Oregon State Fair
Oregon State Fair is an annual 11-day state fair in Salem, Oregon, operated by Oregon Expo under the Oregon State Fair Council. It serves Oregon families and regional visitors with livestock exhibitions, youth agricultural programs, concerts, and food, and also runs a year-round event facility.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1861
- HeadquartersSalem, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Oregon State Fair does
Oregon State Fair is an annual state fair operated by Oregon Expo under the Oregon State Fair Council, a state government entity. Established in 1861, the fair runs for approximately 11 days in late August through early September at the Oregon State Fair & Expo Center in Salem. It serves Oregon families, school and youth programs, and regional visitors with a mix of livestock exhibitions, 4-H and FFA competitions (partnering with Oregon State University Extension), agricultural displays, rodeos, motorsports, demolition derbies, and headline concerts on multiple stages. Beyond the annual fair, Oregon Expo operates a year-round business center hosting corporate events, trade shows, and private functions, plus ancillary seasonal events including a 4th of July Spectacular and Scare at the Fair (a Halloween attraction).
The organization monetizes through a diversified revenue model combining ticket sales (admission plus grandstand/concert tickets processed via funcardapp.com), vendor and concession booth fees (managed through eventeny.com), corporate sponsorships across a visible grid of named regional partners (Columbia Bank as concert-series title sponsor; Oregon State Credit Union, Wilco, and others), and facility rentals for non-fair periods. Ticketing and vendor onboarding are digitized through third-party SaaS; no proprietary technology stack is described. The 2026 edition is positioned around AMERICA 250 LIVE, a flagship mega-show tied to the U.S. Semiquincentennial, and introduces new premium hospitality venues including a Rooftop Bar and Taphouse Stage.
Operationally, Oregon State Fair runs with approximately 24 employees under a state-government charter, which structurally eliminates venture-funding and M&A pathways but provides a statutory monopoly on Oregon's official state fair. The hybrid model pairs a public-service mandate (agriculture, youth development, community tradition) with commercial event-management execution, creating a long-duration institutional asset whose primary revenue event is highly weather- and attendance-sensitive but benefits from a 165-year brand legacy and entrenched community programming.
Oregon State Fair firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Oregon State Fair
- Legal name
- Oregon State Fair
- Website
- https://oregonstatefair.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1861
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Oregon State Fair is an annual 11-day state fair in Salem, Oregon, operated by Oregon Expo under the Oregon State Fair Council. It serves Oregon families and regional visitors with livestock exhibitions, youth agricultural programs, concerts, and food, and also runs a year-round event facility.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Oregon State Fair industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Event Entertainment and State Fair Operations
- NAICS
- Amusement Parks and Arcades (7131)
- SIC
- Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- General Consumer Expos & Trade Shows (MPAGAFAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Local Community & Multi-Category Fairs (MPAGAFAO)
Keywords
Where Oregon State Fair is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Salem
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Oregon State Fair business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: Direct ticket sales to fair attendees through funcardapp.com platform. The fair operates a 'Never a Service Fee' pricing model for tickets.
- Vendor and Exhibitor Fees: Revenue from commercial vendors, concessionaires, food trucks, and artisans village exhibitors who pay to participate at the fairgrounds.
- Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorship revenue from multiple partners including Columbia Bank, Oregon State Credit Union, Wilco, and others who sponsor various fair attractions and events.
- Concessions and On-site Sales: Revenue from food, beverages, carnival rides, and on-site attractions within the fairgrounds.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | General Admission Tickets |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | VIP/Go VIP Tickets |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Oregon State Fair product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Oregon State Fair is an annual state fair held for approximately 11 days in late August through early September at the Oregon State Fairgrounds in Salem, Oregon. It offers family entertainment including carnival rides, agricultural and livestock exhibitions, 4-H and FFA youth competitions, a concert series at the L.B. Day Amphitheatre, vendor marketplace, and fair food concessions. The organization also operates seasonal sub-events (4th of July Spectacular, Scare at the Fair) and the year-round Oregon Expo business center for corporate event hosting.
