What Delaware State Fair does

Delaware State Fair, Inc. is a Delaware-incorporated non-profit organization that has operated continuously since 1919, running an annual 10-day agricultural exposition on a 225-acre fairgrounds complex in Harrington, Delaware. The 2026 fair is scheduled for July 23 through August 1. The organization serves a broad constituency spanning the general public attending as fairgoers, the regional agricultural community through 4-H, FFA, and livestock programming, event planners booking year-round venue rentals, and corporate sponsors seeking consumer engagement across Blue, Red, and White Ribbon tiers.

The fairgrounds feature multiple purpose-built venues including the M&T Bank Grandstand, the 80,500-square-foot Quillen Arena, and the 40,000-square-foot Schabinger Pavilion, supported by carnival midway infrastructure, livestock exhibition halls, and 300+ camping spaces. Technology stack is limited to the Etix digital ticketing platform, a website-based event calendar, and email marketing to an 86,000+ subscriber base. Governance is provided by an 80-member Board of Directors and a 12-member Junior Board.

Revenue is generated through multiple streams: gate admission (children 5 and under free; ages 6–12 at $5.50), concert tickets priced in a $44–$250 range for the 2026 lineup featuring Warren Zeiders, Bailey Zimmerman, For King & Country, Weird Al, and Men at Work, carnival wristbands, camping fees at $410–$470 per season, tiered corporate sponsorship payments, year-round facility rentals, and vendor/concession fees. The organization draws 300,000+ fairgoers annually and is expanding year-round commercial utilization of its real estate to reduce dependence on the 10-day fair window.

Name

Delaware State Fair

Legal name

Delaware State Fair, Inc.

Website

https://delawarestatefair.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1919

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Delaware State Fair, Inc. is a 1919 non-profit operating a 225-acre Harrington, Delaware fairgrounds, hosting a 10-day annual agricultural fair drawing 300,000+ attendees for concerts, livestock shows, and rides, plus year-round venue rentals funded by admissions and sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Fair and Event Venue Services

NAICS

Amusement Parks and Arcades (7131)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Local Community & Multi-Category Fairs (MPAGAFAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fairgrounds & Expo Parks (THAHAAAH), Family, Kids & Education Fairs (MPAGAFAH)

Keywords

• Agricultural fair events
• Live concert venue
• Fairground venue rentals
• Livestock exhibitions
• Corporate event sponsorship

Headquarters

HQ city

Harrington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Gate Admission Tickets: Revenue from daily and multi-day gate admissions. Adults (13+) pay $10.50 online per day or $35.50 for a 5-day pass. Children ages 6-12 pay $5.50 online per day. Children 5 and under are free.
2. Concert and Event Tickets: Revenue from concert ticket sales at the M&T Bank Grandstand and Quillen Arena. Tickets range from $34 to $250+ depending on artist and seating tier. VIP packages available for premium pricing.
3. Carnival and Ride Wristbands: Unlimited ride wristbands for carnival attractions, priced at $27 for any single day during the fair.
4. Fair Time Camping: Camping fees for over 300 camping spaces with water and electric hookups. 30 Amp spaces $410, 50 Amp spaces $470 for the 10-day fair period. Additional charges for refrigerators/freezers and pre-fair electric.
5. Corporate Sponsorships: Revenue from tiered sponsorship programs (Blue Ribbon, Red Ribbon, White Ribbon sponsors). Blue Ribbon sponsors include Delaware Lottery Games, Food Lion, M&T Bank, Pepsi, Toyota, and others. Sponsors receive visibility across fairgrounds, website, and email communications to 86,000+ subscribers.
6. Facilities Rentals: Year-round rental of fairgrounds facilities including Schabinger Pavilion (40,000 sq ft), Memorial Hall, Quillen Arena (80,500 sq ft facility), Dover Building, Kent Building, Exhibit Hall, Delmarva Building, and The Grounds. Available for trade shows, craft shows, livestock shows, banquets, weddings, and other events.
7. Concessions and Vendor Fees: Revenue from food and non-food vendor placements on the fairgrounds during the annual fair and other events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Delaware State Fair, Inc. operates a 10-day annual agricultural fair held July 23 - August 1, 2026, featuring livestock exhibitions, competitive exhibits, concerts, carnival rides, food vendors, and family entertainment at the 225-acre fairgrounds in Harrington, Delaware. The organization also generates year-round revenue through fairgrounds venue rentals (Memorial Hall, Quillen Arena, Schabinger Pavilion), fair time camping, equipment rentals, and corporate sponsorships.

