The Dakota County Fair is ready to pack seven days of animals, music, carnival rides, friendly competition and grandstand action into one of the biggest celebrations of summer in the county.

The fair returns Monday, Aug. 10, through Sunday, Aug. 16, at the Dakota County Fairgrounds, 4008 220th St. W., Farmington. General admission will again be free throughout the week, giving visitors plenty of room in the budget for parking, food, rides or a ticket to one of the featured grandstand events.

There will be no shortage of things to see once visitors pass through the gates. The 2026 schedule includes more than 30 free music performances, 4-H judging and demonstrations, carnival attractions, tractor parades, livestock shows, magic, lumberjack demonstrations, bingo, family activities and evening entertainment. For some visitors, the fair is an annual reunion. Families meet at the same food stand, children compare their favorite rides, and longtime fairgoers follow familiar routes through the barns, commercial buildings and Dakota City Heritage Village. Others arrive with a single destination in mind, whether it is the rodeo, demolition derby, live music stage or carnival midway.

The fair has been making fun a tradition since 1858, and its 2026 lineup continues to balance traditional agriculture with the noise, lights and motion of a modern county fair. That combination can be found throughout the grounds. A visitor can watch livestock judging in the morning, take a native prairie trolley tour, catch a magic or lumberjack show in the afternoon and finish the evening with music, rodeo action or crashing cars.

The fair officially begins Monday, Aug. 10, with Community Day. Community Day will include an effort to help Dakota County food shelves by collecting brown paper grocery bags for 360 Communities. The organization operates a network of food shelves in the county and needs about 10,000 bags each year. Visitors can drop off bags in bright yellow tubs at the admission gates or at the main fair office inside Ahlberg Hall Museum.

Monday’s schedule begins with 4-H activities, including the rabbit skillathon and dairy judging. A native prairie trolley tour begins at 11:30 a.m., followed by the flag raising ceremony at noon. The daily tractor parade will make its first trip through the grounds at 1 p.m. Tractor parades will continue at the same time each day of the fair. The afternoon includes goat judging, story time and activities with Dakota County Library, axe throwing by the All-American Lumberjacks, music, magic, balloon twisting and the Mega Jump Show. Bingo, additional 4-H judging and miniature horse activities will continue into the evening. Monday’s grandstand attraction is a free ATV rodeo at 7 p.m. Music from the Shaw Brothers Band and The Johnny Table All-Stars will also begin at 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 11, will be Senior Day, beginning with a social at 9 a.m. in Ahlberg Hall. Donuts, cookies, coffee and lemonade will be served as the fair recognizes its senior visitors and Senior Day sponsors. Tuesday will offer a full selection of agricultural, musical and family activities. The schedule includes horse performance judging, rabbit judging, a Dakota County Commissioners meeting and a performance by the Royal Sil-O-Ets-Cloggers. Children will have two chances to compete in a power pedal tractor pull, at 10:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. The All-American Lumberjacks will present axe throwing and crosscut sawing shows, while Farmer Phil will offer magic and balloon twisting.

Tuesday’s musical lineup includes Richie Yurkovich and Polkarioty, the Roe Family Singers, Jud Hailey, Wayne and the Boys, the Church Ladies String Band, Crimson Root and Rival 5. Animals will also get a chance to show a little personality. A goat costume contest begins at 3 p.m., followed by horse costume judging at 4:30 p.m. The evening schedule includes the 4-H Fashion Revue Show, a 4-H engineering design challenge and the Mega Jump Show. Kids Mutton Bustin’ with Rice Rodeo Company begins at 7 p.m. and is free to attend.

Wednesday, Aug. 12, is Hero Appreciation Day, recognizing veterans, active-duty military personnel, police officers, firefighters and other first responders. The day begins with a flag raising ceremony at 8 a.m. near the flag post outside Ahlberg Hall Museum. A Hero Appreciation Day reception will run from 8 a.m. to noon inside the museum, with coffee and donuts available while supplies last. Participating heroes will also be invited to ride the Dakota City trolley at 12:30 p.m. and take part in the 1 p.m. tractor parade. Military personnel, veterans and their immediate families can pick up free tickets to Wednesday night’s rodeo at the information booth beginning at 8 a.m., while supplies last. Military identification or proof of service will be required.

Throughout Wednesday, visitors can watch horse games and poultry judging, take a native prairie trolley tour, play bingo or catch balloon twisting, magic and the Mega Jump Show. The All-American Lumberjacks will perform several times during the afternoon and evening. A children’s lumberjack sports camp begins at 5 p.m., allowing younger visitors to try activities inspired by the show. Wednesday’s music includes Earl’s Country Corner Duet, Ben Aaron, Drake Walters, Poor Cousin John, the Foster Grand Band and Trainwreck Duet. The grandstand will be the center of attention at 7 p.m. when Rice Rodeo Company returns for Bulls, Broncs and Barrels. The ticketed rodeo will bring riders, livestock and fast-paced arena action to the fair.

Thursday, Aug. 13, is Kids’ Day, with free activities, education and entertainment scheduled across the fairgrounds. Children’s Barnyard Tours will begin at 10 a.m. and continue every 30 minutes through 6:30 p.m. The tours are designed for children, day care groups and summer camps, although groups are asked to reserve a time in advance. The day’s schedule includes sheep judging, a Princess Kay meet and greet, a hula hoop workshop, the Little Farmer Olympics Relay Race and another round of story time and activities with Dakota County Library. Cinderella and Captain America will meet young fairgoers beginning at 1 p.m. Other entertainment will include balloon twisting, magic, juggling, music and repeated performances of the Mega Jump Show.