Product overview
The Oregon State Fair is a single unified annual event product held in Salem, Oregon, running from late August through early September. The product portfolio consists of the core Oregon State Fair event supplemented by seasonal sub-products (4th of July Spectacular, Scare at the Fair), the year-round Oregon Expo business center, and multiple venue/facility offerings including the L.B. Day Amphitheatre, Spirit of Oregon Stage, and historic buildings. The fair features diverse attractions including carnival rides (Carnival, Fair Lift, Medusa Ride), family entertainment (Sunny's Fun Camp), competitive programs (Livestock, 4-H, FFA, Creative Living), and the AMERICA 250 LIVE mega-show. The organization also operates a vendor program for commercial vendors, concessionaires, food trucks, and artisans, as well as company picnic services for corporate events.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- AMERICA 250 LIVE: A high-tech, high-octane mega-show celebrating America's 250th anniversary at the Oregon State Fair.
Products and services
- Oregon State Fair Annual state fair event held in Salem, Oregon featuring agricultural exhibitions, livestock competitions, carnival attractions, concerts, and family entertainment. Runs approximately 11 days in late August through early September.
- 4th of July Spectacular
Companies that use Oregon State Fair
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Oregon State Fair technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Oregon State Fair partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Columbia BankcoreMajor sponsor and partner for the 2026 Concert Series. Columbia Bank logo appears prominently on concert series promotional materials as the title sponsor. The partnership provides brand visibility across fair marketing materials and concert venues.
- Oregon State Credit Union (OSCU)coreSponsor of the Oregon State Fair with logo placement on official sponsor grid. Provides financial services visibility to fair attendees.
- WilcocoreAgricultural and rural lifestyle retailer sponsor featuring logo on official sponsor grid. Aligns with fair's agricultural heritage and rural audience.
- DarigoldminorDairy company sponsor with logo displayed on official sponsor grid. Natural fit with fair's agricultural focus and dairy competitions.
- OSU College of Agricultural SciencescoreOregon State University College of Agricultural Sciences sponsors the fair, strengthening ties between agricultural education and the fair's 4-H and livestock programs.
- RichsminorFood/beverage company sponsor with logo on official sponsor grid.
- EvolutionminorSponsor with logo displayed on official sponsor grid.
- Green Acres LandscapeminorLandscape company sponsor with logo on official sponsor grid and stage naming rights for Green Acres Landscape Plaza.
- NW NaturalminorNatural gas utility company sponsor with logo on official sponsor grid.
- Mattress FirmminorRetail sponsor with logo displayed on official sponsor grid.
- State FarmminorInsurance company sponsor with logo displayed on official sponsor grid.
- Crown RoyalminorSpirits brand sponsor with logo displayed on official sponsor grid.
- MichelobminorBeer brand sponsor with logo displayed on official sponsor grid.
- West Coast MetalminorMetal roofing/construction sponsor with logo displayed on official sponsor grid, also a sponsor of the 4th of July Spectacular event.
- Al Jardine of The Beach Boys + The Pet Sounds BandcoreFeatured concert performer at the 2026 Fair on August 29th at L.B. Day Amphitheatre, continuing the Fair's celebration of the 60th Anniversary of Pet Sounds after The Beach Boys cancelled.
- funcardappcoreOfficial ticketing platform for the Oregon State Fair, handling ticket sales, refunds, and customer support for fair admissions and concert tickets.
- eventenycoreEvent management platform used for vendor applications, including commercial vendors, concessionaires, food trucks, and artisan village exhibitor registrations.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Oregon State Fair competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Washington State Fair: The Washington State Fair in Puyallup is one of the largest fairs in the Pacific Northwest, operating annually with carnival rides, livestock shows, concerts, and 4-H/FFA programming — directly mirroring the Oregon State Fair's product mix, audience, and operating model.
