Bluegrass Fair Lexington KY: Dates, Hours, Rides & a Local's Guide

Quick Facts

Dates: June 4-14, 2026
Hours: Weekdays 5 PM to 11 PM, weekends 3 PM to midnight
Location: Masterson Station Park, 3051 Leestown Road, Lexington, KY
Admission: $6 general admission
Edition: 65th annual (2026)
Organizer: Lexington Lions Club

The Bluegrass Fair is Lexington's hometown fair: ten-plus days of rides, fair food, animals, and live entertainment at Masterson Station Park, put on every year by the Lexington Lions Club. Here is what you need to know to plan a visit in 2026.

What Is the Bluegrass Fair?

The Bluegrass Fair is Kentucky's largest county fair and one of the biggest annual community events in Lexington. It is run by the Lexington Lions Club as a fundraiser, and all proceeds go to local charities. The 2026 fair is the 65th annual edition.

It is worth clearing up a common point of confusion right away: the Bluegrass Fair is not the Kentucky State Fair. The State Fair is a separate, much larger event held in Louisville. The Bluegrass Fair is Lexington's own local fair. I talk more about that further down in the article.

A Lexington Tradition Since 1961

The Lexington Lions Club has put on the Bluegrass Fair every year since 1961. The 2026 fair is the 65th annual. The fair was first held at The Red Mile, Lexington's historic harness racing track, before later moving to its current home at Masterson Station Park.

The club behind it has even deeper roots. The Lexington Lions Club was chartered on December 15, 1920, which puts it past a century of community service in Lexington.

From the start, the fair has been a fundraiser for the club's charitable mission: providing vision and hearing assistance to community members who cannot afford it. That mission still drives the event. Over the past decade, the fair has helped the Lions Club donate more than $4 million back to community organizations, which goes to show you just how impactful the yearly fair is.

The fair is also entirely volunteer-run. Every Lions Club member you see working a gate or a booth is a volunteer. And the family-friendly, alcohol-free approach has been part of the fair's identity from the beginning. That positioning has not changed in more than six decades.

I have a small family connection to this fair myself, going back decades. My father visited it once in the 1970s while he was in dental school at UK. Around the same time, after my mother graduated from UK, she worked for the health department and inspected the food booths at this fair as part of her job. Both of my parents had a tie to the Bluegrass Fair long before I ever walked through the gates, which is part of what makes a fair that has run since 1961 feel like a genuine local institution.

Dates and Hours

The 2026 Bluegrass Fair runs June 4-14, 2026. The daily hours are:

Weekdays: 5 PM to 11 PM
Weekends: 3 PM to midnight

Hours can shift for weather or special nights, so it is worth confirming the daily schedule on the official Bluegrass Fair site before you head out.

Where the Fair Takes Place

The fair is held at Masterson Station Park, 3051 Leestown Road, on the northwest side of Lexington. The park sits inside the Masterson Station neighborhood, one of the largest residential areas in the city.

For people who live nearby, the location is a genuine perk. From most Masterson Station homes the fairgrounds can be anywhere from a 5 minute drive to a 15 minute drive depending on where you live in the subdivision. For some streets it is kind of within walking distance if you are up for a good walk. That kind of proximity to a major annual event is a real quality-of-life detail.

Rides, Animals, and Shows

The Bluegrass Fair packs in attractions for every age. Recurring favorites include:

Sea Lion Splash, a traveling sea lion exhibit
Jurassic Kingdom Live Dinosaurs, a walk-through of animatronic dinosaurs
Racing Pigs, a longtime fan favorite
A barnyard petting zoo

The midway rides for 2026 come from Kissel Entertainment, with several new additions this year:

Swamp Splash Log Flume, new for 2026
Nemesis 360
Alter Ego
Voodoo Experience

The lineup mixes thrill rides for older kids and adults, family rides, and a kiddie section for the youngest visitors.

About the Wristband and the New-for-2026 Log Flume

I should be upfront: I didn't actually ride anything on this visit. The ride wristband was $35, and we were only planning on one or two rides at most, so it never penciled out for us. We spent our time at the food booths and the petting zoo instead. If you have a family that plans to spend the whole night on the rides, that math probably works out very differently, but for a casual visit like ours it was an easy skip.

The one ride I did pay attention to was the new-for-2026 Swamp Splash Log Flume. I am a longtime log flume fan. Over the years I have ridden Frightful Falls at Holiday World, Shenandoah Lumber Company at the old Six Flags in Virginia, and plenty of others, so a new flume at the fair caught my eye right away.

I watched Swamp Splash run for a while from the side rather than riding it. From what I could see, it has two drops: a smaller one for people who want the experience without getting soaked, and a steeper one for the thrill seekers. The steep drop did not mess around. The people coming down it got really wet.

What stood out most is that this is the first log flume I have ever seen at a fair. Log flumes are usually something you find at a standalone theme park, not at a traveling carnival or a county fair. The Lions Club bringing one in is genuinely unusual, and worth noting if you are deciding whether to check it out.

