The 2015 Nebraska State Fair starts Friday, August 28th! It goes through Monday, September 7th and takes place in Grand Island, NE, about 1.5 hours from Lincoln.
We went during the first weekend and had a good time. We'll definitely go back next year. It was very clean, well organized and all of the volunteers were very helfpull. It was crowded and when we left at 3:00 PM people, there was no on-site parking.
So, what is at the fair?
Animals-The Youth Livestock Show is a great way for your kids to learn about animals by talking with the kids who raised the animals. Walk the barns to see the various farm animals, including a birth barn for brand-new babies born at the fair! Have you ever seen a newborn piglet? Get ready for squeals from the pigs and your kids.
We even saw a sheep decorated for Halloween. 
Family Friendly Areas-If you are going to the Fair with young children, you’ll be happy to know that there are two family-friendly designated areas. The Family-friendly Area includes free family fun games, contests, and creative crafts each day of the Fair! Additionally there is a kids play area with a giant sandbox, pedal trikes and giant games. There is also a petting zoo for your little ones to interact with the animals up close. My children's favorite area was the Nebraska Game & Parks area. It was so interactive. There was a river for kids to play in, a freshwater aquarium, a fishing game and more. We were there for over an hour.
Rides-If you are going with older kids, you know what they are going to want to do-rides. There will be over 40 carnival rides at the Fair. The rides open at 11:00 AM on weekends and 1:00 PM on weekdays. Wristbands cost $22 on weekdays and $25 on weekends. They have a "Lil Pardner" ride area for smaller ones as well. The wrist bands cost the same as the larger ride area. We ended up buying 18 tickets, since each ride cost 3 tickets and had each child choose 3 rides. Rides start at 36 inches.
Food-It’s a fair-of course, there is going to be great (and sometimes weird) food! The largest line that we saw was at the Beef Pavilion and we'll be going there next year based on the looks of those coming out. You are also welcome to bring in your own food and non-alcoholic drinks if you would prefer.
Music-There will be many musical acts at this year’s Fair. The Big One is Keith Urban who plays on Saturday, August 29th. Lincoln’s very own String Beans will be playing this year at the Fair! To check out the complete music schedule click here.
Other Attractions-There are lots and lots of other attractions at the fair including comedians, fitness events, food eating contests, and more.
Admission- Admission varies daily from $2-$10 depending on the day you go. Check here to find the correct amount. If you leave the Fair and plan on coming back later that day be sure to get a stamp.
Parking: Parking is FREE. Plan on it spending 15-45 minutes to get from your parking lot to the Fair. There are shuttles running from the parking lots to the Fair. The west parking lot and mail entrance on State Fair Boulevard can be accessed from South Locust Street. The east parking lot can be accessed from Stuhr Road. Bus parking will be available on the North side of the grounds, off of Fonner Park Road. There are also four off-site parking locations throughout Grand Island, along with shuttles to and from the fairgrounds. Click here for more parking information. We arrived early on the weekend and we were able to find parking and walked to the fair with no problems.
Overall: As mentioned, we had a great time. We got there early, around 11:00 AM and we left by 3:00 PM. We were able to see most of the fair but we were tired and it was getting hot by 3:00 PM. Make sure to pack hats, sun screen and water. The fairgrounds are stroller and wagon friendly if you think your little ones will need a ride. There is a nursing station for any moms that want to nurse privately. We didn't bring enough cash with us when we went, thinking that some places would take credit cards. We spent about $60 on the day including admission, carnival rides and food. We'll definitely go back next year!
