From animals to rides & more, here's your complete guide to the 2022 Kentucky State Fair

Are you ready for cotton candy, corn dogs, rabbits and goat exhibits, live music and more? This lineup can mean only one thing ― the 118th Kentucky State Fair is gearing up to return in August at the Kentucky Exposition Center.

The 11-day Kentucky State Fair will include the popular (and free!) Texas Roadhouse Concert Series, a new outside family entertainment space, a popular mobile exhibit and more.

It's "Kentucky's largest jukebox," Texas Roadhouse Vice President of Communications Travis Doster said, with Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles noting more than half a million people typically attend the event. Meanwhile, Mark Lynn, chairman of the Kentucky State Fair, pointed toward the $8.4 million impact the annual event is expected to have on the state.

"And dagnabit, it's fun," Lynn said previously. "We hope to see all of you at the fair."

The Kentucky State Fair is an annual showcase in Louisville that features livestock exhibits and horse shows, live music, games and activities, amusement park rides, food and merchandise vendors, and more.

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Here's everything else you need to know about the 2022 Kentucky State Fair:

When is the Kentucky State Fair?

The Kentucky State Fair runs for 11-days, this year from Aug 18-28.

Where is the Kentucky State Fair?

The 2022 Kentucky State Fair is held at the Kentucky Exposition Center, 937 Phillips Lane in Louisville.

What are the hours for the Kentucky State Fair?

Outside:  Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday, 10 a.m.to 11 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.; first Sunday, Aug. 21, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.; second Sunday, Aug. 28, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.  

Inside: Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; first Sunday, Aug. 21, 10 a.m.to 8 p.m.; second Sunday, Aug. 28, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Thrill Ville Rides: Monday-Thursday, 3-10 p.m.; Friday, 3-11 p.m.; Saturday, 1-11 p.m.; first Sunday, Aug. 21, 1-11 p.m.; second Sunday, Aug. 28, 1-10 p.m.

New this year: admission to the Fair ends one hour before the outdoor closing time each day. Midway ride wristband sales end one hour before closing time. Ride ticket sales end 30 minutes before closing time each day. Fairgoers under 18 years old entering after 6 p.m. must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian 21 years of age or older. Proof of age is required. IDs will be verified at the gate.

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Where do I park for the Kentucky State Fair?

Parking for the Kentucky State Fair will be in Parking Lot A a the Kentucky Exposition Center.

Will any roads close during the Kentucky State Fair?

Louisville Metro Police officials said traffic will be restricted on certain streets and areas with no stopping at any time during the two weekends of the Kentucky State Fair. These restrictions will be in place Friday, Aug. 19 until Sunday, Aug. 21, and between Friday, Aug. 26 through Sunday, Aug. 28.

Traffic will be restricted between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m. on Phillips Lane, according to LMPD. Authorized vehicles will only be allowed on Phillips Lane from Monarch Drive to Freedom Way, and Freedom Way to Crittenden Drive is only accessible to residents, guests and Phillips Lane business patrons, LMPD spokesperson Aaron Ellis said.

Drivers will not be allowed to stop at any time on both sides of these streets:

• Phillips Lane from Preston Highway to Crittenden Drive

• Monarch Drive from Phillips Lane to Manning Road

• Emberson Avenue from Phillips Lane to End

• Crittenden Drive from Cheyenne Avenue to Gate 3

How much are tickets to the Kentucky State Fair?

Fairgoers can save when purchasing tickets online now through Aug. 28. Online tickets are $10 per person and include parking. Advance admission tickets are only available online through kystatefair.org/tickets. Children 5 and under are free.

Admission at the gate is $10 per person and $10 parking per standard vehicle.

Single-day Thrill Ville/Midway wristbands are $35 when purchased online Aug. 18-Aug. 28. This does not include general State Fair admission.

World Championship Horse Show, Aug. 20-Aug. 27, tickets are $8-$11 depending on the day. This does not include general State Fair admission. All week reserved World Championship Horse Show tickets are $184 and include Fair admission. Call 502-367-5177 to purchase.

Kentucky State Fair admission and ride wristbands are available online via Ticketmaster and at participating Kroger locations. Visit kystatefair.org/tickets for details.

Are there special discounted admission days?

The Kentucky State Fair announced a series of "special days:"

• Aug. 21: Military Sunday at the state fair. Active, retired military, veterans and their families receive free admission with military ID. There is a limit of four passes and parking is not included. Thrill Ville wristbands will be discounted 20% off and available on-site only at the Kissel Welcome Center. Must show Military ID and have all family members with them at time of purchase. Limit six wristbands per valid military personnel ID.

• Aug. 22: $5 Monday at the Kentucky State Fair. Admission is $5 per person and includes parking. Fairgoers can watch the evening performances of the World's Championship Horse Show. Free horse show tickets must be picked up at the Kentucky Exposition Center Box Office on the day of the show.