- California State Fair (Cal Expo): Cal Expo operates the California State Fair, a government-run annual fair with livestock competitions, concerts, vendor programs, and year-round venue rentals. Its scale, agricultural programming, and public-entity governance closely parallel the Oregon State Fair.
- North Carolina State Fair: The North Carolina State Fair is a state-government-operated 11-day annual fair featuring livestock, agriculture, concerts, and carnival attractions — a near-exact structural and product peer to the Oregon State Fair.
- Eastern States Exposition (The Big E): The Big E is a multi-state regional fair in West Springfield, MA, featuring livestock competitions, concerts, vendor exhibitions, and agricultural programming across 17 days. Its multi-state character and broad consumer expo format parallel the Oregon State Fair's positioning.
- National Western Stock Show: The National Western Stock Show in Denver is an annual livestock-focused event with rodeo, horse shows, exhibitions, and family entertainment. Its emphasis on agricultural heritage and youth programming aligns with the Oregon State Fair's 4-H and FFA positioning.
- Iowa State Fair: The Iowa State Fair is widely regarded as one of the top agricultural state fairs in the U.S., with strong 4-H/FFA integration, livestock judging, concerts, and food competitions — the same core product mix as the Oregon State Fair.
- State Fair of Texas: The State Fair of Texas is a 24-day annual fair in Dallas featuring livestock shows, a major concert series, carnival, and deep corporate sponsorship. It is a national benchmark for the multi-category state fair format the Oregon State Fair operates.
- Minnesota State Fair: The Minnesota State Fair is a 12-day late-summer event with strong livestock programming, a renowned concert series, and deep sponsor engagement. Its scale, timing, and programming mix closely match the Oregon State Fair's operating profile.
- Indiana State Fair: The Indiana State Fair is a state-government-operated annual fair with 4-H programming, livestock shows, concerts, and a year-round event venue — a direct structural peer to the Oregon State Fair's public-entity, multi-event model.
- Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo: Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is a large annual event combining livestock competitions, a top-tier concert series, carnival attractions, and significant corporate sponsorship. Its livestock-and-concert-centric format mirrors Oregon's core fair experience at larger scale.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Oregon State Fair social profiles
Digital presenceOregon State Fair financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Oregon State Fair leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Oregon State Fair funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Oregon State Fair M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Oregon State Fair
What does Oregon State Fair do?
The Oregon State Fair is an annual state fair held for approximately 11 days in late August through early September at the Oregon State Fairgrounds in Salem, Oregon. It offers family entertainment including carnival rides, agricultural and livestock exhibitions, 4-H and FFA youth competitions, a concert series at the L.B. Day Amphitheatre, vendor marketplace, and fair food concessions. The organization also operates seasonal sub-events (4th of July Spectacular, Scare at the Fair) and the year-round Oregon Expo business center for corporate event hosting.
Is Oregon State Fair a public or private company?
Oregon State Fair is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Oregon State Fair founded?
Oregon State Fair was founded in 1861. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Oregon State Fair based?
Oregon State Fair is headquartered in Salem, United States, in the North America region.
How does Oregon State Fair make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are vendor and Exhibitor Fees, sponsorships and concessions and On-site Sales.
Who are Oregon State Fair's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Washington State Fair, California State Fair (Cal Expo), North Carolina State Fair, Eastern States Exposition (The Big E), National Western Stock Show, Iowa State Fair, State Fair of Texas, Minnesota State Fair, Indiana State Fair and Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
Does Oregon State Fair have an API?
No public API is recorded for Oregon State Fair.
What industry is Oregon State Fair in?
Oregon State Fair's product category is Event Entertainment and State Fair Operations. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGAFAA, General Consumer Expos & Trade Shows, with a secondary code of MPAGAFAO, Local Community & Multi-Category Fairs. Its NAICS code is 7131 and its SIC code is 7990.