music, karaoke, children’s attractions, contests, food and commercial vendors, community exhibits, a Maker’s Market and other family activities. Kalamazoo County announced the expanded format in July. WKZO reported that financial difficulties and the COVID-19 pandemic had preceded a period when the fair was scaled back mainly to 4-H events.
Where and when the fair is open
The fair is scheduled for 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday.
Tuesday’s schedule includes 4-H poultry, horse, rabbit and sheep events, along with an evening fashion review, demonstrations and performances. Wednesday includes swine, horse, dairy feeder calf and beef shows. Later in the week, the schedule combines livestock and horse activities with public entertainment and family attractions.
Family activities and entertainment
Thursday through Saturday’s program includes Kiddie Land, carnival games, a petting farm, pony rides, a rock wall, a mechanical bull, mini golf, an R/C truck rock-crawling course, an indoor play zone and a silent auction. The county schedule notes that some attractions require fair activity tickets and that carnival games carry a separate play fee.
Thursday’s schedule lists food vendors from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., commercial vendors, community booths and the Maker’s Market from noon to 7 p.m. Main-stage programming includes karaoke from 1 to 4 p.m. and a Scott Flaig cover-artist performance from 5 to 7 p.m. The day also includes children’s shows, contests, featured entertainment and other community-stage programming.
Friday includes karaoke from 1 to 4 p.m. and a 5 to 8 p.m. performance by Clyde Wolfe. Saturday’s main-stage entertainment includes karaoke from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and The AJL Band from 4 to 7 p.m.
Kickball tournament and Saturday rodeo
A Family Open Play Kickball & Lawn Games program presented by Savage Athletics is scheduled for 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, August 8.
The fair’s featured entertainment concludes with the Flying Star Rodeo at 7 p.m. Saturday. The official schedule says a separate ticket is required, so the rodeo is not included in the fair’s general vehicle admission.
Admission prices and discounts
General admission is charged by vehicle: $10 on Tuesday and Wednesday, and $20 from Thursday through Saturday. Adults age 60 and older receive free admission Thursday, August 6, for Senior Day. Veterans and active military members receive half-price admission Friday, August 7.
The county also lists an advance-purchase youth-group promotion for Thursday or Friday: admission plus five activity tickets for $7.50 per child, with one free chaperone admission included. The promotion must be purchased in advance through the Fair Office.
The county’s event schedule is organized by day and time and says it will be updated as activities are added. Visitors should check the official schedule before traveling, especially if they are planning around a particular show, contest, attraction or 4-H event.
Sources
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