The board of directors of the Maries County Fair Association welcome you to the 2023 Maries County Fair at the fairgrounds north of Vienna City Park from Thursday, Aug. 31 through Saturday, Sept. 2. Access to the fairgrounds will be through the Vienna City Park. Fair parking is available just to the north of the agriculture barns, as well as inside the city park. Handicap-accessible parking, available only to those with an official handicap license plate or hangtag, is available to the south of the motorsports arena. Signage regarding parking will be posted, and attendants should be available to assist you with finding a parking spot.  Fairground gates open at 4 p.m. on Thursday and Friday evenings and at noon on Saturday. Please watch for signs noting access gates at Vienna City Park.

The Maries County Fair Association will operate a food and non-alcoholic drinks stand on the fairgrounds property, east of the pavilion. Menu items for the 2023 Maries County Fair will include pork steak sandwiches, pulled pork sandwiches, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, nachos, pulled pork nachos, pickles, Pepsi products, bottled water and a variety of chips and candy. The food stand is open from 4 to 10 p.m. on Thursday, 4 p.m. to midnight on Friday and 11:30 a.m. to midnight on Saturday. In addition to the food stand, the association will also operate a beer garden, with a variety of alcoholic beverages, at the pavilion Thursday and Friday nights and Saturday from noon until midnight. Proper identification is required for the purchase of all alcoholic beverages, and outside alcoholic beverages are not allowed to be brought into the fairgrounds. The food stand and beer garden will accept payment by cash, debit card or credit card.  Operation of the food stand and beer garden are possible only due to the generous donation of time by community volunteers.

In addition to the food stand operated by the fair association, food vendors will be on-site during the 2023 fair serving a variety of novelty food items such as ice cream, shaved ice, lemonade, refreshers and more. Several non-food vendors are also signed up for the fair.

Thursday will include the Little Mr. & Miss, Junior Princess, Princess and Queen pageants on the Maries County Bank Main Stage at 5 p.m. Pre-registration is requested for Little Mr. and Miss pageant and required for the Junior Princess, Princess and Queen pageants. On-site registration for Little Mr. and Miss will also be available until 4:45 on Thursday evening. Also, at 5 p.m., the Hensley Boys will perform at the Vienna Quik Spot/Flynn Drilling Pavilion. The poultry and rabbit show begins at the agriculture barn at 7 p.m.  Also, at 7 p.m., the Thursday night main event, Bulls, Barrels and Mutton Bustin’, presented by T & A Bucking Bulls, will begin at the motorsports complex. After the rodeo, stop by the pavilion at 9:30 p.m. to listen to Chloe Hoecker perform.

Friday morning the youth livestock show will be held at the agriculture barn, starting at 8 a.m. There is no cost to attend the livestock show. The livestock show awards and sale begins at 6 p.m. at the agriculture barn, and Friday evening’s lawnchair concert on the Maries County Bank Main Stage begins at 7:30 p.m. with a concert by Vienna native Owen Kloeppel, followed by RCA Nashville recording artist Corey Kent in concert at 9.  Following the main event, fairgoers are invited to head back to the pavilion for a late-night performance by Andrew Stratman.

Saturday is Parade Day. Entrants wishing to be judged should arrive at Vienna High School and be in place for judging by 9:30 a.m. Non-judged entrants should arrive by 10 a.m., with fair staging beginning between 10:15 and 10:30. The 2023 Maries County Fair Parade theme is Fun and Games, a theme with a wide swath that should lead to many fun, colorful and interesting floats. All school classes and organizations, civic and religious organizations, public officials, fire departments, police organizations, businesses, kids and adults are invited to participate in the parade.  Parade entrants are encouraged to remain on city streets at all times and avoid trespassing on private property.

After the parade, grab your friends and make your way out to the food stand for a good lunch. The cornhole tournament starts at the pavilion at 1 p.m., and an exotic petting zoo and carnival rides will be available all afternoon.

The agriculture barn will stay busy Saturday afternoon with scheduled kids’ events. Participants must sign up at the registration booth at the agriculture building. Registration for the kiddie tractor pull starts at 1 p.m. with the pull starting at 1:30. Registration for the pig scramble is at 3 p.m. with the scramble beginning at 3:30.  The sawdust dig, which does not require registration, begins at 5:30 p.m. and is possible due to sponsorship by the Vienna Lions Club.

Saturday night’s main event, the demolition derby presented by Swags Demolition Derby - Total Destruction, will get underway at the motor sports complex at 7 p.m.  After the conclusion of the demolition derby, George Arbuckle will be playing music at the pavilion.

Vienna’s Elizabeth Veasman will lead line-dancing classes both Thursday and Friday evening during musical acts scheduled at the pavilion.

Carnival rides, games and midway concessions for the 2023 Maries County Fair are open Thursday and Friday from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. and Saturday from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. and 5:30 to 10:30 p.m.

Season passes are on sale now and may be purchased for $40 each through the end of business on Wednesday, Aug. 30, at G & W Foods, Heartland Regional Library, The Market, Crossroads Convenience Store, Vienna MFA, Mid America Bank (Freeburg or St. Elizabeth), First Community National Bank - Rolla, or at the Vienna, Belle, Argyle, Dixon, St. James or Iberia branches of the Maries County Bank. Season passes may also be purchased in electronic format at tinyurl.com/MCFCoreyKent, at a cost of $40, with additional service fees charged by EventBrite.

In addition, season passes may be purchased at the admissions gate on Thursday night for $45.

Daily gate admission for those without a season pass is $30 on Thursday, $40 on Friday and $30 on Saturday. A season pass or gate admission is required for all attendees over the age of 5 and includes all carnival rides and the various fair attractions and events.

On behalf of the Maries County Fair Association, we look forward to seeing you at the 77th annual Maries County Fair. For more information, please visit the Maries County Fair Association Facebook page. And remember, at the 2023 Maries County Fair, it is all Fun & Games!