Tri-County Fair Board keeps planning 2026 fair in Marvell

Tri-County Fair Board members have already locked in the biggest decision for 2026: the Tri-County Fair will run May 26-30 at the Tri County Fairgrounds, 1334 US-49 in Marvell. The board confirmed the early-summer dates in January and has been meeting regularly since February, a steady pace that shows the fair is moving forward as a planned countywide event, not a last-minute calendar fill-in.

The change is more than a date swap. The fair is moving off its traditional late-summer schedule and into May, a shift that organizers say will help launch the summer season in Phillips, Monroe and Lee counties. Visit Helena says this year’s fair will bring a new carnival with games, fair food and rides for all ages, giving the board a clear outline for the kind of midway experience it wants to deliver in Marvell.

What remains pending is the full lineup of attractions, vendors and entertainment that will determine whether the fair feels like a modest community gathering or a stronger regional draw. That matters in a county where small businesses, food sellers and youth exhibitors all benefit when a fair gives them enough advance notice to plan. The board’s regular meetings since February suggest it is still working through those details while keeping the dates, grounds and broad format in place.

One headline event is already on the calendar. The Tri-County Fair Demolition Derby is set for Saturday, May 30, and event listings describe the fair as “the start of something NEW.” For Marvell and the surrounding area, that phrase carries real weight: a county fair with a firm schedule, a known location and a signature crowd-pleaser gives families and vendors a reason to mark their calendars now, even as the rest of the lineup is still being assembled.