Product overview

The Delaware State Fair is a 10-day annual agricultural fair held July 23 - August 1, 2026 in Harrington, Delaware, operated by the non-profit Delaware State Fair, Inc. The company's product portfolio centers on its flagship annual fair event featuring livestock exhibitions, competitive exhibits, carnival rides, concerts at the M&T Bank Grandstand and Quillen Arena, food vendors, and family entertainment. Supporting products include venue rental services (Memorial Hall, Exhibit Hall, Quillen Arena, Schabinger Pavilion, and other facilities) for year-round events like trade shows, weddings, and banquets; fair time camping with over 300 hookup spaces; exhibitor and vendor services; equipment rentals; admission tickets and passes including 1-day, 5-day, and unlimited ride wristbands; and special events programming including concerts, Demolition Derby, and The Witch Market. The fair also offers a shareholder program for stock ownership in the non-profit corporation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Delaware State Fair Annual Event The annual 10-day Delaware State Fair held July 23 - August 1, 2026, featuring livestock exhibitions, competitive exhibits, concerts, carnival rides, food vendors, and family entertainment at the Harrington, Delaware fairgrounds.
• Concert Entertainment / M&T Bank Grandstand Shows Live concert venue hosting major musical acts at the M&T Bank Grandstand (premier outdoor concert venue on the Delmarva Peninsula) and Quillen Arena, with tickets ranging from $34 to $250+ including VIP packages.
• Fairground Venue Rentals Year-round rental of fairground facilities including Schabinger Pavilion (40,000 sq ft), Memorial Hall, Quillen Arena (80,500 sq ft), Dover Building, Kent Building, Exhibit Hall, Delmarva Building, and The Grounds for events, banquets, trade shows, weddings, and livestock shows.
• Fair Time Camping Camping facilities with over 300 spaces offering water and electric (30/50 amp) hookups for exhibitors and patrons during the 10-day fair, with 30 Amp spaces at $410 and 50 Amp spaces at $470 for the 10-day fair period.
• Admission Tickets and Passes Various ticket options including 1-day gate admission ($10.50 adults, $5.50 children ages 6-12, free for under 5), 5-day passes ($35.50 adults), VIP daily parking ($26), and unlimited ride wristbands ($27).
• Carnival Rides and Wristbands Carnival attractions and unlimited ride wristbands for fairgoers during the Delaware State Fair, with wristbands priced at $27 for any single day.
• Livestock Exhibits and Junior Livestock Auction Livestock exhibitions, competitive agricultural exhibits, contests, and the Junior Livestock Auction serving 4-H and FFA youth and agricultural exhibitors at the annual fair.
• Equipment and Facility Rentals Rental equipment and services including bleachers, chairs, tables, PA systems, portable screens, stages, restroom cleaning, trash removal, and vendor supply services for events at the fairgrounds.
• Special Events (Witch Market, Demolition Derby) Year-round special events including The Witch Market (metaphysical/nature market), Demolition Derby, Kids Demolition Derby, and various concerts and festivals held at the fairgrounds outside the annual 10-day fair.
• Vendor and Concession Services Spaces and services for food and merchandise vendors including exhibit spaces, concessions, and promotional services for events at the fairgrounds.

