The Montgomery County Fair returns for its 79th year on July 20, giving county residents another year to enjoy the rides, entertainment and the farm exhibitors.

The fair will officially start at 4 p.m. on July 20 with the Junior Livestock Market mandatory meeting and weigh-in. The Little Mr. and Miss and the queen contests will run later that evening at the Grandstands.

The six-day fair ends on July 25 with events that include a baby show, the Eighth Annual Wingfest, a new Ladies Night event and performances from Brayden Reynolds and Mark Perkins.

This year’s theme is “Stars, Stripes and Summer Nights,” The theme was selected from a contest fair officials held before the year began. Michelle Maskey submitted the theme, and it was chosen by the Junior Fairboard to be the official theme of the 2026 fair.

Also, the parade is scheduled for July 21 and the junior livestock auction will be held on July 23.

Fair Secretary Chasity Lichtenberg said she hopes this year’s fair will be a successful one. Last year’s event had a strong turnout despite having rain on three evenings and the cancellation of all major events on the second to last day of the fair due to weather conditions.

“The excitement is definitely building,” Lichtenberg said. “The fair isn’t something we put together in a few weeks—it takes an entire year of planning, meetings, fundraising, and countless volunteer hours to make it happen. As we get closer, all of that hard work starts becoming a reality, and it’s incredibly rewarding. Seeing the fairgrounds come to life, welcoming exhibitors, volunteers, sponsors, and families through the gates, and watching everyone enjoy everything we’ve worked so hard to create makes it all worthwhile.”

This year’s fair has numerous sponsors and they are divided into three categories – platinum, gold and diamond. The 10 diamond sponsors are Amazon, Apex, COOP Services and Supply, Fastlane, Gilbert and Sons, Google, Lumix, Missouri Mulch, Related Digital and Sellenriek Construction.

“Our sponsors truly are the backbone of the Montgomery County Fair,” Lichtenberg said. “Every year, we’re humbled by the number of businesses, organizations and individuals who choose to invest in our fair and the youth and community it serves. We were fortunate to welcome several new sponsors this year while also receiving continued support from many longtime partners who have stood behind us for years. Every contribution helps make the fair possible. Their support allows us to provide quality entertainment, improve the fairgrounds, support our livestock exhibitors and 4-H and FFA youth and continue offering an affordable, family-friendly event for our community.”

Lichtenberg said fair officials are already making last minute preparations for the event as it gets closer to the first day.

“There are a lot of behind-the-scenes projects happening right now, from grounds maintenance and building preparation to organizing exhibits and making sure everything is ready for our exhibitors and guests,” Lichtenberg said. “About a week before the fair, you’ll really start to notice the transformation. Vendors begin arriving, buildings are set up, signage goes up, and then the carnival moves in just a few days before opening. It’s amazing to watch the fairgrounds go from quiet to a bustling fair in such a short amount of time.”