The Mississippi State Fair enjoyed attendance of over half a million people this year while paid attendance rose although it has not recovered to what it was before the last edition of the Mudbugs Festival.
Paid Attendance
2026: 136,985
2025: 128,373
2024: 137,014
2023: 145,187
2022: 143,253
2021: 187,507
2020: 123,529
2019: 204,066
2018: 211,987
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Fair attendance is 65% of its peak in 2018 and 73% of its 2021 post-Covid high. Unlike 2025, there were no washout days this year.
MDAC uses a multiplier of paid attendance to estimate unpaid attendance. The multiplier increased from 3 to 3.62 in 2022 to 3.75 in 2025. If a multiplier of 3 was used in 2026, the overall attendance would be 410,000.
Keep in mind after the deadly 2022 Mudbugs festival, attendance plummeted 25% as fear drove away fairgoers. Commissioner Gipson took prompt action. The fair closes earlier. There is no more Midnight Madness where much trouble took place. Security was really beefed up. Adults are required to be with minors after 6 on weekdays and all day on weekends. Paid attendance stabilized but has not recovered to previous levels despite the overwhelming presence of law enforcement. The hood rat leaves quite the wake.
The decrease in attendance means there is less money at the gate. 2018 grossed a million dollars (at $5 a ticket) but fell to $723,000 in 2023. Raising ticket prices to $10 last year paid off at the gate as the estimated gross revenue for paid attendance this year is $1.3 million, an increase of over half a million dollars.
Oddly enough, the Covid pandemic drove down attendance in 2020 but paid attendance returned to 88% of the record high reached in 2018.
One encouraging sign is Columbus Day. MDAC pushed back the fair by one week to include the holiday. The move paid off as paid attendance rose to 14,695 people that Monday. The fair added an extra day for Columbus Day the previous two years. Attendance was more than double what it normally was for a Monday.
Official attendance
2026: 513,694
2025: 481,399
2024: 506,952
2023: 525,577
2022: 518,576
2021: 562,521
2020: 370,587
2019: 612,198
2018: 635,961
MDAC Commissioner Andy Gipson Statement
The 167th Mississippi State Fair concluded Sunday, October 18, at the Mississippi State Fairgrounds in Jackson. Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson and Fairgrounds leadership announced that the 2026 Mississippi State Fairwas a success with approximately 514,000 visitors, record breaking numbers for the Biscuit Booth and no security incidents.
“The Mississippi State Fair really did ‘Let Freedom Ring’ this year. A sincere word of thanks to everyone who helped make Mississippi’s 2026 State Fair a great success,” said Commissioner Gipson. “Thank you to our visitors, families and livestock exhibitors for making memories at this year’s Mississippi State Fair; to our vendors, small businesses and performers for their hard work; and to our cleaning crews for keeping the Fairgrounds ‘as clean every day as opening day.’ And a huge thank you to our men and women in uniform, our state, county and local law enforcement and private security, who successfully executed the very best State Fair security plan. Thanks to our law enforcement’s behind-the-scenes diligence and efforts, we had no security incidences again this year. We are grateful to everyone who helped make this year’s Fair a success.”
Notably, the infamous Biscuit Booth on the Midway was again a popular destination for fairgoers. A new and popular item this year was the Brisket Biscuit. Throughout the duration of the Fair, veterans and active-duty military members received a complimentary Brisket Biscuit at the Biscuit Booth, thanks to Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce and the Mississippi Beef Council. MDAC also delivered biscuits to Batson Children’s Hospital on opening day of the fair for patients and staff to enjoy.
“Our dedicated Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce and Mississippi State Fairgrounds employees and staff worked long hours, putting in extra work and effort to make the State Fair a success, and for that, I am thankful,” added Commissioner Gipson. “There’s no doubt that we have the best team of staff in Mississippi.”
“Following the success of this year’s Mississippi State Fair, our team is already looking ahead to 2027 and working to deliver another outstanding event filled with exciting entertainment, community engagement and a safe, family-friendly atmosphere,” said Gipson.
“In the meantime, we look forward to welcoming visitors back to the Mississippi State Fairgrounds for the Dixie National Livestock Show and Rodeo. Tickets are on sale now for the 2027 Dixie National Rodeo, featuring an exciting lineup of performers, including Chris Janson, Emily Ann Roberts, Deana Carter, Blake Whiten, Braxton Keith, Zach John King and Ole 60. We encourage everyone to purchase tickets early and join us for this celebrated Mississippi tradition,” continued Gipson.
For more information and to purchase tickets to the Dixie National Rodeo, which runs February 12-14, and February 17-20, 2027, visit www.dixienational.org and follow the Dixie National Livestock Show and Rodeo on Facebook, Instagram and X.
13 comments:
The fair will never reach 2018 or 2019 numbers again because of its location. People don’t feel safe going to Jackson. Jackson is Americas most dangerous city. I wish it was moved to Madison
I haven’t been to the fair in years
So 3.62 people get in for every one person paid? I don’t understand. I realize that people get in free before 1:00 pm, but it’s not 3X the number after that until close. If anyone wants accurate information ask the independent vendors, they know if the people were there. Whoever the Ag commissioner is loves to brag about how attendance is better than ever. Just from my limited observation it seems the crowds were not there as in the past.
Wife and I went on the Thursday to see Flo Rida. I could tell the attendance was way down at the fair, and lots of empty seats at the concert. I'd be fine with never going again; its just the same food and rides and events over and over, but my wife likes the food.
Move the fair to pearl
There is no attraction to attend the fair. Don't care for the music, the food, the carnie vendors or the Downtown danger. Put it in Rankin or Madison. Take a loss on the water well and tower.
I don't want to pile onto Jackson, and I do think Andy Gipson does a good job with it, but we don't do the fair anymore. I avoid going into Jackson in the daytime if I can. And I'm even more hesitant to go at night. Only a fool would ignore what happens there on a nightly basis.
That’s what I’m thinking
Some of y’all are sad and pathetic. There were ZERO safety incidents this year. ZERO. Capitol PD and HCSO have it on lockdown. Andy has done a great job fixing it. The fair is the same it’s always been, just a lot more expensive. If you don’t like what it has to offer, STFU and take your stupid opinion elsewhere.
My gosh some people are so miserable. The fair is NOT “moving to Madison”. Do you live under a rock? That’s physically impossible!!
Honestly the kids don't really care for it much anymore. My 12 year old didn't even care to go. When i was a kid in the 80s we had to go. There is so much going on with families these days that keeps them away.
We went this year, it was clean and there were tons of LEOs on site. It was expensive, but I imagine that all state fairs have gotten this way. In this economy, it’s actually impressive to see the numbers increased.
Me and my family went to the fair this year and it was awesome. @2:15 PM there was plenty of live music, animals, 4-h, and circus acts. Haters in the comments per usual
Unfortunately state fairs all over the South are cratering because the culture shows up and decides to make a scene. Alabama and Texas have had lots of fights at theirs this year and Louisiana had someone “pull a gun” which resulted in a stampede. This is not simply a “move it out of Jackson” issue. The culture will absolutely show up if it’s in Madison. Thankfully there was lots of security and no problems this year.
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