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Delaware Lottery GamesflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerBlue Ribbon Sponsor of the Delaware State Fair. Delaware Lottery provides gaming entertainment and is a major supporter of the annual fair event.
• Food LionflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerBlue Ribbon Sponsor. Regional grocery chain providing sponsorship support for the Delaware State Fair.
• M&T BankflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerBlue Ribbon Sponsor and naming rights partner for the M&T Bank Grandstand, the premier outdoor concert venue on the Delmarva Peninsula.
• PepsiflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerBlue Ribbon Sponsor. Pepsi provides beverage sponsorship for the Delaware State Fair.
• ToyotaflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerBlue Ribbon Sponsor. Automotive manufacturer supporting the Delaware State Fair.
• University of DelawareflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerBlue Ribbon Sponsor and presenting sponsor of the Delaware Building. Features UDairy Creamery ice cream and Delaware elected officials.
• EtixcoreTechnology or IntegrationPrimary and only authorized ticketing platform for the Delaware State Fair (outside the box office). Handles all online ticket sales for concerts and admissions.
• Delaware Department of AgriculturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for the Department of Agriculture Commodities Building at the fair, showcasing Delaware agricultural products and resources.
• Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for the DNREC Building at the fair, providing environmental education and information.
• HertrichflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerBlue Ribbon Sponsor. Regional automotive dealership supporting the fair.
• Tito's VodkaflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerBlue Ribbon Sponsor. Spirits brand supporting the Delaware State Fair.
• USAF (United States Air Force)flagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerBlue Ribbon Sponsor. Military branch with recruitment and community presence at the fair.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• National Western Stock Show: The National Western Stock Show is a 16-day annual livestock exhibition and rodeo in Denver featuring livestock competitions, equestrian events, and concert-style entertainment. It is a comparable event-driven, livestock-centric, multi-day agricultural show.
• Eastern States Exposition (The Big E): The Big E is a 17-day regional fair in West Springfield, Massachusetts serving the six New England states, with livestock shows, a concert series, and agricultural competitions. It is a regional fair counterpart of similar scale and structure to the Delaware State Fair.
• State Fair of Texas: The State Fair of Texas operates a 24-day annual fair in Dallas with livestock exhibitions, a major concert series (Chevy Main Stage), and year-round facilities. It is the largest state fair in the US by attendance and the most directly comparable operational model to the Delaware State Fair, scaled up.
• Ohio State Fair: The Ohio State Fair is a 12-day annual agricultural fair in Columbus featuring livestock, agricultural education, a grandstand concert series, and youth programs. Its mix of agricultural mission and entertainment programming closely parallels DSF.
• Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo: Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is a multi-week annual event combining a premier livestock exposition with a large-scale concert series (NRG Stadium). It directly mirrors DSF's agricultural-exhibition-plus-entertainment model, scaled up significantly.
• California State Fair: Cal Expo operates the California State Fair, a multi-week annual fair with livestock competitions, grandstand entertainment, and year-round venue rentals of its exposition facilities. It is a directly comparable state-fair operator on the larger West Coast scale.
• Iowa State Fair: The Iowa State Fair is an 11-day annual agricultural fair featuring livestock competitions, a grandstand concert series, and extensive food/vendor programming. It is widely regarded as one of the top state fairs in the US and directly comparable to DSF in event structure, length, and revenue mix.
• Minnesota State Fair: The Minnesota State Fair is a 12-day end-of-summer agricultural fair consistently ranked among the highest-attended US state fairs. It combines livestock judging, competitive exhibits, grandstand entertainment, and year-round facilities—closely matching DSF's product architecture.

Regional players

• Maryland State Fair: The Maryland State Fair is an 11-day annual fair in Timonium, Maryland serving the Mid-Atlantic region adjacent to DSF's footprint. It offers livestock shows, concerts, and agricultural competitions, making it a directly comparable but regionally distinct peer.

Broad incumbents

• Live Nation Entertainment: Live Nation is the world's largest live entertainment company and promoter of concerts at amphitheaters, arenas, and festivals. While not a fair operator, it is the broader incumbent controlling artist touring economics that directly affect DSF's grandstand concert bookings and ticket pricing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@DelStateFair/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/DelStateFair
• Instagraminstagram.com/delstatefair
• TikToktiktok.com/@delstatefair?lang=en
• Xx.com/delstatefair
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-delaware-state-fair-inc-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Delaware State Fair