Very nice fair! Good candy and food selection but somewhat smaller than other state fairs I've visited. Plentiful bathrooms too! There are lots of rides and games but I mainly go for the art displays and the animals. Definitely worth a try if you're in the area. read more

We typically visit the state fair every year either on one of the discount days or during lunch bunch. This year I was lucky enough to win tickets from Live 93.5! There was definitely a noticeable increase in prices this year that left us questioning if we will go back next year or just spend the extra money to visit another state's fair like NC. The official parking is $20 so we opted to park in a nearby private lot for $10 and walk a little further. Kiosks have been added this year to purchase tickets if you don't already have them which I thought was nice. We typically stick to trying the new food items and this year there were several that we didn't get due to the price ($20 food sundae, $15 funnel cake, etc), but we did enjoy the cotton candy lemonade and cheesecake trio! My favorite item at the fair is the jalapeño corndog from Daley's and they gave me a cold one that wasn't worth the $10 and extra $1 for using a card. Entertainment seems to be generally the same each year and could definitely use refreshing. I'm not sure if it was advertised (I never saw anything beforehand), but Sandra Lee was one of the judges for the food competitions this year. I would have loved to have known in advance because I would have planned to visit when I could meet her. read more

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We had a fun time at the fair. This was my first time at the SC State Fair and my only comparisons are the Wisconsin and Minnesota State Fairs. If your crew is up to tons of rides and carnival food then this is your destination. This is a large fair with multiple of each types of rides for all ages. With admission and a band purchase you can ride all night long for $62. Multiple vendors offering deep fried most things. The exhibit halls were filled with textiles, multimedia art, food and other crafts that were entered in for judging by the fair officials. The fresh baked cookies in the Pro kitchen were better than I expected. In the SC Gron Market place you can purchase lots of local items. read more

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Had a fun time! Parking was a nightmare with the traffic, we paid a nearby business $20 cash and walked across the street to enter which was a way better experience especially getting in and out as non-locals. Picking up tickets was very confusing because online it said to pick up at will call, so we went to the ticket booths that looked like will call, then that person told us to go to the center entry area where the ladies in green were, then the ladies in green directed us to the computer booths and the first one we wound up using wasn't operating correctly. Also we should have thought to check before, but they have a clear bag policy and no bag policy so we had to walk all the way back to our car to drop my Lulu hip pouch off. When we were inside there were plenty of food booths most of which we enjoyed and having cash is king here unless you want extra charges when you pay. The exhibits were cute but I wish there were more local vendor booth shopping areas. Overall a fun afternoon experience! read more

South Carolina State Fair - Festivals Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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I'm not consistent when it comes to my fair attendance. There was a heavy crowd on the day I attended. With the vendors, the rides, and activities that are in that entrance to entrance stretch is overwhelming. All in all, we enjoyed ourselves. The games are overpriced. Really everything is overpriced as to be expected, but the games were price gouging. The food was decent. My children enjoyed themselves, which was all that mattered. I loved the circus offering as well as the animals and the additional attractions besides the rides. Some of the staff in guest services and tickets could use a serious customer service course. The prices are getting out of hand and do not align with the quality. read more

Always wanted to go to the SC State Fair! My wife, daughter, grandson, and I, finally went! Was looking forward to watching my 6 Yr old grandson ride some rides, so we purchased unlimited ride passes...that was the first mistake! There were extremely long lines to ride anything! A 30 minute wait to ride bumper cars! And this was a short wait! Next, were looking forward to some "Fair Food"...and this was amazing! Every other vendor/booth/attraction, was some type of food! What wasn't amazing was the price! A footling corn dog was $15! A bottle of water $4.50. All the food was way over priced! Speaking of the lines, we spent @ 5 hours and decided to leave. The place was packed, and outside of the gate, there was a line to get in over 500 yards long! If you want to pay a fortune for greasy food and stand in line, this is the event for you! For me, "been there...done that" and will never go back! Terrible experience! read more

South Carolina State Fair - Lots of people! - Festivals Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

DO NOT PAY EXTRA FOR EXPRESS BAND. Why pay $60 to wait? They only allow 6 people from the express side at a time & clear the other side. How does that make sense? If anything, the other people should wait, not the ones who paid for the convenience. They also charge $1.50 to use any forms of payment that is not cash. The quality of food is not the same either. I was less than impressed. I will just go to the county fairs & avoid this one altogether. read more

