Wednesday’s Activities at the Central Wisconsin State Fair

Wednesday, August 20th, 2025 -- 6:00 AM

The Central Wisconsin State Fair is underway and runs through this Sunday, August 24th. 

Cost for daily gate passes is $10 for adults 13 and older, $5 for children 5-12, and children 4 and under are free. Season gate passes are $35 for adults 13 and older, $15 for children 5-12, and free for children 4 and under.

Today is Senior Citizen Day, so adults age 62 and older can get into the fair for $5. Today is also Veterans Appreciation Day, so all active or retired military personnel, including their spouses or partners, can get into the fair for $5.

The carnival also has their grand opening today at 2pm and it’s Senior Day at the carnival too, so seniors can ride the ferris wheel for $2. Pay one price wristband from 2pm-6pm is $25 and from 6pm-10pm is $30. Vendors will be open today from 11am-9pm.

Some other fun and performances in the Family Entertainment tent today include the Hayes Boys Orchestra from 11:30am-2:30pm playing polkas, waltzes, and big band music.

The Memories will be performing at 3:15pm and 4:30pm playing songs and bringing humor to their performance. Finally, the Steele River Band will be playing country music from 9:30pm-11:30pm.

Dominguez Attractions, a proud circus family, will have shows for adults and kinds throughout the entire week of the fair. Their shows will be at 5:30pm-6pm and 7pm-7:30pm today.

Kenny Ahern will bring his zany comedy shows all week at the fair. His shows will be from 1:30pm-2pm, 5pm-5:30pm, and 6:30pm-7pm today. Pleasure Valley Pig and Duck Races will be happening during the week of the fair too. They will have shows from 12:30pm-1pm, 3pm-3:30pm, 4:15pm-4:45pm, and 6pm-6:30pm. Fairgoers may run into Ta-Da Robots each day of the fair as well.

The Wonders of Wisconsin Exhibit will return to the Lang Information Center this year with the theme of Wonders of Wisconsin Wildlife. The Sample Shack will also return, giving Wisconsin residents the chance to sample some of Wisconsin’s awesome products.

Contests in the Lang Information Center will be back this year. Today is the Cherry Spitting Contest, which takes place at 3pm. Participating contestants will compete in age groups 10-17 and 18 and older.

Junior Fair judging for today includes dairy, exotic animals/llamas, and horses at 8am; Supreme Showman Contest at 11am; exotic animals/llamas at 1:30pm; dairy goats at 2pm; and the Market Animal Sale gets underway at 6:30pm.

Open judging for today includes cultural arts, clothing, knitting and crocheting, and home environment judging at 9am. Wisconsin Fairest of the Fairs Megan Salentine will be at the fair from 5:30pm-8:30pm today.

Grandstand tonight is Wisconsin’s own Chris Kroeze. Tickets include gate admission if purchased before entering the fair. Otherwise it’s $20 for tickets good for any seat including grandstand, trackside, or VIP. 

Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.