Mercer County Fair And Horseshow

05/28/2026

🎡✨ INTRODUCING: FAIRGROUND FAME ✨🎡
Because the Mercer County Fair & Horse Show isn’t just about events… it’s about the PEOPLE who make the magic happen year after year. ❤️🐴🌽🎠

Each day, we’ll be spotlighting the faces, stories, memories, businesses, volunteers, and youth that keep our fairgrounds full of tradition, heart, and hometown pride.

👇 Here’s what you can expect each week 👇

👑 Faces of the Fair
Celebrating past and present fair royalty, horse show champions, award winners, and familiar faces who have left their mark on the Mercer County Fair & Horse Show!

Blue Ribbon Backers
Shining a spotlight on the incredible businesses, organizations, and individuals whose sponsorships help make our events possible year after year.

🎡 Fair Family Fridays
Sharing your favorite fair memories, funny stories, traditions, photos, and the moments that make the fair feel like home. ❤️

🤝 Hometown Hands
Recognizing the hardworking volunteers behind the scenes who donate countless hours to help the fairgrounds, events, pageants, horse shows, and more come to life!

🌱 Homegrown Leaders
Highlighting Mercer County youth making a difference through agriculture, 4-H, FFA, livestock, volunteering, fair events, leadership, and preserving the roots of our fair tradition. 🐄🌽🐖

📣 KNOW SOMEONE WHO DESERVES TO BE FEATURED?
Nominate them for Fairground Fame here:
👉 https://forms.gle/jkb5NtH8hdFzBs8S8

We would love for you to nominate someone (or yourself) for one of our Fairground Fame posts! Please fill in the info below to nominate :) Please only nominate one at a time.

04/13/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/17e2VpSsdT/?mibextid=wwXIfr

04/11/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1J98tQtVpX/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Just a few things before tonight’s derby!

1st
There is to be NOBODY behind the announcers stand side beside track workers, fire dept, ems, law enforcement and YNW Officials!!!!! This is coming straight from Mercer County Fairboard President!
2nd
All hoods must be off or open while getting inspected! No coming through tech saying I forgot my wrench or socket to undo my hood, you will not be inspected if your hood does not open!!!
3rd
Built cars, ABSOLUTELY NO KICKERS!!!
If you come through tech with kickers, you will load it up!!

Lastly, it’s the start of the season, don’t push the rules and let’s rock tonight!!!

YnW

04/10/2026

Tomorrow!! (Saturday, April 11) is our first Demolition Derby of the year and we are adding a Mod Mower Class with 100% payback! All of the info is on our page and we will post in the comments too! Come grab a 🍺 and some 🍔🌭 at the concessions for dinner! See you at The Fairgrounds!

03/24/2026

April 11th! Mark your calendars for the first Demo Derby of the year! Always a great time!!

03/23/2026

Let’s see your pictures from the Gala! Thank you to everyone that came to our Denim + Diamonds Gala this weekend and for your continuous support of the Mercer County Fair and Horseshow! You can see from our last post that we have some big plans for the future and none of it would be possible without the Community supporting these endeavors! We are already planning for next year, what theme would you like to see? Hint:We are having some awards next year 😉 Here are some that we took throughout the night!

Some of this years awards would have been:
Best Dressed Award: Tough call between Kyle Moore and Sean Brown or Daarik Gray with the grill!
“I just wanna dance” award for closing down the dance floor: Lainey Stewart
The “Most likely to take your shirt off” for the 2nd year in a row: Doug Baker

What awards would you have given?

03/23/2026

🎡**Big Announcement!** 🐴

We had some mic issues last night at the Gala when doing this debut...so we will share here what was said and the actual video that you can now hear! Please share far and wide about this exciting announcement from the Mercer County Fair and Horseshow! We are so excited for what is to come and all of the great things that will be able to happen here!