South Carolina State Fair - 6 only Express Lane/Ride - Festivals Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

The State Fair was cool this year. Prices are getting very expensive. I never come here to ride anything, but typically come for lunch to grab something. You can get your money back as long as you are in the line to head out by 2pm. I bought a Turkey leg, lemonade, cinnamon roll and Frisk fries. This totaled $45 with an entrance fee of $20. But like I said, I got that back on the way out. I couldn't imagine having a few kids who want to ride and eat. Sheesh! Anywho, I don't like the huge crowds so lunch in and out works for me. I'll come next year but I'll be I'll be saving for it starting now, lol read more

Last Sunday the Fam and I ventured to the fair recommended by a coworker who went a few weeks ago. Parking was cheap ($5) as we parked by the stadium (don't go when it's game day as you'll have to pay more and share parking space!). We bought our tickets ahead of time and we were able to skip one of lines as we still had the redeem line to go to. This fair has almost everything, we were not able to check all the exhibits, live stock shows as we focused on the unlimited rides and the circus. That alone took over the time. It was busy! Some long lines, some shorter lines. Depended if you were lucky. We were able to go to all the rides we chose to and enjoy the Circus. Ronaldo, the clown was my fav, but there were great artists as well. Carnival food can be good and to our surprise that was the case here. We even found Hawaiian pizza! The fresh caramel apples, burgers and great tatter tots were a highlight. We'll be back next year! read more

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An AMAZING FAIR! Sooooo many great rides, all the critical faire food and plenty of it for realistic faire prices.... I love the over-head gondola chair ride to get across the property, so much fun to take a leisurely ride above all the crowds and chaos. The adult-sized rides all appeared to be in great operating shape and I never felt worried for me or my kids going on any amusement. Lines were not too long, reasonable for a faire this size, usually about 20 minute wait for a ride. I was sad to get there late in the year and find out that most of the livestock showcases happened earlier in the week, so my advice is to go early or mid-schedule and don't wait until the last day of the fair to attend! Parking in the area is tough, get there early in the morning for the parking that is on the property for $10. Otherwise you will be parking down the street or in some private parking lot for $20 or more. Get the unlimited wristband online ahead of time and then buy the EXPRESS pass which allows you to get in the shorter lines, very reasonable price and you can get on a ride in like 5 minutes! Also, the GIANT observation wheel cost ANOTHER 20 bucks per person... read more

Ok, (this is so very different but this is just an adjustments of the times)' this is want you will be expecting to do this year at the fair. No rides, just drive through lines to purchase your food. And today the lines are long! Once you get to the vendors you place your orders for what was just shown on the menu. There's no devastations from the menu! I am posting 5 stars because this is the norm! read more

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**Review is for SC Home & Garden Show** which is held at this location. I've been to the fair and plenty of other events at the SC StateFair grounds. This is a very clean and nice facility with plenty of parking, well organized, and fair prices for entry and parking for all. Lots of vendors who were very knowledgeable on home goods. We walked around and got plenty of ideas on how to redo some things at home. It was almost overload, but we finally made it thru. I especially wanted info about the tiny homes. Plenty of water, freebies and bags to carry all your goods. This will probably be one of my Yrly events due to things are always changing! Thankful SC brings these educational events to our little city. Check the website there is always something going at the Fair Grounds. read more

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What can I say about this waste of money. As a family of 5, we spent over 400.00 getting in, a few games, no rides and food. The final straw was paying 12.00 for a sausage sandwich. They actually cut the sausage in half lengthwise, I got a half of a piece of sausage. Save your money and go out to a nice restaurant. read more

The fair did not disappoint. The rides, the people, the clothing (or lack thereof), the food, the food, the deliciously fried food. My mouth and belly thank you! Parking was $5 on site. We were able to enter free thanks to my husband's military service. Kids 10 and over 10 need to have their own military ID. We opted for the $30 ride wristband. Worth it!!! So, we're up to $95. Waters were $3 and sodas $4. Food ranged from $3.50 (popcorn) and Up. But it's fair food!!! Gotta do it. We're up to about $140 ish now. There were plenty of rides for our 5 year old. And our 9 year old found plenty to suit his adventurous side. The games were about $5 ish to start. Face painting ranged from $10 and up. Omg, up to $160 ish by now. ATMs on site as well. We loved it!!! We went around 1 and did not need an express pass but after 5:30 the lines grew very very long. Wonderful time, expensive as shit time. But kiddos are happy so life is good. Til next year... read more

