Have Fun at the 2024 Western Michigan FAIR!

Daily
Grandstand
& Midway
Events

Photo by Rob Alway/Mason County Press

This website is the most current publication of fair events and times. If there are changes, they will appear here.

Pick a Day, See the Schedule

(Select from the daily tabs below)

Discounted $3 gate passes (for Kids Day ONLY Wednesday, August 7) may be picked up at any West Shore Bank location. While supplies last.

Monday, August 5

Midway Opens Tuesday

  • 3:00 pm – Sheep Show
  • 5:00 pm – Goat Show
  • 5:30 pm – Great Lakes Stakes Harness Racing
  • 6:00 pm – Still Exhibit Judging (Buildings not open until Judging is completed)

Tuesday, August 6

Midway is Open 3:00 pm - 11:00 pm.

Fair entrance $5.00 per person. Children ages five and under are free.

Midway wristbands can be purchased daily at carnival ticket booths for $30, or just $25 on Wednesday.

  • 9:00 am — Swine Show
  • 12:00 pm — Exhibit Buildings Open
  • 12:00 pm — Horse Show
  • 1:00 pm — MI Bred Colt Stakes Harness Racing
  • 3:00 pm – 11:00 pm — Midway Open
  • 7:00 pm — West MI Pullers Tractor & Truck Pull  (Grandstand admission $10.00)
  • 10:00 pm — Great Lakes Fireworks choreographed to Music. (Grandstand admission is FREE to fairgoers.)
  • 11:00 pm — Midway Closes

It's our 85th anniversary!

To celebrate, we are offering daily Blue Ribbon Perks! The following perks and additional activities/events for fairgoers are FREE!
  • Free Fireworks to Music @10pm
  • First 85 people for the grandstand event get a free item
  • Free Acres Co-op Little Farmers Play Area
  • Free The Fair MixUp Scavenger Hunt
  • Free The Butterfly Encounter – OUR APOLOGIES, BUT DUE TO HURRICANE DEBBY, OUR BUTTERFLY ENCOUNTER HAS BEEN CANCELED FOR THE WEEK. THE OWNERS OF THE EXHIBIT WERE CAUGHT IN THE STORM AND THEREFORE NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT HERE.
  • Free Rufus the Dufus entertainer
  • Free The Wood Butcher Chainsaw Carvings

Wednesday, August 7

Kid's Day Midway is Open 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm. 

Midway For All is Open 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm.

Fair entrance $5.00 per person. Children ages five and under are free. GRANDSTAND INCLUDED IN GATE ADMISSION TODAY ONLY!

Midway wristbands can be purchased daily at carnival ticket booths for $30, or just $25 on Wednesday.

  • 8:00 am — Horse Show
  • 10:00 am — Beef Show
  • 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm — Midway Open for Kid’s Day
  • 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm  —  Kid’s Day
  • 1:30pm — Rabbit Show
  • 5:00 pm — Bike & Power Wheel drawing, goodie bag giveaway 
  • 5:00 pm – 11:00 pm — Midway Open to All
  • 5:30pm — Western Michigan Fair 2024 Homemaker of the Year announced in front of Domestic Arts Building
  • 6:00 pm — Mini Wedge Racing (Grandstand included in gate admission, Pit passes $20.00)
  • 7:30 pm — TNT Barrel Racing & Figure 8 (Grandstand included in gate admission, Pit Passes $20)
  • 11:00 pm — Midway Closes

It's our 85th anniversary!

To celebrate, we are offering daily Blue Ribbon Perks! The following perks and additional activities/events for fairgoers are FREE!
  • Free Youth Dance 6pm-9pm
  • Free Raffle for a Girls and Boys Bike AND a Power Wheels
  • Free Acres Co-op Little Farmers Play Area
  • Free The Fair MixUp Scavenger Hunt
  • Free The Butterfly Encounter – OUR APOLOGIES, BUT DUE TO HURRICANE DEBBY, OUR BUTTERFLY ENCOUNTER HAS BEEN CANCELED FOR THE WEEK. THE OWNERS OF THE EXHIBIT WERE CAUGHT IN THE STORM AND THEREFORE NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT HERE.
  • Free Rufus the Dufus entertainer
  • Free The Wood Butcher Chainsaw Carvings

Thursday, August 8

Midway is Open 3:00 pm - 11:00 pm.

Fair entrance $5.00 per person. Children ages five and under are free.

All Veterans and Senior Citizens (60 or older) admitted free.

Midway wristbands can be purchased daily at carnival ticket booths for $30, or just $25 on Wednesday.

  • 9:00am — Poultry Show
  • 12:00 -2:00 pm — Special Kids Day – Children eligible for this special event will be by invitation only and given an ID badge through the West Shore ESD.
  • 3:00 pm – 11:00 pm — Midway Opens – Wristbands Available Daily
  • 3:00 pm – 11:00 pm — Read for Rides – sponsored by Mason County Library and TJ Schmidt Company
  • 7:00 pm — Super Kicker Rodeo (Grandstand admission $15.00)
  • 11:00 pm  — Midway closes

It's our 85th anniversary!

