State Fair Fun Facts

The Oklahoma State Fairgrounds has a history that spans the length of Oklahoma’s statehood. Here are a few facts you may not know about the Oklahoma State Fair.

• The first state fair association was organized in January 1907 in the offices of the Oklahoma City Chamber.
• The first State Fair of Oklahoma opened on Oct. 5, 1907, a few weeks before Oklahoma was officially granted statehood.
• The first fair attracted a crowd of more than 10,000 people.
• The State Fair Park moved to its current location in 1954.
• The park expanded its facilities in 1961 to included horse barns, a move that allowed Oklahoma City to earn its place as the “Horse Show Capital of the World”—a title that the city still holds today!
• The current park is 435 acres and hosts more than 180 events each year. The total attendance of these events is more than 2.28 million people annually.
• Oklahoma State Fair Park is located at the junction of two major highways, providing easy access from anywhere in the state (and nation!).
• State Fair Park was included on the voter-approved MAPS 3 ballot, which will result in a $58 million investment to replace aging public event buildings.

[photo courtesy of the Oklahoma Historical Society]