Central Wisconsin State Fair

What Central Wisconsin State Fair does

The Central Wisconsin State Fair Association is a private nonprofit organization that operates the 55+ acre Marshfield Fairgrounds in Marshfield, Wisconsin, home to the World's Largest Round Barn, a 150-foot diameter historic structure built in 1915-1916. Its core offering is the annual Central Wisconsin State Fair (scheduled August 25-30 in 2026), which features grandstand entertainment (Hairball, Home Free, Chris Young, Blackberry Smoke, C. Check Bucking Bulls), Mr. Ed's Magical Midway carnival, livestock exhibitions, and youth programs through 4-H and FFA partnerships. Supporting services include year-round facility rentals across 17+ named buildings (expo halls, barns, show palaces, arenas) for weddings, trade shows, and corporate events, a 600+ site campground open May through mid-October, branded merchandise, and donation-based Round Barn tours.

Revenue is generated through ticket sales (grandstand $18-$95, season passes $17-$37), sponsorship packages, vendor fees for food and merchandise operators, camping fees, facility rental income, branded merchandise sales (apparel, cow bells, Round Barn Tales book), and Round Barn tour donations. Ticketing is processed through the Saffire platform with all-inclusive online pricing. The organization reaches 62,000+ annual attendees, 15,000+ Facebook followers, and 230,000+ yearly website visitors, with no proprietary technology stack, no AI capabilities, and no external funding rounds. Governance is provided by a Board of Directors under Executive Director Dale Christiansen.

The customer base spans general-public families attending the annual fair, 4-H and FFA youth exhibitors, open-class livestock exhibitors, event organizers renting facilities, RV and tent campers, and local/regional business sponsors. Distribution is regional, with geographic reach extending across central Wisconsin within a 2-3 hour drive of Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay, and Eau Claire. Marketing channels include Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat, email newsletter, and the official website, supplemented by community partnerships with Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin and other local organizations.

Name

Central Wisconsin State Fair

Legal name

Central Wisconsin State Fair Association

Website

https://centralwisconsinstatefair.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1915

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Central Wisconsin State Fair Association operates the 55+ acre Marshfield Fairgrounds, hosting an annual fair (62,000+ attendees), year-round facility rentals, camping, and programs serving families, 4-H/FFA youth, exhibitors, and regional sponsors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Fair & Event Services

NAICS

Amusement and Theme Parks (71311)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Fairgrounds & Expo Parks (THAHAAAH)

Keywords

• Agricultural fair events
• Fairground facility rentals
• Livestock exhibitions
• Community event management
• Youth agriculture programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Marshfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from admission tickets, grandstand show tickets, and season passes for the annual fair event. Grandstand tickets range from $18-$95 for adults and include gate admission. Season passes provide daily admission for the duration of the fair.
2. Sponsorship: Corporate sponsorship revenue from businesses sponsoring various fair events, programs, and facilities. The fair offers sponsorship packages targeting local and regional businesses looking to reach the fair's 62,000+ annual attendees.
3. Vendor Fees: Revenue from merchandise vendors and food vendors participating in the fair. The fair charges fees for booth spaces and vendor contracts for both merchandise and food vendors.
4. Camping Fees: Revenue from the fairgrounds campground featuring over 100 sites with water/electric hook-ups and over 500 primitive sites. Fees vary by site type and include dump station usage fees.
5. Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including t-shirts, hoodies, crewnecks, cow bells, and the 'Round Barn Tales' book. Merchandise available for purchase through the CWSF office.
6. Facility Rentals: Revenue from renting various buildings and grounds for events including weddings, animal shows, trade shows, and other community gatherings. Buildings include expo halls, barns, show palaces, and outdoor spaces.
7. Round Barn Tours: Donation-based tours of the World's Largest Round Barn, available for $1.00 per person. Tours booked through the fair office.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Central Wisconsin State Fair Association operates an annual state fair and year-round fairgrounds complex on 55+ acres in Marshfield, Wisconsin. Core offerings include the multi-day annual fair with grandstand entertainment, carnival midway, agricultural/livestock exhibitions, and junior fair programs; year-round building and facility rentals for weddings, trade shows, and community events; a campground with 100+ utility hookup sites and 500+ primitive sites; and ancillary revenue from merchandise, sponsorships, and vendor fees. The World's Largest Round Barn (150-foot diameter, built 1915-1916) serves as the signature historic landmark and tour attraction.

