It’s amazing that the small community of Douglas, Wyoming hosts the State Fair each year in mid August. This town usually contains only 5,000 people, but when fairtime rolls around that number swells. An interesting feature is the North Platte River which happens to run through the town and provides a great place for visitors to picnic or simply get out the fishing pole. Visitors to the fair can find free parking south of the grounds on Brownfield Road.

The fair has recently undergone a bit of a remodeling and in the 2006 state fair new facilities were unveiled. They have a much larger livestock pavilion, a multipurpose livestock exposition building, the special show center, and a multi-purpose swine show facility.

At the state fair you can find lots of exhibits including a hobby collection of sheep exhibits, antique machinery contest, professional arts classes, quilting contests, goat shows, and the biggest vegetables that can be found for miles around Douglas.

Some fun competitions to watch are the Jack Russell Terrier Races and the Pigs ‘n Mud Wrestling in the Grandstand. The Rubber Chicken Race puts a unique perspective on the relay race. Teams of 3 to 5 people will relay a rubber chicken to each other after racing a lap on a specific vehicle. The first lap is done on saddled horseback, the second on bare horseback; the third on a bicycle, the fourth on a 4-wheeler, and the last is done by a team of two, with one person being pushed to the finish line in a wheelbarrow.