The Crawford County Fair midway at Kirksey Park in Mulberry during the 2025 fair. Photo published by the City of Mulberry; photography by Imagery by PD.
Hey Fort Smith — and Crawford County especially — here's something worth knowing before somebody loads up the kids, drives all the way to Mulberry and starts asking where the rides are.
The 2026 Crawford County Fair officially starts today, Saturday, Sept. 12, at Kirksey Park in Mulberry.
But Saturday is the kickoff day.
It is not the full carnival-and-midway setup most people picture when they hear “county fair.”
According to the fair's official 2026 schedule, today's main public events are the Crawford County Fair Parade at 11 a.m. in downtown Mulberry and the Equine Expo beginning at noon at the fairgrounds.
Equine Expo registration runs from 8 to 10 a.m.
Parade lineup begins at 10 a.m.
The parade rolls through downtown Mulberry at 11.
Then the Equine Expo starts at noon at Kirksey Park, located at 845 Kirksey Parkway in Mulberry.
Commercial exhibitors will also be setting up from noon to 4 p.m.
So if you're coming for the parade or the horse events, today absolutely makes sense.
If the kids are asking for carnival rides, though, today isn't the day you're looking for.
That's where the schedule gets a little confusing if you only look at the overall dates.
The Crawford County Fair is officially listed as running Sept. 12 through Sept. 19.
That's correct.
But the same activities aren't happening every day.
Sunday and Monday are mostly setup and exhibitor days.
On Sunday, food concessions are setting up from noon to 6 p.m., commercial exhibitors are setting up from 1 to 4 p.m., and Home Economics entries are being accepted from 1 to 5 p.m.
Monday brings livestock arrivals, additional Home Economics entries, vendor setup and weigh-ins.
That's all part of fair week, but it isn't the full public fair experience most families are probably expecting.
Tuesday, Sept. 15, is when the official schedule specifically says the gates open to the public.
Public entry begins at 4 p.m. Tuesday.
Home Economics and Horticulture exhibits will be open from 4 to 9 p.m.
Commercial exhibits run from 4 to 10 p.m.
Tuesday evening also includes pageants, livestock activity, a hay-show presentation and a talent show.
So if your idea of going to the fair is walking the buildings, seeing exhibits, checking out vendors and actually having the grounds open in normal public mode, Tuesday evening is the first real night to circle.
Then Wednesday is when the carnival starts.
The official schedule lists the carnival from 4 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16, with ride armbands available.
The same carnival hours are listed Thursday and Friday.
Saturday's final carnival session also runs from 4 to 9 p.m.
If you've got younger kids who mainly associate “fair” with lights, rides and carnival games, Wednesday through Saturday is what they're probably imagining.
Friday, Sept. 18, also brings one of the bigger nighttime events of the week.
The rodeo starts at 7 p.m. Friday.
Earlier that evening, the schedule includes Round Robin competition, an animal costume contest, adult showmanship, pageant activities and the Cowboy Showdown.
Saturday, Sept. 19, is the final day.
Home Economics and Horticulture exhibits remain open during the day.
The Poultry Chain Sale begins at 2 p.m.
Livestock awards are scheduled for 3 p.m.
The Junior Livestock Auction starts at 4 p.m.
The carnival runs from 4 to 9 p.m.
And the Junior Fair Queen and Fair Queen pageants begin at 7 p.m.
That's a pretty full closing day.
The reason we're spelling all this out is simple.
A lot of local calendars correctly say the Crawford County Fair begins Sept. 12.
Somebody sees that Saturday morning, tells the kids they're going to the fair, drives out to Mulberry and assumes everything is already running.
Then everybody gets there and realizes the carnival doesn't even open until Wednesday.
That's an avoidable headache.
The fair basically ramps up throughout the week.
Saturday: parade and Equine Expo.
Sunday and Monday: setup and exhibitor activity.
Tuesday: public gates open at 4 p.m.
Wednesday: carnival opens at 4 p.m.
Then things build toward the rodeo Friday and the livestock auction, pageants and final carnival session Saturday.
Hey Fort Smith — here's the useful version:
If you're headed to Mulberry today, go because you want to see the 11 a.m. downtown parade or the noon Equine Expo.
If you want the full fairgrounds experience, Tuesday evening makes more sense.
And if what your kids really mean when they say “take us to the fair” is carnival rides, wait until Wednesday at 4 p.m.
That little bit of planning can save a family a round-trip drive and a car full of disappointed kids.
The Crawford County Fair has been a Mulberry tradition since 1920 and continues through Saturday, Sept. 19.
Community takeaway: The 2026 Crawford County Fair officially begins Saturday, Sept. 12, with an 11 a.m. parade in downtown Mulberry and a noon Equine Expo at Kirksey Park. Sunday and Monday are primarily setup and exhibitor days. Public fair gates officially open at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 15, and the carnival begins at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16. The fair continues through Saturday, Sept. 19.
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Sources: Crawford County Fair — official website · Official 2026 Crawford County Fair schedule · Van Buren Advertising & Promotions Commission — local event calendar · City of Mulberry — Crawford County Fair photos and local coverage
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