It’s County Fair Season: Here’s What’s Happening Around the Quad Cities

Summer in the Quad Cities means one thing... County fair season is officially underway! Over the next several weeks, communities across eastern Iowa and western Illinois will be filled with carnival rides, live music, livestock shows, demolition derbies, truck and tractor pulls, and, of course, plenty of fair food.

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County Fairs Near The Quad Cities In 2026

Here's a look at the major county fairs happening in and around the Quad Cities in 2026:

• July 8–12: Cedar County Fair (Tipton, IA)
• July 14–18: Rock Island County Fair (East Moline, IL)
• July 14–20: Henry County Fair (Mount Pleasant, IA)
• July 15–19: Muscatine County Fair (West Liberty, IA)
• July 22–26: Clinton County Fair (DeWitt, IA)
• July 28–Aug 2: Jackson County Fair (Maquoketa, IA)
• July 29—Aug 2: Great River Days (Muscatine, IA)
• August 4–9: Mississippi Valley Fair (Davenport, IA)
• August 13–23: Iowa State Fair (Des Moines, IA)
• Aug 26-30: Bureau County Fair (Princeton, IL)

Why Go To The County Fair?

If you've never been to a county fair, trust me, you have to go at least once. It's everything that makes summer awesome, packed into one place. You can spend the day riding carnival rides, stuffing your face with funnel cakes, cheese curds, corn dogs, and giant lemonades, then head over to watch a demolition derby or a truck and tractor pull. There are live concerts, animals everywhere, games, shopping, and so many random things to see that you never get bored. Whether you're going with friends, taking the kids, or just looking for something fun to do on a summer evening, county fairs are one of those traditions that never get old.