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Definitely get tickets in advance. $20 entry fee is quite ridiculous! Only $10 if you get in advance. Food and ride prices were even worse. Nice attractions and lots to see. Make sure you save all year to go, your wallet will need it!!! read more

The state fair is an annual staple for eating the best worst foods. I typically go every year for the nostalgia, food, and to look at the art. Food wise this year I saw a frito pie burger, savory sundaes, and of course the classics. I cant usually get away without trying some of the crazy food combinations that show up to the fair each year. Art wise there were some really cool LEGO displays, pie contest winners, cool dinosaurs and much more. I don't know when I'll give up the fair because it's usually really crowded, expensive, and terrible for me but I can't help myself and wouldn't miss it for the world. read more

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Pricy, but it's okay for the kids 3-12. We were charged an unknown price from the ticket booth ($56).

One of my favorite places to go with my family. Every year it's better than ever! Also it's a great place to visit if you're touring!

Took more than a half hour just to find parking. The line for ride tickets took another half hour. The incredibly long line for rides caused us to lose money because we could not use all of our tickets. I've never seen a worse value than this. Concessions were incredibly overpriced - corn dogs for $10, bottled drinks for $5. Never going back again. read more

This was my first time back in 6 years and we had a blast. The food was like I remembered and the circus (2019) was a great addition so I hope they continue. A lot of rides and food options. My favorite being the Fiske Fries, donuts, pizza and lemonade! read more

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I had a good time at the fair. I can't wait until next year. The food was good and the rides was fun.

I had such a great time at the SC State Fair! I've never been to a state fair so I had really no idea what to expect other that lots of rides, food, lights and fun! Parking and Security There's plenty of parking around the fair grounds. Directly in front of the fair grounds was $20.00 {we went on a Saturday} but right beside the ONE place that was charging this amount was another lot that charged $10.00. So I highly suggest DO NOT pay to $20.00 when it's only a ten feet difference from the gate lol. There's great security there also, lots of police officers, sheriffs and guards onsite so I felt very safe and so did my family. Attending big events like this now a Days can make you feel a little uneasy at times. But they made it feel very comfortable. There was also a HIGH security check as well. Food Oh my gosh the food! So much unimaginable food everywhere you turned even the crazy food that you'll only see at State Fairs. Check out my photos, too many to name, but I tried almost everything! Rides We purchased the wrist bands for the kiddos because we knew they would ride the most. But I would HIGHLY suggest eat before coming, then ride then enjoy dinner. We came, ate, then tried to ride and that was such a bad idea lol. But note the lines for a Saturday are long so keep that I mind also. People were very nice as the evening started to end they were giving away their tickets as you couldn't receive money back for them. So they were giving theirs away. Really nice if you didn't purchase a lot. So that was great and we returned the favor when we left. Dinosaur Land and Animal Farm They also had a great dinosaur land that my nephew really enjoyed and a very large farm with so many animals! Very cute! Highly recommend this fair if you haven't been we had a great time! read more

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We expected to enjoy our visit to this state fair but it was terrible! One child's ride was over 5 dollars. An adult ride over 6 dollars. The length of time a ride lasted was very short. Games were expensive to play compared to other venues. We wondered if there was some money exchanged "under the table" for the right to ru. All the games and rides. One funnel cake cost $10.00. There were a few exhibitions. There were some vendors selling their products like Anderson Windows. An average family would have spent a lot of money for what?? In addition, we bought one "iced cold lemonade in a cup for $10.00 and it was like drinking water with a slight lemon smell. This fair was a joke. South Carolina officials in charge of managing it should be ashamed!!! read more

If you want to be over charged and under fed come to this fair. The food selection is awful and has poor poor quality. No beer or alcohol is served here as I guess no one running this event thinks people from Columbia can behave or limit themselves to some ales with that overpriced corn dog. We need local vendors and resturants to shake things up and move us in a new direction. The only nice thing that I can say is that every couple of years some great artists perform here like Avett Brothers or Shovels and Ropes for about 20.00 a seat which is pretty good. Love my beautiful city okay and when I go to other states and see how their fairs are run it makes me think Im stuck in 1985 when I go to my hometown fair which I did not attend this year. read more

