Every state has a big fair. In the Peach State, the Georgia National Fair is held in Perry every October. I am a native Georgian but I had never been to the “big fair.” Here’s what we loved about the fair and some tips for you if you are going to visit. I am writing this on October 7, 2025, so you can still make a plan to visit the fair on its final weekend. If you are reading this throughout the year, make a plan to visit the Georgia National Fair. I think everyone should go at least once.

Here’s a look at what we loved.

The Exhibits

I am a bit of a nerd. I cross-stitch and I have entered in my local county fairs several times. It was neat to see so many homemade items, but of course, I was partial to the needlework. I have stitched this American flag piece by ByGone Stitches but I haven’t had it framed yet. The design lists the state in the order they joined the Union. Maybe I should frame mine and enter it next year?

One of the buildings is honored with “America 250” in 2025. Outside the building were patriotic scarecrows created by members of 4-H clubs. I like gnomes, so I was partial to this one.

We also had a wonderful surprise while wandering through the exhibits. The Heart of Georgia Barbershop Chorus performed in both buildings.

You will also find projects by local 4-H clubs and a store full of items made and grown in Georgia. We purchased two Christmas ornaments for our tree.

Cow, pigs horses, oh my!

You can’t attend a country fair without competitions for the best pigs, horses, cows, etc… Years ago when I was a newspaper in my hometown, I covered my first local fair competitions. It was cute to see the young children showing off their cows and sheep. I just forgot to watch where I stepped.

We had a 9-year-old with us who was ready to go home after he played the carnival games and rode a few rides.

We did do a quick walk-through of the animal exhibits. I didn’t get to see the pigs or the pig races but I got a picture of this:

Tips for visiting the Georgia National Fair

1. Plan on spending some time in traffic. Last year the fair had more than 500,000 visitors. Granted, we went on the first Saturday night. But we were told that traffic is tough every night of the fair. The Georgia State Patrol did an excellent job of managing it, including stopping those trying to “break in line.” I am thankful that my sister, Kelly, agreed to drive us there.
2. You can buy tickets online. We didn’t and it was easy at the kiosk at the gate. You can decide if you want to purchase them ahead of time.
3. Make a plan. There is a map online at https://www.georgianationalfair.com/p/about/fairmap You will also find a list of events. We missed the pig races and I am kind of sad about that.
4. Take out a bank loan. Just kidding. If you have children or adults who like to ride the rides, go on a day when you can purchase an armband for unlimited rides. Purchasing the tickets individually for each ride can add up. All the rides are also listed on the website so you can determine beforehand what you want to do. You are going to also want to shop. We bought some cute Georgia-made Christmas ornaments. I wanted to spend more but I restrained myself.
5. Take your time. We did have an impatient 9-year-old and the exhibits were not his thing. I also didn’t estimate the nearly one hour we would spend in traffic just to get into the fair. I didn’t see as many of the animals as I would have liked. Whether you go for the exhibits, the rides or the food, make sure you allot enough time for all you want to do.

Most importantly–Go! I am a native Georgian and I had never been. It’s a lot like the local county fairs I love but bigger. And you will see a lot of things a native Georgian will appreciate. We saw license plates from multiple states so it’s more than a Georgia event. Make a plan and go!