Mississippi State Fair
Fall festival · Mississippi
Eleven days every October, the Mississippi Fairgrounds in downtown Jackson fill with carnival rides, livestock barns and fair food, plus a concert lineup that changes every year. It is the state's biggest fall gathering, an easy walk from the Capitol for anyone staying downtown.
Don’t miss
Plan your visit
11-day run at the Mississippi Fairgrounds Complex
Dates from the official announcement — always confirm before you go.
Color nearby peaks: November 18–November 22
Color builds from November 5 · mostly bare by December 14
Method: daily ERA5 temperatures drive a photoperiod + chilling phenology model, sampled at Mississippi State Fair’s own coordinates and elevation (83 m) rather than a regional average. Estimates, not promises — check locally before you plan a trip around it.
Mississippi State Fair on the map
More things to do in Mississippi
Natchez Fall Pilgrimage
Fall festivalColor nearby peaks November 26
Since 1932, Natchez has opened its antebellum mansions (Longwood, Stanton Hall, and Melrose among them) for guided tours each fall, when hostesses in hoop skirts lead visitors through homes that survived the Civil War essentially untouched.
Don’t miss: Antebellum home tours · Hoop-skirted hostesses · Held since 1932
Cedar Hill's Haunted Farm
Haunted attractionColor nearby peaks November 13
Five night attractions on a working farm south of Memphis: a haunted hayride, a quarter-mile Trail of Terror through dark woods, the Sensturbia barn, a 2.5-acre flashlight corn maze and mounted-gun zombie paintball.
Don’t miss: Quarter-mile Trail of Terror in dark woods · 2.5-acre flashlight corn maze · Zombie paintball target shoot
McRaven Tour Home
Ghost tourColor nearby peaks November 22
McRaven calls itself Mississippi's most haunted house, a claim built on three families' worth of history packed into one Vicksburg home raised in stages from 1797 to 1849. A costumed guide walks you room by room, working ghost stories into the architecture and the Civil War damage still visible on the walls.
Don’t miss: Costumed 75-minute haunted tour · Built in three stages, 1797 to 1849 · Civil War damage still visible inside
Columbus, Mississippi
Historic townColor nearby peaks November 15
Columbus was laid out in 1821 and never lost its antebellum core, blocks of columned homes that survived the Civil War because the town became a hospital city instead of a battlefield. Its spring pilgrimage gets the publicity, but the porches and gardens hold up just as well on a quiet fall afternoon.
Don’t miss: Antebellum homes throughout downtown · Founded 1821, spared by the war · Bed and breakfasts in historic houses
Frequently asked
- When is Mississippi State Fair open in 2026?
- The 2026 season runs Oct 8 – Oct 18. 11-day run at the Mississippi Fairgrounds Complex. Dates can shift, so check the official site before you go.
- When does Mississippi State Fair peak in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for November 18–November 22 (best estimate November 20). Color starts around November 5 and is mostly bare by December 14.
- What is Mississippi State Fair best for?
- A big fall outing in the Jackson metro.
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