The Food: Famous for Its Latin Food Court

One thing that sets the Bluegrass Fair apart from the usual fair-food lineup is its Latin food. The official Bluegrass Fair site bills it as "the largest Hispanic food court of any outdoor festival in Kentucky," and that food court is a real draw.

Of course, the classic fair staples are all here too: funnel cakes, cotton candy, gourmet corndogs, turkey legs, pizza, and the full range of deep-fried treats.

On our visit, we got pork and chicken street tacos from a Mexican vendor, and they were genuinely excellent, some of the better tacos I have had anywhere in Lexington. One practical note for planning how much to order: these are small street tacos, roughly half the size of a Taco Bell taco. That is not a knock on them at all, just something to know so you order enough to fill up. Other Mexican vendors we noticed included Taqueria De La Cruz and Nathan's Taqueria, along with Churrería La Coneja serving desserts. I washed mine down with a horchata, which was exactly what I wanted on a hot summer day.

Getting There and Parking

The fair is at Masterson Station Park, 3051 Leestown Road. The park is a large public space with substantial parking, but the lots fill up during peak fair hours, especially on weekend evenings.

In practice, the parking is well organized. Once you turn in off Leestown Road, staff with cones direct you toward the free parking area, and everything is clearly marked, so you are not left guessing. After you park, plan on a 3 to 5 minute walk from your car to the ticket line, depending on how far back in the field you end up.

Family-Friendly and Alcohol-Free

The Bluegrass Fair is explicitly alcohol-free and family-oriented. That is an intentional choice, and it is a real point of difference from other large events in the area, such as the Railbird Music Festival. The alcohol-free approach lines up with the Lions Club mission and has been part of the fair since it began.

Is This the Same as the Kentucky State Fair?

No. This is the single most common mix-up, so to be clear:

The Kentucky State Fair is held in Louisville, typically in August, at the Kentucky Exposition Center.
The Bluegrass Fair is Lexington's local fair, run by the Lexington Lions Club, held in June at Masterson Station Park.

They are two different events, in two different cities, at two different times of year.

Tips from a Local

A little planning goes a long way at the fair. As a general rule, weekend evenings draw the biggest crowds and the longest ride lines, while weekday evenings tend to be calmer for families with young kids.

Here is what we saw firsthand on timing. We arrived around 5:30 PM and parked quickly with no trouble. By the time we left around 7:45 PM, the lot was completely full and cars were backed up in a line to the entrance at Leestown Road. So if you want to get ahead of the crowd, the simplest move is to arrive early and leave early. If you show up later in the evening, plan on 30 to 45 minutes just to park and get inside. The honest tradeoff is that a fair is at its best after dark, so if you are after the full experience, you may just have to accept the wait.

If you live in Masterson Station, or you are weighing a move to the area, you can actually walk to the fair. It is not a direct shot. You would cut through the soccer fields or through Masterson Station Park itself, and you will need to find your own exit point through the park. Figure 15 to 20 minutes on foot. If you are up for the walk, it is a convenient way to skip the parking altogether.

A Walkable Perk for Masterson Station Residents

Living near a major annual community event is a real quality-of-life factor. For people in this part of town, the Bluegrass Fair shows up close to home every June, with no cross-town drive and no fight for parking across the city. If you are weighing the area, it is one more thing the location quietly offers, alongside the park itself. You can read more in the Masterson Station neighborhood guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does the Bluegrass Fair open and close each day?

For 2026, the fair runs June 4-14. Weekday hours are 5 PM to 11 PM, and weekend hours are 3 PM to midnight. Hours can change, so confirm the current schedule at thebluegrassfair.com.

How much does admission cost?

General admission is $6. For current discount nights and any special promotions, check thebluegrassfair.com.

Is parking free at Masterson Station Park?

Masterson Station Park is a public Lexington city park, and parking at the park is free. For any fair-specific parking arrangements or overflow lots, check the official site at thebluegrassfair.com.

Is the Bluegrass Fair the same as the Kentucky State Fair?

No. The Kentucky State Fair is a separate event held in Louisville, usually in August. The Bluegrass Fair is Lexington's local fair, run by the Lexington Lions Club in June at Masterson Station Park.

Is the fair pet-friendly?

Service animals are always welcome under the ADA. Policies for pets at outdoor events vary, so check thebluegrassfair.com before bringing one.

Is the fair accessible for visitors with mobility needs?

The fair is held on the open, mostly flat grounds of Masterson Station Park. For specific accessibility accommodations, check the official site at thebluegrassfair.com.

Can I bring outside food or drinks?

Outside food and drink policies vary at the fair. Check thebluegrassfair.com for the current policy before you go.

Are there discount nights or special promotions?

The fair has offered promotional nights in past years. For this year's discount nights and promotions, check thebluegrassfair.com.

How long has the Bluegrass Fair been running?

The Lexington Lions Club has held the fair every year since 1961. The 2026 fair is the 65th annual.

Where do the proceeds go?

The Bluegrass Fair is a Lions Club fundraiser, and all proceeds go to local charities. The club's mission centers on vision and hearing assistance for community members who cannot afford it, and over the past decade the fair has helped the club donate more than $4 million to community organizations.