By Blake Jackson
The Missouri Department of Agriculture has announced that more than 329,000 people attended the 2025 Missouri State Fair, held last month in Sedalia. The event, running for eleven days, celebrated agriculture and community while welcoming visitors from across the state.
“The Missouri State Fair offers something for everyone, and I am always pleased that so many people come to see this celebration of agriculture,” said Missouri Director of Agriculture Chris Chinn.
“The hardworking team on the Fairgrounds works to improve the Fair each year with innovative new offerings, while keeping the spotlight on Missouri agriculture. Thank you to everyone who traveled to Sedalia to attend the Fair.”
The fairgrounds hosted over 28,000 total entries, including nearly 8,000 4-H exhibits and 6,500 FFA exhibits. The Missouri Department of Agriculture’s Animal Health team checked in more than 15,000 animals. The Home Economics Building displayed 1,500 entries, while the Floriculture Building featured almost 1,600 entries.
“The 2025 Missouri State Fair was another fantastic celebration of this cherished tradition,” said Fair Director Jason Moore. “Despite several days with heat indices over 100 degrees, Missourians demonstrated their unwavering spirit and love for the Fair.
This year, the Fair highlighted the best of Missouri agriculture, with exciting live entertainment, a thrilling carnival midway, unique shopping experiences, delicious Fair food and more. We are grateful for everyone’s participation, making this year’s Fair a memorable success.”
Highlights included the world’s largest rubber duck, standing over six stories tall, which drew crowds for photos. A butter sculpture titled “YeeHaw” used over 600 pounds of butter, while the largest pumpkin weighed 525 pounds, and the largest watermelon weighed 400 pounds.
Missouri FFA members packed nearly 178,000 meals during the Drive to Feed Kids initiative. The Gerken Dairy Center served 33,000 scoops of ice cream and 10,000 soft serve cones, and the Missouri Farm Bureau sold 16,500 cups of milk.
The Sale of Champions and Best of Missouri Sale raised more than $332,000 to support youth in agriculture.
Visitors are encouraged to plan ahead for the 2026 Missouri State Fair, scheduled for August 13–23 in Sedalia, promising another exciting celebration of Missouri agriculture and rural life.
Photo Credit:missouri-state-fair
Categories: Missouri, General