The Greater Baton Rouge State Fair will make its annual return to BREC’s Airline Highway Fairgrounds Thursday evening.
The state fair will run 11 days— Oct. 26 through Sunday, Nov. 5, and tickets are on sale through a part of the fair’s website. It’ll be open 5-10 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon-10 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
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$30 for gate admission and an all-access wristband until 6 p.m. Oct. 25
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$5 for gate admission for opening night
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$20 for gate admission and an all-access wristband for opening night
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$5 for gate admission Monday through Thursday
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$25 for for gate admission and an all-access wristband Monday through Thursday
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$10 for gate admission Friday through Sunday
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$40 for gate admission and an all-access wristband Friday though Sunday
- Passes are good for only one day and same-day re-entry is allowed. Children shorter than 4 feet can enter free.
“We’ve got something for everybody,” said President and CEO of the Greater Baton Rouge State Fair Cliff Barton. “We’re a family-oriented fair, and we try to put on a good show at a reasonable price.”
There will be over 40 rides, he said, ranging in scope from those meant for small children to others for thrill seekers. The Ferris wheel and carousel will be making a comeback, he added.
A plethora of food vendors will also be present; 22 tents, stands and trucks, serving items ranging from cracklins and jambalaya to funnel cakes and snow cones, will be spread on the grounds.
And yes, Barton said, there will be freeze-dried candy.
Both weekends will feature live music from local groups, Barton said, and the latter Sunday will specifically feature Latin bands. The fair will also feature a LEGO building competition, a pumpkin carving competition, a hotdog eating contest and a pie baking contest. Specific times and details about the music and special events are posted on the fair’s website.
Some magicians and performers, like the infamous “Washboard Willy,” will make daily appearances.
Barton said the Greater Baton Rouge State Fair’s roots are as an agricultural fair, and that tradition still holds up today. He said this year they’ll have two goat shows and two beef shows, where the animals will be scored by judges. It’s especially important for students in 4-H and the Future Farmers of America clubs.
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Bags taken inside the fair should be clear and no larger than 12-by-6-by-12 inches, except for diaper bags and medically necessary items, which will need approval at entry.
Barton said the state fair’s backbone is made up of around 100 volunteers and around 20 sponsoring companies. He said upwards of $300,000 is set aside for pre-fair expenses and another $200,000 or so will be spent as the fair goes on, for the grounds’ security and first aid crews, he gave as example.
Barton said $4.6 million has been raised by the state fair since the late ’80s supporting local charities and high school students in the form of scholarships.
Lighting equipment sit Monday, Oct. 23, 2023, at the Airline Hwy. Park/Fairgrounds on 16072 Airline Hwy, Baton Rouge, La.
