Construction crews may still be reshaping the Landers Center, but the Mid-South Fair is not taking a rain check. The Southaven tradition is set to return this fall with rides, animal attractions, live entertainment, fair food and a beer garden built into a site that remains very much a work zone.
The 2026 fair is scheduled for Oct. 1 through Oct. 11, and FOX13 Memphis reports organizers plan to use a layout similar to last year’s. Attractions listed for the run include more than 50 rides, pig races, a petting zoo, a circus show and a grizzly bear experience.
The fair’s return comes as a major expansion continues around the arena. Visit DeSoto County says the project includes a 77,000-square-foot convention center and a 240-room Embassy Suites hotel, with the expanded complex anticipated to open in fall 2027.
What Fairgoers Can Expect This Year
Organizers are also bringing back a biergarten for guests 21 and older, with televisions, games, comfortable seating and cold drinks. That gives adults a place to park themselves while younger fairgoers make a serious attempt to turn every ride ticket into motion sickness.
The pricing rollout is staggered. The announcement lists a $5 all-ages promotion on Aug. 3, followed by advance admission prices of $8 for adults and $5 for children and seniors on Sept. 8, then $10 for adults and $5 for children and seniors on Sept. 21; online tickets for the fair’s Oct. 1 opening are listed at $13 and $8, while box-office prices are $15 and $10, according to the announcement.
Ride Tickets And Fair Traditions
Unlimited ride armbands are available through Kissel Entertainment, with advance prices starting at $25 for Monday through Wednesday and reaching $30 for Friday through Sunday. Kissel Entertainment says those prices increase after Sept. 30, while individual ride tickets are listed at $2 each or 20 for $40.
The midway will be cashless, accepting credit cards, debit cards and tap-to-pay options, with a reverse ATM available for visitors who arrive carrying actual cash. The official schedule lists evening hours on most weekdays, afternoon openings on weekends and a special Wednesday daytime session for Kids Day.
The fair has been held at the Landers Center since 2009, but the event itself dates back to 1856. The venue describes it as a nonprofit community organization that supports scholarships, youth talent competitions, art contests and other programs alongside the funnel cakes, carnival games and gravity-defying rides.
