What Sets It Apart
Aberdeen's Brown County Fair drew an estimated 279,451 visitors in 2017, up from 265,819 the year before, according to Aberdeen News. Since the fair is free to attend, the county calculates attendance using a traffic-count formula rather than ticket sales. Running since 1921, it's one of the state's largest county fairs.
Source: Aberdeen NewsPlanning Your Visit
Aberdeen is South Dakota's third-largest city and the L. Frank Baum (Wizard of Oz author) connection — the Aberdeen area claims Baum's inspiration for Dorothy's Kansas.
A Closer Look
Held annually in Aberdeen, the Brown County Fair is a seven-day mid-August celebration in the Hub City of the James River valley, drawing families from northeastern South Dakota for one of the state's largest county fairs. Since its 1921 founding, it's endured as a century-plus South Dakota agricultural tradition.
Fair Highlights
Typical offerings include livestock shows, 4-H and FFA competitions, carnival rides, grandstand entertainment, and the agricultural community spirit of the James River's most important city.
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