Oklahoma’s State Fair Ranked One of the Biggest in U.S.

I think you can say an event is huge when it takes more than a week to make room for just how many events there are. But did you know that one of Oklahoma's State Fairs is not just the largest in the state, but it also one of the largest in the country?

The Tulsa State Fair

A TikTok from globeglazer surfaced that ranked the top 5 state fairs in the U.S. The Tulsa State Fair came in 4th, right above the New York State Fair.

@globeglazer Top State Fairs!! #fyp #viral #ai #statefair #fair #deepfried #texasstatefair #newyorkstatefair #oklahomastatefair #food #top5 #top10 #state #texas ♬ original sound - Global

It's been this way for years, where Oklahoma's State Fair has been bigger than other states in the country like Washington, Iowa and North Carolina. Every year, the largest city in Oklahoma gets even bigger in September and October when people from all over travel to Tulsa to celebrate the biggest fair in the state. Stages full of performances, buildings full of exhibits and, of course, the rides are just a few pieces to the eleven-day-long fair. It wasn't always as big as what it was - it actually started smaller than a county free fair.

Where Did It Start?

Way back in the 1890s, Tulsa hosted a yearly street fair that eventually grew enough to earn a "county free fair" status in 1903. Back before they had the massive fairgrounds they have today, they pitched tents in the Expo Square, on land donated by a generous oilman, to show off their exhibits.

@tiktoklahoma A birds-eye view of Tulsa State Fair over the years. #oklahoma #tulsa #ok #amusementpark #bells #timelapse #tulsastatefair #1990s #2000s #fun #fyp #history #video #oklahomacheck #bellsamusementpark ♬ Blade Runner 2049 - Synthwave Goose

Over the years, it grew more and more, with people swarming the event and shows growing each celebration. Eventually in 1935, the county free fair became a state fair because of legislation at that time.

Since then, the state fair has grow immensely, gaining millions of visitors. In 2022, the Tulsa State Fair had 1.2 million attendees and in 2024, things are looking bigger than ever.

Why Does Oklahoma Have 2 State Fairs?

The majority of people think that Oklahoma has 2 state fairs because of the fact that Tulsa caters to one part of the state while Oklahoma City caters to the other. Although it does make sense, it isn't the real reason there are two.

@tulsastatefair What’s better than the Tulsa State Fair during the day? The Tulsa State Fair at night! #tulsastatefair #megaridepass #tulsaoklahoma #tsf #fairrides ♬ original sound - bree

In fact, Oklahoma City held the first official state fair back in 1889, shortly after the Land Run. The Tulsa State Fair didn't become a state fair until after it grew large enough in 1935.

Even though the Tulsa State Fair is larger, the fair held in Oklahoma City doesn't trail far behind, as it has been on the list of the top 15 state fairs annually, as well.

For details on each of the fairs, check out the links below:

Tulsa State Fair: September 26 - October 6, 2024

Oklahoma State Fair in OKC: September 12 - 22, 2024

Luckily, they're back to back and leave plenty of room to attend both. Now you know!