What To Expect At The Monmouth County Fair

FREEHOLD, NJ — The annual Monmouth County Fair officially kicks off Wednesday, July 24 at East Freehold Showgrounds and will be in town through Sunday, July 28.

Presented by the Monmouth County Board of County Commissioners and in cooperation with the Monmouth County Park System and Monmouth County 4-H Association, the fair will feature over 25 rides, live music, 4-H shows and exhibits, a pie-eating contest and more.

As you get ready to head out and enjoy the fun, Patch has gathered all the information you need to know about the fair for this year:

Dates and Times
The Monmouth County Fair will be in town from Wednesday, July 24 through Sunday, July 28 and operate at various times throughout the week, according to the Monmouth County Parks System website.

Here’s when you can expect the fair to be open:

Wednesday through Friday: 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Saturday: 11 a.m. through 11 p.m.
Sunday: 11 a.m. through 6 p.m.

Admission
To go to the fair, general admission is $10 per person and children 12 and under can enter for free, according to officials.

In addition to kids 12 and under being free, veterans and active military with ID may enter for free, and on Sunday, seniors 65 and older and students with ID are free.

For the first two hours of each day (4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday-Friday and 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday) entry will be half-price.

The fair will have free parking for attendees, officials said, and all people and bags are subject to a security inspection upon entry into the Fairgrounds.

Pets, smoking and/or vaping will not be permitted on the Fairgrounds.

Ride Requirements
At the fair, riders can purchase credits to load onto their wristband or purchase a daily unlimited rides option, according to officials.

On Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, unlimited rides will cost $25 (convenience fee may apply) and on Friday and Saturday, unlimited rides will cost $30 (convenience fee may apply).

Pre-sales for unlimited rides are available here.

All kiddie rides will require riders to be at least 36” tall, according to officials, and some rides will have additional height requirements.

Officials ask attendees to be aware that all rides are weather permitting.

Entertainment
In addition to various rides, food and drinks, the fair will also host live entertainment and feature highlights such as:

• Wallenda Productions Aerial Thrill Show
• Butterfly Encounter
• Bwana Jim Wildlife Show
• Hilby the Skinny German Juggle Boy
• Mutts Gone Nuts
• Robinson’s Racing Pigs
• Tommie Turvey’s Stunt Horses & Dogs

There will also be live music at the Main Stage each day of the fair, according to officials.

Here's the lineup for what bands will be playing:

• Wednesday (8:15 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.): The Counterfeiters
• Thursday (from 8:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.): Brian Kirk & The Jirks
• Friday (from 8:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.): Super TransAm
• Saturday (from 8:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.): CC & The Boys
• Sunday (from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.): Magnolia Street String Band

For more information on specific rides, events and contests happening at the fair, you can visit the Monmouth County Parks System website.

To read Patch’s previous coverage on the Monmouth County Fair, you can click here.

East Freehold Showgrounds is located at 1500 Kozloski Rd, Freehold.