State fairs sound fun in theory, thanks to the fried food & rides, as well as the concerts and farm animals. But some of them will make you wish you’d stayed at home. Here are twelve state fairs that are not worth the drive, according to the readers who answered our poll about the worst ones. Which of these have you visited before, and what did you think of them?
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Maryland State Fair
Most state fairs are every day for a couple of weeks, but not the Maryland State Fair. It’s chopped into a few long weekends, and a few readers who turned up midweek expecting funnel cake were quite disappointed. Such an on-and-off rhythm makes the whole thing feel more like a pop-up than anything really exciting.
Indiana State Fair
Yes, the Indiana State Fairgrounds are huge & rather well kept. But one of our readers said that once you’ve walked around a bit, you’ll start asking yourself if that’s all, as the food is mostly copy-paste fair food, while the rides don’t have much edge. Everything feels overly organized to the point of being boring.
Arizona State Fair
Phoenix, Arizona, is still hot enough to roast you in October. That’s what makes this state fair so bad for a few people. Essentially, the midway’s one long stretch of blacktop, and by the time you find shade, you’ll be sweating through your shirt. The food stalls aren’t terrible. But they don’t bring much local flavor either, so that by the end, you’ll feel more sunburned than satisfied.
Alaska State Fair
The mountains help make the Alaska State Fair look great. However, looks aren’t everything, and a few readers were left wondering why they didn’t just go hiking instead. The issue isn’t that there’s nothing to do. No, it’s just that the fair itself feels secondary, thanks to the long lines for food and lack of energy.
Mississippi State Fair
The midway is rather loud & chaotic at the Mississippi State Fair. Unfortunately, the food doesn’t back it up since some readers claim it tastes as though it’s been under a heat lamp too long. A lot of the rides here are older, and the heaving crowds make it difficult to actually do stuff. For locals, it’s fine, but for those driving hours to get here, stay at home.
Kansas State Fair
The Kansas State Fair seems more like a county fair than a state fair, as it’s quite neighborly & laid-back. That might be fine for some people. But a few people who have come here expecting a spectacle felt underwhelmed by the smaller shows & more basic rides. The weekday mornings are quite dead.
Skowhegan State Fair
At Skowhegan State Fair, you’ll be told that it’s America’s oldest fair, which is quite cool. Yet that doesn’t excuse how small the whole thing is for some readers. The ride section looks like it’s for kids, and the food’s the same fried stuff you see everywhere, just with fewer options. In fact, you’ll likely burn through the whole place in an hour.
State Fair of West Virginia
You can’t argue with the fact that the people at the State Fair of West Virginia are nice, although some readers claim that the fair itself feels kind of sleepy. There are a few barns & a few rides, as well as food stalls, but neither of these pushes past the basics. Visit it if you happen to be nearby. But you probably shouldn’t make a road trip just to go here.
Wisconsin State Fair
Lots of people hype up the Wisconsin State Fair. Unfortunately, reality doesn’t quite match their words since some visitors say you have to suffer through long walks on hot pavement & many food vendors selling the same deep-fried gimmicks. Don’t forget the lines that move at a crawl. The whole thing just feels tiring, so you might want to skip this one.
Utah State Fair
Before you even hit the gates at the Utah State Fair, you’ve already paid for parking. And inside it’s not much better. Our readers complained that the fair is rather bare-bones, with the same old rides & filler food, yet not a lot of shade. This is the kind of place you walk around for an hour and feel like you’ve seen it all.
Oregon State Fair
Sure, the Oregon State Fairgrounds are quite pleasant. But the event doesn’t give you a lot of surprises, as some people claim the rides are just okay and the shows serviceable at best. On hot days, you’ll have to search high & low for shade or a seat, which makes the “fun” feel like work.
Wilson County Fair–Tennessee State Fair
Everything at the Wilson County Fair–Tennessee State Fair runs as it should. And that’s sort of the problem for a few of our readers. There’s none of the thrill you might get from other state fairs, and the weekday gates here open later than you’d expect. That means you can’t even make a day of it unless it’s the weekend.
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