What the Graham County Fair Is
The Graham County Fair is the Gila Valley's annual fall fair in Safford, with livestock shows and a livestock auction, home and farm exhibits, a parade, carnival rides, live music and contests. The 2026 fair opened October 8. The 99th fair ran October 9 to 12, 2025, and the 100th was promoted for 2026. The fair website is grahamcountyfair.com.
Livestock and Exhibits
- The Market Show for lambs, swine and steers took place in the Livestock Arena on opening Thursday at 4:30 p.m. in 2025.
- 4-H showmanship for swine, lambs and steers, and the Round Robin, followed Friday at 8 a.m. in the Livestock Arena.
- In 2024, judging of swine, goats, rabbits, poultry and pigeons was on Thursday, beef cattle and sheep on Friday, and the livestock auction on Saturday.
- Exhibit buildings show field crops, horticulture, floriculture, home economics, art, photography, hobbies, crafts and foods, judged earlier in fair week.
The Fair Weekend: Last Year's Pattern
| Day (2025) | Highlights |
|---|---|
| Thursday | Gates open 5 p.m.; Market Show; Rising Star instrumental and band competition; live music; carnival rides from 6 p.m. |
| Friday | Open noon to 11 p.m.; showmanship and Round Robin at 8 a.m.; parade at 10 a.m.; dance and gymnastics Rising Stars at 1 p.m.; music at night |
| Saturday | Open 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Fair 5K and Disc Golf Tournament at 8 a.m.; Fair Games for families at 11 a.m.; cornhole at 5 p.m.; live bands |
| Sunday | Open noon to 5 p.m.; rides from 1 p.m.; exhibits close at 4 p.m. |
The Parade
The Friday parade starts at 10 a.m. at 8th Avenue and Main Street, behind the courthouse in Safford, and travels east down Main Street with floats, marching bands and decorated vehicles. Grand marshals in 2025 were Jim and Celinda Palmer.
Admission and Practical Notes
- 2025 daily admission: $6 for adults (11+), $5 for seniors (65+), $2 for kids 5 to 10, and free for children under 5.
- Gates are cash only, with ATMs on site. Hand stamps allow re-entry.
- Unlimited ride wristbands were sold in advance online for $27.99 in 2024.
- Public contests have included a 5K run, disc golf, cornhole, a diaper derby, a frozen T-shirt contest, grocery grab and carry, sack race and three-legged race.
Where
The fair is held at the Graham County Fairgrounds, 527 E. Armory Road, Safford, AZ. Parade day downtown is centered on Main Street.
Questions
Is the fair good for kids?
Yes: rides, games, a petting zoo area, family contests like the diaper derby and sack race and a $2 child admission.
When is the livestock auction?
In 2024 it was Saturday. Check the current schedule at grahamcountyfair.com.
How do youth sign up to show?
Entries and class details are handled through the fair; use the contact information on the fair website, since exhibitor deadlines and fees were not published in recent announcements.
Official Links
- Graham County Fair
- 2025 fair schedule and admission (Gila Herald)
- 2024 fair coverage (Gila Valley Central)
- 100th Annual Graham County Fair
Arizona County Fairs and Youth Livestock Shows: The Essentials
Arizona youth shows run through county Extension offices, 4-H clubs and FFA chapters, and each show publishes its own rules. Dates run from January roundups to the State Fair in October.
Examples
The Arizona 4-H Stock Show and Roundup is set for January 30 and 31, 2027 in Tucson, with registration closing January 15. The Yavapai County Fair ran September 10 to 13, 2026 at the Prescott Rodeo Grounds. The Arizona State Fair ran October 1 to November 1, 2026, with its Sale of Champions on October 3.
Who can show
The State Fair says youth competitions are for ages 8 to 18. The Roundup uses Junior (8 to 10), Intermediate (11 to 13) and Senior (14 to 18) divisions.
Rules to check
Pima County asks members to complete Arizona Youth Livestock Quality Assurance training and ties each animal to an ownership deadline, a tag and a weigh-in. Weights, tagging and sale rules differ by show.
Next steps
Ask your county Extension office for the premium book and entry dates before you buy an animal.
Read the full guide: Arizona County Fairs and Youth Livestock Shows
Other Upcoming Events Nearby
- Arizona FFA Summit Conference - Safford
First stop of the fall Arizona FFA Summit Conference series, held September 9, 2026 at the Safford Center for the Arts for chapter members in eastern Arizona.
Safford, AZ | Organizer: Arizona FFA Official event details - Central Arizona Farmer Field Day
Annual morning field day for central Arizona growers run by the University of Arizona Pinal County agronomy program, with cotton, small grain and forage research results; set for November 18, 2026.
Casa Grande, AZ | 520-836-5221 | Organizer: University of Arizona Cooperative Extension Official event details - Arizona National Livestock Show
Billed as the largest livestock show in the Southwest, it draws youth exhibitors with about 2,500 cattle, horses, sheep, goats and swine; 2026 runs December 27-31.
- Arizona National Livestock Show Livestock Judging Classic
Livestock judging contest where entrants rank cattle, sheep, swine and goats and give oral reasons; the junior division for 4-H and FFA runs during the Phoenix livestock show.
Phoenix, AZ | Organizer: Arizona National Livestock Show Official event details - Arizona FFA Pinnacle Senior Conference
Senior leadership conference for Arizona FFA members, scheduled January 22-23, 2027 at Peoria High School alongside a mini leadership camp.
Peoria, AZ | Organizer: Arizona FFA Official event details
Listing checked Nov. 11, 2026 against this source. Details can change; confirm with the organizer.