Greater Gulf State Fair: 2026 run ends Sunday, Nov. 8

Last checked Nov. 8, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address. Facts come from the fair’s own site, greatergulfstatefair.com.

The 2026 Greater Gulf State Fair ends Sunday, Nov. 8, at The Grounds, 1035 Cody Road N in west Mobile. On the last day, gates open at noon, the rodeo starts at 2:30 p.m., the ticket office closes at 9 p.m. and the midway closes at 10 p.m. It opened Friday, Oct. 30. It is the city’s biggest annual fair: 10 days of midway rides, livestock barns, free concerts and a rodeo. The fair says it draws more than 100,000 people over its run. Buy tickets and check hours at greatergulfstatefair.com.

Updated Nov. 8: Sunday, Nov. 8, is the last day of the 2026 fair. The fair had not announced its 2027 dates; we will add them when it does.

Know before you go

• Dates: Oct. 30 to Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026; 2027 dates not yet announced
• Where: The Grounds, 1035 Cody Road N, at Cody Road and Zeigler Boulevard
• Gate prices: adults $10 Monday to Thursday, $12 Friday to Sunday; children 5 to 10 $5 and $6
• Rodeo: 7:30 p.m. Sat. Nov. 7 and 2:30 p.m. Sun. Nov. 8, free with admission
• Fair office: 251-344-4573

Fair hours

The fair posts these 2026 hours. The ticket office closes an hour before the midway.

Tickets and ride prices

Prices are from the fair’s ticket page. Concerts, the rodeo and on-grounds shows are included in admission.

Advance prices ($8 adult, $4 child, $30 wristband) ended at 3:59 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30.

At the gate, Oct. 30 to Nov. 8:

• Children 4 and under get in free but need a wristband or ride tickets to ride.
• Ride tickets, sold only on the midway: 20 for $10, 65 for $30, 145 for $60. Each ride takes a different number of tickets.
• A skip-the-line Midway Access wristband is $15, sold only at the midway booths.
• Children under 42 inches may have to ride some rides with a paying adult.
• The two-for-one “Twofer” deal ended Oct. 11. Tickets from the 2025 fair are not valid, and all sales are final.

Online tickets arrive by email or text and are scanned at the gate. The fair suggests taking a screenshot of the QR code in case cell service is weak.

Concerts and the rodeo

The Community Stage has free shows every night, according to the fair’s music lineup. A few of them:

• Johnny Hayes & the Alabama Fire, 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 1, and the Veronica Jean Trio, 6 p.m.
• Eric Woods & the Way Down, 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 2
• Surfers Club Band, 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5
• Marybeth Byrd, a Top 10 finalist on “American Idol” Season 23, 6 p.m. Fri. Nov. 6
• W.B. Sims, 6 p.m. Sat. Nov. 7
• The Dirty Fridays, 6 p.m. Sun. Nov. 8

The rodeo runs at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8. Shows on the Pickin’ Porch, in the Marketplace by the entrance, are also free with admission.

Getting there and parking

The fair recommends its Howell’s Ferry Road entrance to skip the traffic on Zeigler Boulevard. That entrance leads straight into the parking lot, with a police officer, lights and signs at the gate (directions). Before you drive, check our road construction and closures page and our getting around Mobile page.

Rules: bags, curfew, pets

The fair’s policies page sets these rules:

• Clear bags only. Clear bags up to 12 by 6 by 12 inches, a 1-gallon clear freezer bag or a clutch no bigger than 4.5 by 6.5 inches. No backpacks. Parents with diaper bags get a separate line.
• Youth curfew. After 7 p.m., anyone 17 or younger must be with an adult 21 or older, up to five minors per adult. No drop-offs, and IDs may be checked.
• No pets except service animals.
• No outside food or drink, no alcohol (including in the parking lots), no weapons even with a permit, no smoking or vaping, no drones, no selfie sticks, tents or chairs.
• Bags and strollers may be searched. Mobile police patrol the fair.

How the fair began

The Mobile Junior Chamber of Commerce, now the Mobile Jaycees, started the fair in 1955. It began on Blakeley Island and later moved to Ladd Stadium, and a young Elvis Presley played its stage in the early years, according to the fair’s history page. In 1975 the fair bought the 90-acre site at Cody Road and Zeigler Boulevard, paid for with fair proceeds, and added 70 acres in 2017.

More fall events are on our fall festivals and pumpkin patches guide and things to do in Mobile this month.

Frequently asked questions

When is the 2027 Greater Gulf State Fair?

The fair had not announced its 2027 dates as of Nov. 8, 2026. The 2026 fair ran Friday, Oct. 30, through Sunday, Nov. 8. This page will be updated when the fair posts the new dates.

When is the Greater Gulf State Fair in 2026?

Friday, Oct. 30, through Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026, at The Grounds, 1035 Cody Road N in Mobile. Gates open at 4 p.m. on weekdays and at noon on Saturdays and Sundays.

How much are Greater Gulf State Fair tickets?

Advance sales ended Oct. 30. During the fair, adults 11 and up pay $10 Monday to Thursday and $12 Friday to Sunday; children 5 to 10 pay $5 and $6. Children 4 and under get in free.

How much is an unlimited ride wristband at the Gulf State Fair?

$35 Monday to Thursday and $40 Friday to Sunday during the fair. Ride tickets are also sold on the midway, 20 for $10.

Is the rodeo included in Gulf State Fair admission?

Yes. The rodeo, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8, and all concerts are free with fair admission.

Can teenagers go to the Gulf State Fair alone?

Not at night. After 7 p.m., everyone 17 or younger must be with a parent, guardian or chaperone 21 or older, and one adult may bring no more than five minors. There is no drop-off.