Good evening, friends and fans of the Harrodsburg Mercer County Fair and Horse Show!
It is so good to see all ot you here tonight. Honestly, it feels like a bit of a reunion every year-and I think that's because this place means something special to all of us. Whether you come for the horses, the food, the tradition... or just to see your neighbors outside of the grocery store-we're glad you're here.
And I have to say, it's always impressive how consistently we show up. Year after year, before the fair even begins, this crowd proves just how much love and support there is for this community and this
event. Now, we're getting close to something pretty incredible. In just a few years, we'll be celebrating the 200th anniversary of what is the oldest continuing fair and horse show in the United States.
Two hundred years! That means this tradition was going strong long before any of us were here... and long before things like smartphones, air conditioning.. and for some of us-comfortable shoes.
That kind of history doesn't just happen-it's built, protected, and passed down by people like you.
While you're enjoying your meal I want you to you notice a video playing. Take a few minutes to watch it. It shares the story of this place, put together by Mercer County Public Library archivist David Kirkpatrick, along with Kristyna Coslow Lewis and others.
There's a lot of history tucked away in those archives, and we're excited to start sharing more of it as we head toward our big celebration in 2028.

We've brought in the Schmidt Firm out of Louisville to help us create a plan for improvements to the fairgrounds-everything from strategy to architecture to landscaping. These are the folks who work on state fairgrounds, so yes... we're officially thinking big.
Because let's be honest-we love this place, but it could use a little TLC here and there yet we have some major renovations in our vision
Of course, all of this takes money. (I know-that's everyone'S favorite part of the speech.)
But here's the good news: tonight, we're starting strong and you are the first ones to to learn about our future endeavors I'm excited to share that we've received a $5,000 starter gift from an anonymous donor-a Mercer County native woman who still lives and farms right here at home.
That's a great beginning-and we're incredibly grateful.
Now comes the part where I gently, kindly... and just a little boldly... ask for your help. She is challenging you to match her generous contributions. We need to show strong local support before we can go after larger funding from sponsors, grants, and
foundations. In other words, we need to prove that the people who love this place most-vou all-are
willing to invest in it. So whether it's tonight, tomorrow, or after you've had a chance to check your bank account and take a
deep breath-we're asking you to consider making a contribution. Every bit helps and is greatly appreciated Your tax deductible gift will be wisely invested into the future of Mercer County's center where 200 years of pride and the oldest continuing fair and horse in the Nation resides. The truth is, it's going to take all of us working together to make these improvements happen. We will be having more updates as the 200 year anniversary gets closer so be on the watch. Please join me, and join our board, as we kick off this campaign. Let's build something that honors the past, improves the present, and makes sure this incredible tradition is still going strong for the next 200 years.
Thank you all so much-you are always appreciated!

Link to donate is here ---> You may choose to stay anonymous or we will add your name to our donor list that we have plans to display! https://square.link/u/3dpbyGf0

02/10/2026

Hello Fair goers! There is a meeting being held at the Stable next week concerning the Data Center information. The Mercer County Fair & Horse Show does not take or hold any position regarding the proposed data center. A meeting is being held at The Stable solely because it is a large, accessible space suitable for accommodating community attendance. Use of the facility should not be interpreted as an endorsement of any view or project. Thank you all and we will see you soon as we get Fair festivities under way for 2026!

02/08/2026

All this talk about denim…thanks UK, but we started that conversation already 😉 This is your time to shine! Literally! Only 4 weeks left to get tickets or until they run out! Almost 200 people have already locked in their seats, grab your friends and get out of the house and let’s celebrate!

Mercer County Fair And Horseshow

The time has come! Get your tickets now!

Mercer County Fair Annual Gala

Join us for a night of Dinner, Dancing, Drinks, Silent Auction and fun with all of the amazing people who support the Mercer County Fair and Horse Show!

Get your tickets here:

Mercer County Fair Annual Gala - Mercer County Fair and Horse Show Kentucky

01/21/2026

✨🎬 Lights. Camera. Crown! 👑

We’re excited to announce the 2026 Ms. & Mrs. Mercer County Fair Pageant theme is RED CARPET – Hollywood Glam 🌟

This year’s pageant will celebrate confidence, elegance, and star quality as our contestants step into the spotlight for a night of glamour and grace. Every woman deserves her moment to shine ✨

--Save The Date-- more info to come!
📅 Monday, July 20th, 2026
📍 Ms. & Mrs. Mercer County Fair 2026
🎬 Red Carpet Hollywood Glam

👑