• Aug. 23: Senior Day: Free admission for fairgoers ages 55 and older. Parking is not included.

• Aug. 24: Sensory Friendly Morning (10 a.m. to noon). The Kentucky State Fair and Kissel Entertainment are partnering with FEAT of Louisville, Home of the Innocents and Kentucky Autism Training Center to distribute free admission and midway tickets to family and fairgoers with sensory processing differences (this event is full and all tickets have been distributed).

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What's new at the 2022 Kentucky State Fair?

The BIG Tent is a new outdoor family entertainment space located in Lot A adjacent to the South Wing. The BIG Tent is where you'll find unique food, drinks and entertainment including The Dennis Lee Band, hip hop and R&B sensation Kazual and various community acts that are sure to entertain the entire family.

The 9/11 Never Forget mobile exhibit is another new addition to the 2022 Kentucky State Fair. This interactive, educational exhibit honors the heroes and victims of 9/11. Artifacts such as steel beams from the World Trade Center, documentary videos, and recordings of first responder transmissions will be displayed all 11 days of the fair. Interactive guided tours are carried out by FDNY firefighters who provide firsthand accounts of the day and its aftermath.

What new food is at the Kentucky State Fair?

This year, the new "it" fried fair food is deep-fried coffee cake.

"We try to come up with something new every year," Mike Doran with International Catering said. "We did some experimental runs with the fried coffee cake and it turned out well, it's very good. I've been doing this for 50 years — it's one of those things that will either catch on or it won't. And that's OK."

Doran described it as a cinnamon-forward, rich and moist crumb cake. The idea originally came from Doran's son Michael and was perfected by his wife and business partner, Mary Sue Doran.

International Catering operates four food booths in the South Wing food court for the duration of the Kentucky State Fair. In addition to fried Oreos, fried Reese's Cups, funnel cakes and elephant ears, International Catering serves pizza, burgers, chicken and dumplings, and pasta. All fried dishes, he said, are made-to-order, so there may be long lines.

What are the free concerts for the Kentucky State Fair?

You'll get your fill of country, hip hop, retro-pop, Christian, heavy metal, oldies and R&B at the 2022 Kentucky State Fair. And yes, the Texas Roadhouse Concert Series will be free with the price of admission. Concerts take place in Lot L adjacent to Kentucky Kingdom and Broadbent Arena.

Here is the 2022 Texas Roadhouse Concert Series lineup:

• Thursday, Aug. 18, 8 p.m.: Russell Dickerson with special guest Tyler Booth

• Friday, Aug. 19, 8 p.m.: Con Funk Shun with special guest Midnight Star

• Saturday, Aug. 20, 8 p.m.: Black Stone Cherry with special guest Ayron Jones

• Sunday, Aug. 21, 8 p.m.: Oak Ridge Boys with special guest Lorrie Morgan

• Monday, Aug. 22, 8 p.m.: We The Kingdom with special guest Ann Wilson

• Tuesday, Aug. 23, 8 p.m.: Happy Together Tour

• Wednesday, Aug. 24, 8 p.m.: John Michael Montgomery and Walker Montgomery with special guest "American Idol" winner Noah Thompson

• Thursday, Aug. 25, 8 p.m.: Night Ranger with special guest Noah Guthrie

• Friday, Aug. 26, 8 p.m.: Trace Adkins with special guest Brassfield

• Saturday, Aug. 27, 8 p.m.: Niko Moon with special guest Alex Miller

• Sunday, Aug. 28, 6 p.m.: Lee Greenwood with special guest Darryl Worley

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What is the 2022 Kentucky State Fair animal schedule?

Thursday, Aug. 18:

• 8:30 a.m.: 4-H and FFA Youth Dairy Cattle Show – Ayrshire, Brown Swiss, Guernsey and Milking Shorthorns (Broadbent Arena)

• 9 a.m.: 4-H and FFA Youth Dairy Goat Showmanship followed by the 4-H and FFA Dairy Goat Show (Pavilion)

• 9 a.m.: Rabbit Judging (Pavilion)

• 10 a.m.: Poultry and Pigeon Judging (Pavilion)

• 1:30 p.m.: FFA Dairy Cattle Judging Contest (Broadbent Arena)

• 4 p.m.: FFA Livestock Judging Contest (Broadbent Arena)

Friday, Aug. 19:

• 8:30 a.m.: 4-H and FFA Youth Dairy Cattle Show – Holstein, Jersey, and Red and White Cattle (Broadbent Arena)

• 9 a.m.: Open Dairy Goat Show – Junior Doe Show (Pavilion)

• 3 p.m.: 4-H and FFA Youth Dairy Cattle Supreme Show (Broadbent Arena)