I loved it at the fair. You see food vendors EVERYWHERE in the area. There are about 35+ rides, including a Sky lift. It was amazing. Unfortunate about the fair was that it was EXPENSIVE. $10 for a GYRO! $22 ride coupons was $25, and each ride was 2-4 coupons per ride. You are better off buying the POP bracelet( pay one price) and you could go on any ride as much as you wanted. The fair was fun. Go. Now. I. Mean. It. Why. Am. I. Stopping. read more

South Carolina State Fair - The Intense Fair. - Festivals Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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My 1st time going to a State Fair and I was very pleased. Lots of games and excitement with lots of food option. The attraction lines were very long and I think we will go early instead of later. They did more fast and had multiple rides. The food options was more than enough and plenty of options. I had chicken wings with fries & strawberry lemonade. Very thing so hot and delicious. Will go back next year read more

Came here for the 10th annual Beer Festival.. was a pretty good event! It was cold and sorta rainy so I was happy to see that they made most of the event indoors. They had two areas where the vendors were set up, this allowed for space to roam around without feeling crowded and two different bands to play. All of the volunteers at the event were nice and knew quite a bit about the beers they were serving. Definitely a fun event! Pro tip.. make yourself a pretzel necklace before attending something like this! I was always under the impression that they were something you got at the events but nope! People made their own and it was quite funny seeing all the different iterations people came up with... some people had cheese hanging on their necklaces.. or gummy bags.. lol so extra! read more

Oh the smell of fried (add your favorite noun) The fair is in the air- Ah no that's the smell of something boiling in oil- a corn dog, an Oreo cookie, a slab of butter, a hair ball- oops, that's next years surprise :) This seems to be a maze of food booth after food booth after food booth...They do have some rather good stuff- who can resist a nice hot corn dog, or a nice fresh squeezed lemonade, or a powdery good funnel cake?? If you need a fix of all things fried head to the fair! They have a bunch of good performers this year, and of course all the great usual "fair"displays, the crafts and the livestock...And of course everyone's fave- the carnival rides - too bad the memory of "Final Destination 3" is still fresh in my mind :( Take a wad of money, head to the fair, and enjoy! read more

I'm updating my review to 4 stars. I think the fair was much better this year. The Fiske Fries still get 5 stars. That's my favorite fair food. The Fast Pass wristbands are definitely worth the money. It's nice being the first one on a ride and not having to stand in the long lines. Leaves more time for eating all the good junk food. And of course, I still got the Turkey leg to go. (Along with a Candy Apple and Cotton Candy). read more

Attended the food truck festival. It was 25 for VIP entrance, which included unlimited water and a free dessert. The food trucks were okay, nothing really stood out. They only had two lobster trucks there one was selling tiny lobster sandwiches for $17.00 and the other was selling Lobster Mac. The lobster mac was really good but really rich... They did not have as many food trucks as expected, it was like going to any fair nothing special. No shade and it was really hot. I would not go back. read more

this was my first time to the SC State Fair. I made the long drive from Fort Mill for the Brothers Osborne concert. Plenty of food choices to suit your fancy! Bring cash! There is lots of music to jam with, rides to ride, food to chew, drinks to swallow and events to enjoy! Restrooms are clean and maintained throughout the day. I got a little turned around and confused when I was ready to leave, trying to find the Exit in which I Entered was a bit rough but I eventually figured it out since I am typing this from my couch... read more