Young visitors can also learn something while they are being entertained. Thursday’s schedule includes a neurodiverse author reading and book release, interactive demonstrations and agricultural activities. The 4-H schedule will remain busy, with the lamb lead show, livestock demonstration judging and beef, dairy steer and market beef judging. Music will continue throughout the day with Wayne and the Boys, AB the Musician, Gus Sent Me, Gimme 5, Hermann N Jones and Sweet Keys Dueling Pianos. One of the fair’s best-known musical acts will take the stage at 8:30 p.m. when GB Leighton performs. The first of three demolition derbies will begin at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. The grandstand event requires a separate ticket. The derby returns at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 14, as the fair moves into its busiest weekend stretch.

Friday begins at 8 a.m. with swine judging and the daily flag raising ceremony. Music and other entertainment begin later in the morning, followed by bingo, magic and the daily tractor parade. Friday’s schedule includes several attractions spread throughout the afternoon. Farmer Phil will offer magic and balloon twisting, the All-American Lumberjacks will return for another show and the Mega Jump performers will make several appearances. Livestock exhibitors will take part in the 4-H Small Animal Supreme Showmanship Contest at 3:30 p.m. The Dorothy Neil Showmanship Contest begins at 5 p.m. Fairgoers looking for something different can see hypnotist Freddie Justice at 5 p.m. A Racer Reunion featuring Raceway Park and Elko Speedway is scheduled for the same time. Friday’s musical schedule includes Ben Aaron, Jordan Boatman, Self-Titled, the Dakota Brass Quintet, Mitchell Hall and the Tennessee Trio, and Good for Gary.

The 4-H Arts-In performers will take the stage twice during the evening, at 6:15 and 7:45 p.m. The Friday night demolition derby begins at 7:30 p.m., followed by Good for Gary at 8:30 p.m. for visitors who want to keep the evening going after the last big collision. Saturday, Aug. 15, brings another full day, along with Public Safety Day activities.

Fire and emergency medical services demonstrations begin at 10 a.m. The 4-H Livestock Auction will also begin at 10 a.m., providing bidders with an opportunity to support young exhibitors and their agricultural projects. Saturday’s entertainment includes bingo, balloon twisting, Farmer Phil, the All American Lumberjacks, the Mega Jump Show and several musical performances.

Hypnotist Freddie Justice will perform at 1:30 and 5 p.m. The Johnny Buffalo Band takes the stage at 2:30 p.m., followed by AB the Musician at 3 p.m. The final demolition derby of the fair begins earlier than the previous two, with action scheduled for 6 p.m. The Saturday program includes both the demolition derby and lawn mower derby. The evening will also include the Jackpot Lamb Show, Sweet Keys Dueling Pianos, 4-H Arts-In performances and additional lumberjack, magic and Mega Jump shows. The Cory Farley Band will close out the fair’s Saturday music schedule with a performance at 8:30 p.m.

Sunday, Aug. 16, offers one final chance to visit the barns, grab a favorite fair meal or fit in a few carnival rides before the fair closes at 5 p.m. A car show featuring vehicles from 1976 and earlier begins at 9 a.m. The morning schedule also includes an ecumenical church service and a cornhole tournament at 10 a.m. Cornhole teams should bring their own doubles partner.

The 4-H Ag Olympics begin at 11 a.m., followed by celebrity showmanship at noon and rabbit agility judging at 1 p.m. The final tractor parade of the week also begins at 1 p.m. Sunday afternoon entertainment includes music by the 5 Day Forecast Band and Drake Walters, along with balloon twisting, lumberjack demonstrations, Farmer Phil and the Mega Jump Show.

The fair closes at 5 p.m., bringing seven days of competition, entertainment and community activity to an end. Music is one of the largest free attractions throughout fair week. More than 30 performances are planned between the Main Beer Garden Free Stage, Craft Beer Garden Free Stage and other performance areas.

The musical lineup ranges from polka and country to rock, dueling pianos, brass music and family entertainment. Multiple shows are scheduled on most days, allowing visitors to hear live music without purchasing an additional ticket.

The carnival will operate throughout the week, with several wristband sessions available. Regular-price wristbands cost $30 and can be used during one designated session. Those sessions are Tuesday from 2 to 6 p.m., Thursday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Friday from noon to 4 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Advance wristbands cost $25 when purchased before noon Monday, Aug. 10. An advance sheet containing six rides costs $20. A Passport to Fun, providing unlimited rides for all seven days, costs $80 when purchased before noon Monday. The listed price increases to $90 after the advance-sales deadline.

General admission to the fair is free, but parking and some grandstand events carry a charge. Daily parking is $10 for cars, $5 for motorcycles and $20 for buses. A weekly car parking pass costs $40, while a weekly bus pass costs $60. Daily parking does not include re-entry. The Monday ATV rodeo and Tuesday Kids Mutton Bustin’ program are free. Tickets are required for Wednesday’s rodeo and the demolition derbies Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

The ticketing page lists Wednesday’s rodeo at $18, including the ticketing fee. Each demolition derby is listed at $23, including the fee. Grandstand tickets are available online or at the gate, rather than through the advance ticket window. Visitors do not need a grandstand ticket to enjoy a full day at the fair. The free gate admission provides access to 4-H exhibits, livestock barns, many demonstrations, music and a long list of roaming and scheduled entertainment.

For families, the challenge may not be finding something to do. It may be deciding which direction to go first. One child may want to head straight for the carnival. Another may be more interested in rabbits, goats, horses or cattle. Parents and grandparents may prefer a trolley tour, tractor parade, live band or walk through Dakota City.

Some visitors will arrive for a few afternoon hours. Others will stay until the final song, rodeo ride or demolition derby collision of the night. Either way, the Dakota County Fair is preparing to offer seven days of food, animals, music and summer memories, all wrapped into one busy week in Farmington.

See the entire schedule of events at www.dakotacountyfair.org.