• 5 p.m.: Youth Dairy Cattle Costume Contest (West Wing Dog Show Ring)

• 6:30 p.m.: Novice Dairy Cattle Show (West Wing Dog Show Ring)

Saturday, Aug. 20:

• 8 a.m.: Open Dairy Cattle Show – Ayrshire and Guernsey (Broadbent Arena)

• 9 a.m.: Open Dairy Goat Show – Senior Doe Show followed by the Dairy Goat Costume Contest (Pavilion)

• 12 p.m.: Open Dairy Cattle Show – Brown Swiss and Milking Shorthorns (Broadbent Arena)

• 3:30 p.m.: Open Dairy Cattle Show– Red and White Heifers (Broadbent Arena)

• 5 p.m.: Open Boer Goat Show (Pavilion)

Sunday, Aug. 21:

• 8 a.m.: Open Dairy Cattle Show – Jersey and Holstein (Broadbent Arena)

• 12:45 p.m.: Open Dairy Cattle Show – Red and White Cows (Broadbent Arena)

• 2:30 p.m.: Open Dairy Cattle Supreme Show (Broadbent Arena)

Monday, Aug. 22:

• 10 a.m.: Mules and Jacks Show (Broadbent Arena)

• 2 p.m.: Mules and Jacks Hitch Classes (Broadbent Arena)

Tuesday, Aug. 23:

• 1:30 p.m.: 4-H and FFA Youth Sheep Showmanship followed by Breeding Sheep Show (West Hall)

• 2 p.m.: Novice Swine Showmanship and Novice Market Hogs (Pavilion)

• 4 p.m.: 4-H and FFA Youth Breeding Gilt Show (Pavilion)

• 4 p.m.: 4-H and FFA Youth Goat Showmanship, including novice, followed by the Wether Dam Show (Broadbent Arena)

Wednesday, Aug. 24:

• 8 a.m.: 4-H and FFA Youth Market Hogs: purebred followed by crossbred (Pavilion)

• 8:30 a.m.: 4-H and FFA Youth Beef Market Animal show (Broadbent Arena)

• 9 a.m.: Novice Showmanship & Novice Market Lamb (West Hall)

• 11 a.m.: 4-H and FFA Youth Beef Market Animal Showmanship followed by Breeding Heifer Showmanship (Broadbent Arena)

• 12:30 p.m.: 4-H and FFA Youth Market Lamb Show (West Hall)

• 4 p.m.: 4-H and FFA Youth Market Goat Show including novice (Broadbent Arena)

Thursday, Aug. 25:

• 8 a.m.: 4-H and FFA Youth Beef – Heifer Show (Broadbent Arena)

• 9 a.m.: 4-H and FFA Youth Swine Showmanship (Pavilion)

• 6 p.m.: Open Sheep Show – Oxford, Montadale and Shropshire (West Hall)

• 6:30 p.m.: 4-H and FFA Championship Drive (Broadbent Arena)

Friday, Aug. 26:

• 8 a.m.: Open Beef Show – Hereford and Limousin (Broadbent Arena)

• 8:30 a.m.: Open Sheep Show – Columbia, Corridales, Rambouillet, Suffolks, Hampshire and Cheviots (West Hall)

• 10:30 a.m.: Open Beef Show – Simmental followed by SimAngus and SimSolutions (Broadbent Arena)

• 12 p.m.: Open Beef Show – Shorthorn (Broadbent Arena)

• 2:30 p.m.: Open Beef Show – Red Angus (Broadbent Arena)

Saturday, Aug. 27:

• 8 a.m.: Open Beef Show – Angus and Charolais (Broadbent Arena)

• 8:30 a.m.: Open Sheep Show – Natural Colored, Dorper and White Dorper, All Other Breeds – Wool, Polled and Horned Dorsets, Southdown, and All Other Breeds – Meat (West Hall)

  • Open Sheep Parade of Champions – at the conclusion of breeds

• 10 a.m.: Open Market Hog show followed by Open Breeding Gilts (Commercial, Duroc, and Hampshire) (Pavilion)

• 11 a.m.: Open Beef Show – Gelvieh/Balancers (Broadbent Arena)

• 12 p.m.: Open Beef Show – Chianina followed by ChiAngus (Broadbent Arena)

Sunday, Aug. 28:

• 8 a.m.: Open Beef Show – Red Poll and Santa Gertrudis (Broadbent Arena)

• 10 a.m.: Open Beef Show – Salers & Piedmontese (Broadbent Arena)

• 10 a.m.: Open Breeding Gilt Show – All Other Breeds, Berkshire, Spotted, and Yorkshire (Pavilion)

Reporters Dahlia Ghabour and Gege Reed contributed to this report. Reach Features Reporter Kirby Adams at kadams@courier-journal.com.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky State Fair 2022: Complete guide to tickets, dates, bands