--- title: State Fair Returns Oct 16 With Big Changes description: "The 86th Arkansas State Fair runs October 16-25 with big changes: national concerts are out, $2 Day is retired, and two new midway rides are in." image: https://blog.evvnt.com/hubfs/wow-news/littlerock/littlerock-arkansas-state-fair-2026-changes-1200x675.jpeg --- [Skip to content](https://blog.evvnt.com/news/littlerock-arkansas-state-fair-2026-changes#main-content) [![Evvnt](https://blog.evvnt.com/hubfs/Evvnt_Rework_Final-01%20(1)-2.svg "Evvnt")](http://www.evvnt.com) Search # State Fair Returns Oct 16 With Big Changes [Richard Green](https://blog.evvnt.com/news/author/richard-green) Oct 6, 2026, 1:27:13 PM Share - [fFacebook](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.evvnt.com%2Fnews%2Flittlerock-arkansas-state-fair-2026-changes) - [𝕏X](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=State+Fair+Returns+Oct+16+With+Big+Changes&url=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.evvnt.com%2Fnews%2Flittlerock-arkansas-state-fair-2026-changes) - [inLinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.evvnt.com%2Fnews%2Flittlerock-arkansas-state-fair-2026-changes) - [WhatsApp](https://wa.me/?text=State+Fair+Returns+Oct+16+With+Big+Changes+https%3A%2F%2Fblog.evvnt.com%2Fnews%2Flittlerock-arkansas-state-fair-2026-changes) - [Messenger](fb-messenger://share/?link=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.evvnt.com%2Fnews%2Flittlerock-arkansas-state-fair-2026-changes) - [✉Email](mailto:?subject=State+Fair+Returns+Oct+16+With+Big+Changes&body=The+86th+Arkansas+State+Fair+runs+October+16-25+with+big+changes%3A+national+concerts+are+out%2C+%242+Day+is+retired%2C+and+two+new+midway+rides+are+in.%0A%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fblog.evvnt.com%2Fnews%2Flittlerock-arkansas-state-fair-2026-changes) - 🔗Copy link ![A colorful spinning carnival ride against a bright blue sky at a fair](https://blog.evvnt.com/hs-fs/hubfs/wow-news/littlerock/littlerock-arkansas-state-fair-2026-changes-1200x675.jpeg?width=1200&height=675&name=littlerock-arkansas-state-fair-2026-changes-1200x675.jpeg) The State Fair is back, and it's different this year. The 86th Arkansas State Fair runs October 16-25 at the fairgrounds, and two traditions are gone. The separately ticketed national concerts at Barton Coliseum? Cut — costs were prohibitive, and fairgoers, it turns out, are really here for the rides, the food and the games. All Main Stage entertainment is now local and regional talent, included with admission. And $2 Day is retired. Last year's $2-everything Monday landed on a high school skip day and ended with dozens facing charges after midway fights. In its place: Monday Family Fun Day on October 19 — $2 rides, free parking, free admission for kids 12 and under. The new stuff: two new midway rides, a hard cider saloon, an interactive aviation experience with the Air Force, and a ceremonial corn dog countdown to open the gates. Half a million people come through every year. See you at the fair. Save room for the corn dog. Share this post - [fFacebook](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.evvnt.com%2Fnews%2Flittlerock-arkansas-state-fair-2026-changes) - [𝕏X](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=State+Fair+Returns+Oct+16+With+Big+Changes&url=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.evvnt.com%2Fnews%2Flittlerock-arkansas-state-fair-2026-changes) - [inLinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.evvnt.com%2Fnews%2Flittlerock-arkansas-state-fair-2026-changes) - [WhatsApp](https://wa.me/?text=State+Fair+Returns+Oct+16+With+Big+Changes+https%3A%2F%2Fblog.evvnt.com%2Fnews%2Flittlerock-arkansas-state-fair-2026-changes) - [Messenger](fb-messenger://share/?link=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.evvnt.com%2Fnews%2Flittlerock-arkansas-state-fair-2026-changes) - [✉Email](mailto:?subject=State+Fair+Returns+Oct+16+With+Big+Changes&body=The+86th+Arkansas+State+Fair+runs+October+16-25+with+big+changes%3A+national+concerts+are+out%2C+%242+Day+is+retired%2C+and+two+new+midway+rides+are+in.