To be honest, I come here each year pretty much for just the food. The first year I ever came which was about 5 years ago, I tried most of the rides with an unlimited ride pass for $18 but now the price has gone up to $23 dollars for advanced purchase or $28 during the fair. The rides have been the same year after year with the most popular ones being the fast spinning Polar Express and the classic Ferris wheel. You can also buy individual ride tickets that range anywhere from 1 ticket to 4 tickets for the most part with each ticket being $1.25. To top that off, you also have to pay for admission which is $7 in advance or $10 normally for ages 6 and up. As for the food, it's basically all fried in some way so don't plan on eating healthy! My favorites are the fried dessert stand which has fried Snickers, Reese's, Milky Way, Oreo's, red velvet Oreo's, and cookie dough. The fried Oreo's are definitely my favorite out of them. The Fiske fries are also a must have where a regular is $3, a small is $5, and a bucket is $8. They also have all the condiments on the side with vinegar, ketchup, cajun spices, seasoned salt, etc... I also enjoy the pizza on a stick with is mozzarella cheese and pepperoni stuffed in a fried dough. The other popular items are the Donut Burger, the mini donuts, fried mushrooms, fried pickles, and the turkey leg which is now up to $12. Also, 2 Fat 2 Fly is no longer at the fair which is a bummer because that has always been a crowd favorite. The fair is fun to go to with its pig races, performances, and games but you know what you are going to get each year as it pretty much stays the same while prices increase. It's a fun family outing or even with just friends but make sure you come with some cash because it won't be cheap! read more

Fun times! Lots of fun games to play-all of which were ridiculously over priced. The food was good although I was not happy to find out I paid $10 for a corn dog only to find out the next vendor had them two dollars cheaper right next door. Rude! The rides were fun, the indoor attractions were great! Everyone working there was nice and the ski-lift was pretty cool! read more

My 2nd time going to this State Fair. I live in Charlotte, sadly Columbia is more convenient for me to visit than Raleigh. This year I took my parents with me, and went on the last Saturday that came with a free Temptations concert. $7 for seniors and $10 for adult is reasonable when it comes with a free concert. Free parking is another great perk. I don't have exact data, but this State Fair seems small, more in line in size and offering of a large county fair in NC. But that's one of the appeals... my parents being a little older, it's easier for them to not having to hike around all day just to hit the highlights. I think overall people need to have realistic expectations for events like this... it's a State Fair, expect crowds, expensive bad food and cheesy shows. We had a good laugh with the bear and pig racing shows... I don't pass judgments on if it's animal cruelty, but for entertainment factor, they are good for kids and adults. Food offering was a little disappointing. Literally there were 30 stands of the same thing (someone got a sweet exclusive contract deal with the organizer). Nothing new or interesting besides the Red Neck Burger place serving a burger in between 2 donuts (I can feel my heart stopping just by typing that, thus I didn't even bother to try). I got an order of fried mushrooms ($7) which was always a crowd pleaser and a loaded sausage dog (with cheese and chili) for $9 for us to share. The concert was fun (hmm, did I say free?). Older people enjoying the old hits and new songs from The Temptations. I recognize the old stuffs, and they put on a good show. I think it's overall a good fair, it's fun to watch crazy people riding those crazy rides. I got a chance to take some cool evening light pictures with my camera. But they need to get a bigger Ferris wheel, that was a pathetically tiny wheel for any respectable state fair. read more

So many interesting food choices! I can't wait to come back next year. read more

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I enjoyed the fair!!!!! Though I couldn't get on the rides like used to!!! Still everything was very lovely!!!! I won second place again!!!!! All THANKS TO MY LORD & SAVOR JESUS CHRIST!!!!! I did the hand carved wood, sconic The hedgehog!!!!! read more

What do I typically expect from fairs?overpriced and disgustingly unhealthy fries foods... People watching... And trashy things to by. This place fits the bill. Lots of people watching and great agricultural events. The pig racing is a fun time. Love the fried cookie dough and fries red velvet Oreos. You'll spend tons of money but worth it! So many fun games. Jennifer nettles concert was grand. I don't know what expectations most other people had... It's a fair!!! Fun stuff read more

A great fair to attend. So much to do and eat! Had the opportunity to perform here and the crowds were so nice. Now traffic is a mess but it is a state fair. So many really neat crafts to take home for gifts. I encourage folks to go, even just once. read more

I think the food here is sooo much fun & unusual during the fair time! I go to sample each thing they offer, but not all at on e!!! Lol

We went last night on a whim to the Thomas Rhett concert (he is awesome). The reason I give this state fair two stars is for two reasons: 1) No alcohol is served here (wtf??) 2) Food options were nothing special. I mean, really I am giving this state fair two stars mostly because of the fact that there is no beer served here. Who doesn't enjoying people watching at the state fair with a beer in their hands?! read more