Everything You Need to Know for the 2026 Great Jones County Fair

Fair week has finally arrived! It's almost time for the 2026 Great Jones County Fair in Monticello, and this year's event is going to be PACKED with food, fun, and live music! Here's a rundown of everything you need to know ahead of "The FIVE Best Days of Summer":

Admission & Parking

The 2026 Great Jones County Fair takes place Wednesday, July 22nd through Sunday, July 26th. Here are the prices for fair admission in 2026:

Online: $12 Wednesday through Sunday
At the Gate: $15 Wednesday through Sunday
Admission Package (includes five daily admission tickets - must be purchased online by 4 p.m. on July 21st): $52
Ages 10 and Under: FREE

There's also a NEW policy in 2026 when it comes to admission: if you have tickets to any of the Grandstand concerts, admission is now included! That means you do NOT have to pay the fee at the gate. Yay!

Carnival Ride Wristband Vouchers are also available to purchase in advance online until July 21st at 4 p.m. Get more information on those HERE.

As far as parking goes, there is a designated area for handicap parking, 4-H/FFA parking, and a limo/bus drop-off area listed on the official fair map, which you can find HERE. For everyone else, I recommend bringing some cash! Lots of houses in the neighborhood offer parking on their lawn/in their driveway for a fee. Otherwise, you may have to do a bit of walking once you find a spot!

Clear Bag Policy

If you plan to bring a purse or bag into the fair, there is a clear bag policy that you'll have to abide by. Check out the details of that policy below:

Purses, backpacks, oversized tote bags, and mesh bags will not be permitted.

Other items that are not allowed on the fairgrounds include:

Cameras/Camera Cases
Drones
Animals
Coolers
Alcohol
Selfie Sticks
Drones
Weapons/Knives
Signs
Noisemakers

Grandstand Events

Tuesday, July 21st
- Opening Ceremonies and Great Jones County Fair Queen Coronation
  - Begins at 6 p.m.
- East Central Iowa Puller Association Tractor Pull
  - Begins at 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, July 22nd
- Veteran Program
  - Begins at 6:30 p.m.
- Badger State Truck and Tractor Pull
  - Begins at 7 p.m.
Thursday, July 23rd
- Harness Racing
  - Begins at 11 a.m.
- Bailey Zimmerman Concert
  - Begins at 8 p.m.
  - With opener Chandler Walters
  - Tickets are $58.40
Friday, July 24th
- Megan Moroney Concert
  - Begins at 7:30 p.m.
  - With opener Colin Lynch
  - Show is SOLD OUT
Saturday, July 25th
- ATV Big Air Tour
  - Begins at 11:30 a.m.
- Riley Green Concert
  - Begins at 8 p.m.
  - With opener Hannah McFarland
  - Tickets are $100
Sunday, July 26th
- Gary Allan Concert
  - Begins at 5 p.m.
  - With opener Rice Rodeo Bulls & Broncos
  - Tickets are $35

Hillside Seating

If you don't want to purchase a ticket, but would still like to enjoy the concerts at the fair, you can always try getting a spot on the hillside for free. But, you'll need to get there really early the day of the show you're interested in attending. Here are the rules for hillside seating:

Blankets and tarps are allowed on the grass beginning at 8 a.m.
The maximum tarp size allowed is 8x8 feet
You CANNOT tape tarps together
Please remove all your trash and items when leaving the hillside

Beer Tents

There are two different beer tents at the fair, both of which are located just outside of the Grandstand area. There's the Brewhaus, which is on the south side, and the Craft Beer Tent, which is on the north side. You must be 21+ to enter.

