Monroe County Fairgrounds Contact Information:
Physical Address: 5700 W Airport Road – Bloomington, IN 47403
Mailing Address: 5454 W. Airport Road, Bloomington, IN 47403
Phone: 812-825-7439
Email: mocofairgrounds@gmail.com
Webpage Email: webmaster.mocofairgrounds@gmail.com
You may be surprised to learn that the first annual Monroe County Fair was held over one hundred fifty years ago. Perhaps even more surprising is the fact that the Fair didn’t have a permanent location until one hundred years later! As a result, the Fair has had a long and interesting, nomadic history.
October 10th – 11th, 1855: First Annual Monroe County Fair, hosted by the Monroe County Agricultural Society
1861- 1867: Monroe County Fair suspended, due to the American Civil War
1868 – early 1880s: Monroe County Fair resumed annually, held in “Dunn Meadow” on the Indiana University campus
Early 1890s: Monroe County Fair moved and held at the current Duke Energy site, near West 2nd and Walker Streets, and held in brick buildings
Early 1900s/1910s: Monroe County Fair moved and held at the corner of Vernal and Curry Pike
People took the Monon train to get to the Fair
Late 1920s – early 1930s: Monroe County Fair moved and held around the Courthouse Square, with 4-H projects housed in the public library
Mid-1930s: Monroe County Fair becomes only 4-H projects, due to the Courthouse Square space being unavailable
Projects moved and exhibited in the old high school gym at the corner of West 2nd Street and College Avenue
Late 1930s – 1940: 4-H projects moved and exhibited at the Ellettsville Fall Festival
Early 1940s: 4-H projects moved back to the old high school gym at the corner of West 2nd Street and College Avenue
1946 – 1955: Bloomington Chamber of Commerce began a ten-year sponsorship of the Monroe County 4-H Clubs by providing a site for the Fair (the Indiana University Field house, located at East 7th Street), and funds for premiums (winning to accompany the ribbons for best entries)