Planning Your Visit
Located at the Elko County Fairgrounds in Elko, at the intersection of I-80 and US-93. Elko is the "Cowboy Poetry Capital of America" and home to the Western Folklife Center. The drive east on I-80 through the Ruby Mountains offers some of Nevada's most dramatic scenery. Check elkocountyfair.com for the current schedule.
Fair Highlights
Championship livestock competitions across cattle, horses, swine, sheep, and poultry; PRCA rodeo events; 4-H and FFA exhibits; carnival midway; live country music and western entertainment; commercial vendors; agricultural exhibits; and authentic Great Basin ranch culture throughout. The rodeo is the fair's centerpiece.
A Closer Look
The Elko County Fair, celebrating its 105th year in 2026, is one of Nevada's oldest and most venerable county fairs, held each late August through Labor Day at the Elko County Fairgrounds. It began in 1922 and has stayed a fixture of Nevada agricultural life for more than a century. Elko is the cultural hub of the Great Basin ranch country — home to the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering — and the fair reflects the deep cowboy culture and ranching heritage of northeastern Nevada.
Heading to Elko County Fair?
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