Product overview

The Central Wisconsin State Fair operates as a traditional agricultural fair with a portfolio of interconnected products and services centered around its 55+ acre Marshfield Fairgrounds. The core offering is the annual Central Wisconsin State Fair (August 25-30, 2026) featuring grandstand entertainment with ticketed shows (Hairball, Home Free, Chris Young, Blackberry Smoke, bull riding), Mr. Ed's Magical Midway carnival, and livestock/creative arts exhibitions through Junior and Open Class programs. Supporting services include building and facility rentals (Expo Building, Jer Lang Show Palace, Round Barn, Horse Arenas, and multiple barns) for events and trade shows, campground services with 100+ hookup sites, and merchandise including apparel and the Round Barn Tales book. Additional programs include the Fairest of the Fair ambassador program, scholarship awards, the Born to Dairy festival, Christmas Show, and sponsorship/vendor opportunities for businesses. The fair's signature attraction is the World's Largest Round Barn (150 feet diameter, built 1915-1916), which offers tours and serves as the centerpiece of the fairgrounds.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Central Wisconsin State Fair (Annual Fair Event) Multi-day annual fair featuring agricultural exhibits, livestock shows, carnival rides, grandstand entertainment, and family activities, held at the Marshfield Fairgrounds. The 2026 fair is scheduled for August 25-30.
• Grandstand Entertainment Tickets

Quantifiable outcome

• 62,000+ annual attendees
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Dairy Farmers of WisconsincoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 June 2026Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin partners with the CWSF for the Born to Dairy: Bites, Brews, and Beats event. The partnership promotes the Born to Dairy campaign highlighting the authenticity, humor, and pride of Wisconsin dairy farmers. The event features dairy-focused food, craft beer, cheese makers, and local producers with proceeds supporting fairgrounds improvements.
• Mr. Ed's Magical Midways, LLCcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMr. Ed's Magical Midways provides carnival rides and entertainment for the Central Wisconsin State Fair. They operate the midway with state-of-the-art rides, courtesy employees, and customer amenities. Wristbands for carnival rides are sold exclusively through their website. Chad Duchow leads the company with a mission to provide safe, quality amusement ride services and special programs including free rides for reading and accessibility initiatives.
• Two 1/2 Cups Cupcakery & BakeshopminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of the CWSF Fairest of the Fair Program, providing support for the ambassador/royalty program and their community appearances and event attendance.
• Circle The DateminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of the CWSF Fairest of the Fair Program, supporting the ambassador/royalty program activities and community event appearances.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Minnesota State Fair: Iconic 12-day state fair in Falcon Heights, MN, drawing ~2 million visitors annually. Directly comparable operating model: livestock exhibitions, grandstand entertainment, competitive agricultural programming, and historic fairgrounds facilities — serving a neighboring Upper Midwest dairy state with similar demographic profile.
• Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo: Largest livestock exhibition and rodeo in the world, held annually at NRG Park in Houston. Directly comparable in combining world-class livestock competitions, major concert/entertainment programming, and year-round fairground facilities; nonprofit model with scholarship and youth agricultural education programs paralleling CWSF's 4-H/FFA focus.
• National Western Stock Show: Annual livestock exhibition and rodeo held in Denver, CO. Directly comparable as a multi-week agricultural event combining livestock judging, rodeo entertainment, and trade show elements on a fixed fairgrounds complex; operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit association similar to CWSF.
• Delaware State Fair: Annual state fair held in Harrington, DE, operated as a nonprofit association. Comparable in scale to CWSF with livestock exhibitions, grandstand concerts, carnival midway, and year-round fairground facility rentals on a multi-building complex.
• Iowa State Fair: One of the largest state fairs in the country, held annually in Des Moines. Comparable agricultural fair model with livestock shows, grandstand concerts, food vendors, and 4-H/FFA programming; serves a neighboring agricultural Midwest state with strong dairy and livestock ties similar to central Wisconsin.
• Erie County Fair: Annual county fair held in Hamburg, NY, drawing ~1 million visitors. Comparable operating model featuring livestock shows, grandstand entertainment, midway rides, and agricultural exhibitions; provides useful benchmark for attendance scaling and mid-sized fair economics relevant to CWSF.
• Ozark Empire Fair: Regional fair held annually in Springfield, MO, operated by a nonprofit association. Closely matches CWSF in scale and programming: livestock exhibitions, grandstand entertainment, carnival midway, 4-H/FFA programs, and year-round facility rentals on a multi-building fairgrounds complex.
• American Royal Association: Kansas City-based nonprofit that hosts annual livestock exhibitions, rodeos, horse shows, and BBQ competitions. Comparable as a nonprofit agricultural event organization operating a fairgrounds-style venue with livestock judging, youth programming, and scholarship programs similar to CWSF.
• Wisconsin State Fair Park: Wisconsin's flagship state fair held annually at State Fair Park in West Allis. Most direct comparable to CWSF: same state, same agricultural fair model with grandstand entertainment, livestock exhibitions, and carnival midway; serves a different geographic market (southeastern WI vs. central WI).

Regional players

• Tulsa State Fair: Annual state fair held in Tulsa, OK, operated by a nonprofit fair association. Comparable mid-sized state fair model with grandstand entertainment, livestock shows, and carnival midway; serves a different geography (Oklahoma vs. Wisconsin) but useful for benchmarking fairgrounds monetization strategies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@CentralWisconsinFairGrounds
• Facebookfacebook.com/cwstatefair
• Instagraminstagram.com/1centralwisconsinstatefair
• TikToktiktok.com/@centralwistatefair?_r=1&_t=ZT-93yfFaU1Mo2
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/central-wisconsin-state-fair

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Central Wisconsin State Fair