%0A%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fblog.evvnt.com%2Fnews%2Flittlerock-arkansas-state-fair-2026-changes) - 🔗Copy link [WOW Little Rock](https://blog.evvnt.com/news/tag/wow-little-rock) [Little Rock](https://blog.evvnt.com/news/tag/little-rock) [← All posts from the **EVVNT** blog](https://blog.evvnt.com/news) ## For Event Success... [Promote](https://new.evvnt.com/?with_navbar&partner=evvntPUB&publisher_id=5293&partner_name=Evvnt) [Ticket](https://platform.evvnt.com/submissions/new?portal=evvnt) [Advertise](https://wow.evvnt.com/advertise-with-wow) [City Guides](https://wow.evvnt.com/cities) ## Join the conversation Talk shop with other event creators in the Evvnt community. [Join the Evvnt community](https://evvnt-creators.beehiiv.com/community) ## THINGS TO DO IN **LITTLE ROCK** Upcoming local events from the **EVVNT** Little Rock calendar. [See the full Little Rock calendar →](https://demo.evvnt.com/little-rock) Running an event in Little Rock? - [Promote](https://new.evvnt.com/?with_navbar&partner=EVVNTIY&publisher_id=12372&partner_name=Little%20Rock) - [Ticket](https://platform.evvnt.com/submissions/new?portal=evvnt) - [Advertise](https://demo.evvnt.com/advertise-with-wow) ## Read On [![Evvnt blog](https://blog.evvnt.com/hs-fs/hubfs/evvnt-blog/cityevents-20261026/little-rock-events-this-week-oct-27-nov-2-2026-part-3-header.jpeg?width=352&height=185&name=little-rock-events-this-week-oct-27-nov-2-2026-part-3-header.jpeg)](https://blog.evvnt.com/news/little-rock-events-this-week-oct-27-nov-2-2026-part-3) ### [Little Rock events this week: Art for Two: Spooky Bolo Ties, Little Rock Halloween Bar Crawl and more](https://blog.evvnt.com/news/little-rock-events-this-week-oct-27-nov-2-2026-part-3) Halloween falls on a Saturday this year, and Little Rock has even more going on. Here are 3 more... [![Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock](https://blog.evvnt.com/hs-fs/hubfs/wow-news/littlerock/littlerock-willy-ds-argenta-move-1200x675.jpeg?width=352&height=185&name=littlerock-willy-ds-argenta-move-1200x675.jpeg)](https://blog.evvnt.com/news/littlerock-willy-ds-argenta-move) ### [Willy D's Piano Bar Is Moving to Argenta, With a Piano Parade](https://blog.evvnt.com/news/littlerock-willy-ds-argenta-move) After more than 20 years in the River Market, Willy D's is crossing the river, and it is bringing... [![A colorful Mediterranean food spread with shared plates on a wooden table](https://blog.evvnt.com/hs-fs/hubfs/wow-news/littlerock/littlerock-greek-food-festival-40th-year-1200x675.jpeg?width=352&height=185&name=littlerock-greek-food-festival-40th-year-1200x675.jpeg)](https://blog.evvnt.com/news/littlerock-greek-food-festival-40th-year) ### [Little Rock's Greek Food Festival Hits 40 With Free Gyros Energy (and Free Parking)](https://blog.evvnt.com/news/littlerock-greek-food-festival-40th-year) Forty years of baklava. Forty years of gyros. Forty years of Little Rock lining up for a taste of... © 2026 Evvnt. All rights reserved.  [Terms & conditions](https://evvnt.com/terms/) | [Privacy policy](https://evvnt.com/terms/privacy/) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Richard Green", "url" : "https://blog.evvnt.com/news/author/richard-green" }, "datePublished" : "2026-10-06T17:27:13.000Z", "headline" : "State Fair Returns Oct 16 With Big Changes", "image" : [ "https://blog.evvnt.com/hubfs/wow-news/littlerock/littlerock-arkansas-state-fair-2026-changes-1200x675.jpeg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.evvnt.com/news/littlerock-arkansas-state-fair-2026-changes", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://blog.evvnt.com/hubfs/Evvnt_Rework_Final-01%20(1)-2.svg" }, "name" : "Evvnt Inc" } } ```