Nebraska State Fair Concludes With Strong Attendance and High Guest Satisfaction

The Nebraska State Fair wrapped up its 2025 run with a total attendance of 334,383, marking an increase of 6% year over year.

Opening weekend was bolstered by phenomenal weather, with Saturday and Sunday providing some of the best conditions the Fair has seen in recent years. The second weekend experienced showers on Saturday that dampened crowds slightly, but attendance rebounded with a strong turnout of over 54k attendees on Sunday.

“The weather gave us a huge boost early on, and even with a little rain, we saw incredible energy across the fairgrounds,” said Jaime Parr, Executive Director of the Nebraska State Fair. “Attendance definitely isn’t everything, but it is a good indicator for our team to evaluate and explore year over year to monitor trends and anomalies.”

So many guests poured into the fairgrounds that parking lots reached capacity on multiple days, making it more convenient for some to take the free shuttles offered from Sam’s Club and Central Community College parking lots.

According to guest surveys, folks visiting the fair spent an average of more than six hours each visit, which Parr notes is a little more than last year, likely due to cooler temperatures.

Overall guest satisfaction was up 2.5% compared to last year, with 80% of attendees reporting the Fair as a “fun experience.”

“Our goal is always to create an environment where people of all ages can come unplug and explore, and enjoy the very best of Nebraska,” added Parr. “This year, the feedback tells us we succeeded in that mission.”

With the Fair now concluded, staff will spend the next two weeks cleaning up the campus and preparing for their next major event, the Aksarben Stock Show, scheduled for September 25–28. Following that, the Nebraska State Fair team will officially hand the keys back to Fonner Park, the owner of the campus.