State fair

A state fair is an annual competitive and recreational gathering of a U.S. state's population, usually held in late summer or early fall.

State fairs began in the nineteenth century for the purpose of promoting state agriculture, through competitive exhibitions of livestock and display of farm products.

As the U.S. evolved from a predominantly agrarian to an industrial society in the twentieth century, and the more service economy of the 21st century, modern state fairs have expanded to include carnival amusement rides and games, display of industrial products, automobile racing, and entertainment such as musical concerts.

Large fairs can admit more than a million visitors over the course of a week or two.

Awards are generally given according to the following scale:[citation needed][5] As of 2019, the largest attendance at a state fair in the US is in Texas with the fair having attracted 2,514,637 visitors.