Both the Brewhaus and Craft Beer Tent will offer live music throughout the fair. Here's a rundown of the acts on the 2026 schedule:

Brewhaus
- Tuesday, July 21st
  - DJ Johnson (following the tractor pull)
- Wednesday, July 22nd
  - DJ Johnson (following the tractor pull)
- Thursday, July 23rd
  - Tyler Richton & The Highbank Boys (following the concert)
- Friday, July 24th
  - XOLEX (following the concert)
- Saturday, July 25th
  - Tyler Richton & The Highbank Boys (following the concert)
Craft Beer Tent
- Wednesday, July 22nd
  - Steve Kalmes Music from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
- Thursday, July 23rd
  - Sarah Boyle from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- Friday, July 24th
  - Sam Day Music from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- Saturday, July 25th
  - Molly Shannon from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- Sunday, July 26th
  - Angela Meyer from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
  - Foley & Farrow from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Fair Cards

If you'd like to enjoy any adult beverages at the 2026 GJCF, you'll need to get yourself an official Fair Card (or bring one from years past). They can be purchased at multiple ticket booths on the fairgrounds, and you can load money on to them for beverage purchases at those booths, at the Fair Office, or by scanning the QR code on the back of your card.

The only place you'll be able to purchase alcoholic beverages using cash will be on the track during the concerts Thursday through Sunday. Fair Cards are also accepted on the track.

Here are the places that adult beverages will be available, as well as what options you have at each location:

Food

There is a seemingly endless number of options when it comes to food at the Great Jones County Fair! Here are all of this year's vendors:

And, speaking of food, there will be a new food vendor on the track this year! Chick-fil-A Lindale will be serving up food during the concerts on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night. YUM!

Additional Entertainment/Activities

While the Grandstand stage is where all the major events are held, there are are all sorts of other activities and live performances held throughout the fairgrounds. Here are some of the things listed on the 'Daily Schedule' and 'On the Grounds' pages on the Great Jones County Fair website:

Greg Frisbee's Ice Cream Show (wandering show)
- Performances begin daily at 1:45 p.m., 4 p.m., and 6:30 p.m.
Lynn the Mime (wandering show)
- Performances begin daily at 12 p.m., 2:15 p.m., 4:30 p.m., and 7 p.m.
SupaFUN Band (wandering show)
- Performances begin daily at 1:15 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m., and 6 p.m.
The Streamer Thrill Show
- Held at The Plaza
- Show begins daily at 1:45 p.m., 4:45 p.m., and 7 p.m.
Doc’s Magic Show
- Held at The Plaza
- Show begins daily at 12 p.m., 3 p.m., and 6 p.m.
Xtreme Strong Man Show
- Held at The Plaza
- Schedule
  - Wednesday & Thursday at 1 p.m., 4 p.m., and 7 p.m.
  - Friday through Sunday at 12:45 p.m., 3:45 p.m., and 6:30 p.m.
Ron Diamond
- Held at the Free Stage
- Shows daily at 12:45 p.m., 3:30 p.m., and 6 p.m.
Electrifying Magic
- Held at the Free Stage
- Shows daily at 12 p.m., 2:45 p.m., and 5:30 p.m.
Billy Kidd
- Held at the Free Stage
- Shows daily at 1:45 p.m., 5:30 p.m., and 6:45 p.m.
Strong & Amazing Aerial Stunt Show
- Held at the S. Berndes Center
- Shows daily at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Kid's Zone
- Held at the Berndes Center
- Schedule
  - Wednesday through Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  - Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Line Dancing
- Held at the Small Animal Barn
- Saturday, July 25th following the concert - ends at midnight
- All ages welcome (alcohol-free event)
"Race Around the Fair" 5k
- Saturday, July 25th at 8 a.m.
- "The Great Jones County 5K Fair Race, held in collaboration with Monticello Parks and Recreation, offers a one-of-a-kind route that winds around the fairgrounds, past the livestock barns, and along the track, giving runners an early morning's taste of fair excitement. The course continues past the scenic Monticello Golf Course and through Riverside Gardens, showcasing some of the area's most beautiful outdoor spaces."
- Register online HERE

Where to Visit Us!

Thursday through Sunday, the KHAK truck will be parked right inside the main gates around 5:30 p.m. each day. Come say hi and sign up to win tickets to one of next year's country concerts (no, we DON'T know what they are yet!). See you there!

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1956 to 2026 - All the Acts That Have Played the Great Jones County Fair

The Great Jones County Fair has a long history of bringing big names to Monticello! Here's a look at all of the artists who have graced the grandstand stage since 1956:

Gallery Credit: Courtlin