To celebrate, we are offering daily Blue Ribbon Perks! The following perks and additional activities/events for fairgoers are FREE!
  • Free Ludington Yukes 4pm-5pm
  • Free Custer Boot Scooters Line Dance 6pm-9pm
  • Free Acres Co-op Little Farmers Play Area
  • Free The Fair MixUp Scavenger Hunt
  • Free The Butterfly Encounter – OUR APOLOGIES, BUT DUE TO HURRICANE DEBBY, OUR BUTTERFLY ENCOUNTER HAS BEEN CANCELED FOR THE WEEK. THE OWNERS OF THE EXHIBIT WERE CAUGHT IN THE STORM AND THEREFORE NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT HERE.
  • Free Rufus the Dufus entertainer
  • Free The Wood Butcher Chainsaw Carvings

Friday, August 9

Midway is Open 3:00 pm - 11:00 pm.

Fair entrance $5.00 per person. Children ages five and under are free.

Midway wristbands can be purchased daily at carnival ticket booths for $30, or just $25 on Wednesday.

  • 10:00 am — Fun Equestrian Games
  • 12:00 pm — Exhibit Buildings Open
  • 3:00 pm – 11:00 pm — Midway Opens – Wristbands Available Daily
  • 5:00 pm — Pedal Pull for Kids
  • 7:00 pm — SJO Super Cross Racing, Grandstand admission $10.00, Pit Passes $15.00
  • 11:00 pm — Midway closes

It's our 85th anniversary!

To celebrate, we are offering daily Blue Ribbon Perks! The following perks and additional activities/events for fairgoers are FREE!
  • Free Kids Tractor Pedal Pull @5pm
  • Free Acres Co-op Little Farmers Play Area
  • Free The Fair MixUp Scavenger Hunt
  • Free The Butterfly Encounter – OUR APOLOGIES, BUT DUE TO HURRICANE DEBBY, OUR BUTTERFLY ENCOUNTER HAS BEEN CANCELED FOR THE WEEK. THE OWNERS OF THE EXHIBIT WERE CAUGHT IN THE STORM AND THEREFORE NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT HERE.
  • Free Rufus the Dufus entertainer
  • Free The Wood Butcher Chainsaw Carvings

Saturday, August 10

Midway is Open 12:00 pm - 11:00 pm.

Fair entrance $5.00 per person. Children ages five and under are free.

Midway wristbands can be purchased daily at carnival ticket booths for $30, or just $25 on Wednesday.

  • 8:00 am — Barnyard Boogie – 5k race REGISTER HERE
  • 9:00 am — Bam Brawl youth wrestling READ OUR BARN BRAWL FLYER FOR DETAILS
  • 11am —  West Michigan Livestock Council Livestock Auction- Show/Sale Barn
  • 12:00 pm – 11:00 pm — Midway opens – Wristbands Available Daily 
  • 5:00 pm — TNT presents the Mid-Season Championship Demolition Derby.  Grandstand admission $15.00, 
    Pit Passes $25.00
  • 11pm — Midway Closes

It's our 85th anniversary!

To celebrate, we are offering daily Blue Ribbon Perks! The following perks and additional activities/events for fairgoers are FREE!
  • The Barnyard Boogie 5K/1K (requires registration, but free to watch) REGISTER HERE
  • The Barn Brawl (requires registration, but free to watch) READ OUR BARN BRAWL FLYER FOR DETAILS
  • The WMLC Animal Auction @ 11am
  • Free The Fair MixUp Scavenger Hunt
  • Free The Butterfly Encounter – OUR APOLOGIES, BUT DUE TO HURRICANE DEBBY, OUR BUTTERFLY ENCOUNTER HAS BEEN CANCELED FOR THE WEEK. THE OWNERS OF THE EXHIBIT WERE CAUGHT IN THE STORM AND THEREFORE NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT HERE.
  • Rufus the Dufus entertainer

Highlights of the 2024 Fair

Demolition Derby

TNT presents the Mid-Season Championship Demolition Derby. Grandstand admission, $15.00, Pit Passes, $25.00.

Saturday, August 10, at 5:00 pm.

Super Kicker Rodeo

Roping, Riding, Racing, and Kids games.

Grandstand Admission is $15.

Thursday, August 8, at 7:00 pm.

Fireworks at the fair

Fireworks

The fair's fireworks show is choreographed to music. View the fireworks from the grounds, or the grandstand. Grandstand admission for the fireworks is FREE to fairgoers.

Tuesday, August 6, at 10:00 pm.

Harness Racing

Don't miss the Great Lakes Stakes and Michigan Bred Colt Stakes Harness Racing!

Great Lakes Stakes, Monday, August 5, at 5:30pm

Michigan Bred Colt Stakes, Tuesday August 6, at 1:00 pm.

Butterfly Encounter

OUR APOLOGIES, BUT DUE TO HURRICANE DEBBY, OUR BUTTERFLY ENCOUNTER HAS BEEN CANCELED FOR THE WEEK. THE OWNERS OF THE EXHIBIT WERE CAUGHT IN THE STORM AND THEREFORE NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT HERE.

Livestock Auction

The West Michign Livestock Council presents their annual livestock auction in the Show Sale Barn.

Saturday, August 10, at 11:00 am.

Rufas the Dufas

You will likely see the strolling act of "Rufas the Dufas" as he wanders around the fairgrounds. Rufas performs several different acts and stunts along the way.

Homemaker of the Year

There are many different classes to enter that require an array of skills. Do you have what it takes to become this year's Homemaker of the Year?

Fair Alert

The annual meeting is at 7pm on November 11 in the conference room located at the airport. Anyone interested in running for the board needs to have a letter of intent to the president or secretary by October 12th. Also, anyone interested in attending the meeting and voting will have to have a membership fee paid by October 12th. Fees are $10 for a yearly membership, and $25 for a lifetime membership.