Bull riders, dairy cows and a carnival midway have taken over the St. Tammany Parish Fairgrounds in Covington this week as the St. Tammany Parish Fair marks its 116th year of bringing St. Tammany culture, family and community together, according to the fair's own 2026 branding. The event traces back to a much humbler beginning: a pet show held in what was then the City Park.
A Pet Show That Grew Into a Parish Tradition
The St. Tammany Parish Fair Association formed in 1910, according to the association's own history page, and the first fair started out as a pet show held in what was then the City Park. A year later, in 1911, the event was rebranded as the St. Tammany Stock, Poultry & Pet Animal Exhibition, the same source notes. As reported by Visit The Northshore, the Fair Association was founded in 1910 and has spent more than a century producing a fair almost every year during the first full weekend of October, while also showcasing local culture, promoting economic development and nurturing community pride along the way.
Two schedules are floating around for this year's run. Slidell Times reports the fair returns to Covington from Wednesday, Sept. 30, through Sunday, Oct. 4, while nola.com lists the big fair itself opening Oct. 1-5 at the fairgrounds in Covington. Either way, the gates are at the St. Tammany Parish Fairgrounds, with the pedestrian entrance at 1304 N. Columbia St. and a drive-in entrance for motorists off N. Magee Street, per the Slidell Times report.
Rodeo, Livestock and a Parade Downtown
The weekend's marquee event is the rodeo, held Friday and Saturday and featuring bull riding, roping, bareback riding, trick riding and a calf scramble, nola.com reports. A Rodeo Queen is scheduled to be crowned Friday at 6:30 p.m. in the rodeo arena, according to the same Slidell Times account. Carnival rides across the grounds come courtesy of Mitchell Brothers Amusements, nola.com notes.
The fair's parade is scheduled to begin downtown on Jefferson Avenue and end at the fairgrounds on N. Columbia Street, per nola.com's report. Thursday is designated as Kids Day, with programming scheduled from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Slidell Times account states. Livestock shows throughout the week showcase chickens and rabbits, dairy cattle and beef cattle, swine, sheep and goats, according to nola.com.
Music, Food and a Legacy of Giving Back
Live music takes the Main Stage Thursday through Sunday, including gospel music on Thursday featuring local church choirs, nola.com reports. Fairgoers can also expect fair food, horticultural exhibits and a cheer/dance competition among the programming, per Visit The Northshore's description of the event.
The fair's reach extends well beyond the midway. According to the association's history page, its programming has expanded over the decades from that original pet-show format into 16 fair pageants, a Rodeo Queen Contest, essay and poster contests, Kids Day, Gospel Night, a parade, an opening ceremony, a cheer/dance competition, rodeo, livestock competitions, exhibits, entertainment and carnival rides. The Fair Association also gives back approximately $25,000 annually to the schools, toward exhibit entries and scholarships, the same source notes — a tradition Visit The Northshore frames more broadly as the association supporting school exhibits and scholarships while giving thousands of dollars annually to area schools.
Admission details also diverge between accounts. Slidell Times lists general admission at $5 for adults and $3 for children ages 3 through 12. Nola.com, meanwhile, reports that general admission is free Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, with tickets required Friday and Saturday at $5 per adult and $3 for children 11 and under. Fairgoers weighing a visit may want to confirm pricing and exact dates directly with the fairgrounds before heading to Covington.
