Jackson County Fair Just Around the Corner
The 2026 fair returns July 14–19 at The Expo in Central Point
CENTRAL POINT, Ore. — Fair season is getting closer, and there are few summer experiences more iconic in the Rogue Valley than the Jackson County Fair.
The smell of fair food drifting across The Expo. Carnival lights coming on after sunset. Kids in boots moving animals between the barns and show rings. Families making their annual lap through the midway. And, once the sun starts to drop, music drifting from the amphitheater.
That summer tradition returns July 14–19 in Central Point, beginning opening night with bull riding at the fairgrounds.
The Jackson County Fair Kickoff Bull Riding event is scheduled for Tuesday, July 14, with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. and bull riding beginning at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for bull riding are $10, with children 2 and under admitted free if seated on a lap.
The concert series begins the following night, bringing four nights of headline entertainment to the fairgrounds with a mix of country, throwback dance hits and banda music.
Country artist Ian Munsick opens the concert series Wednesday, July 15, followed by Chris Young on Thursday, July 16. Friday night shifts into full party mode with Real McCoy, DJ Skribble and C+C Music Factory. La Original Banda El Limón closes out the series Saturday, July 18.
Amphitheater gates open at 6 p.m. each concert night, with shows scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
Fair admission includes lawn seating for headline concerts, while reserved and upgraded concert tickets are available separately. Concert tickets also include fair admission, allowing fans to spend time at the fairgrounds before the show.
A family night at the fair can stretch from carnival rides and food booths to the amphitheater without ever leaving.
But the Jackson County Fair is more than its concert lineup.
A crowd watches youth exhibitors in the show ring during the Jackson County Fair at The Expo in Central Point. While the fair brings concerts, carnival rides and food vendors, 4-H and FFA exhibits remain the heart of the county fair tradition. Photo courtesy of The Expo / Facebook
Long before the first guitar chord rings out from the amphitheater, local 4-H and FFA youth will already be at work. Their fair activities begin July 10 and continue through July 19, stretching beyond the public fair schedule and anchoring the event in the agricultural traditions that county fairs were built to celebrate.
For those students, fair week is the payoff after months of feeding animals before school, practicing showmanship, finishing projects, keeping records and learning responsibility in real time. The barns, show rings and exhibit halls remain the heart and soul of the county fair, where blue ribbons often represent much more than a single week of competition.
That mix is what keeps the fair familiar across generations.
One family may come for the carnival. Another may come to support a student showing livestock. Others may show up for the concerts, the food, the exhibits or the simple tradition of walking the fairgrounds on a summer night.
This year’s public fair hours are 4 to 11 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.
Admission options include advance-sale daily and season passes, with children 12 and under admitted free each day. Opening day, Tuesday, July 14, will feature $2.50 admission in recognition of America’s 250th birthday. Sunday, July 19, will offer free admission for everyone.
Premium parking is $10 per car in lots off Peninger Road, and fair officials have stated, free shuttle buses will also run during fair week.
From 4-H and FFA to the midway, headline concerts and late-night fair food, the Jackson County Fair remains one of Southern Oregon’s biggest summer gatherings.
The Jackson County Fair is held at The Expo, 21 Peninger Road in Central Point.
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