Blue Ribbon Show: Smithsonian Spotlights the Art of State Fairs
A new Smithsonian exhibition takes visitors to the fair, showcasing 240 works of craft, culture, and Americana.
All photographs are courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
No matter where, state fairs across the United States offer the enticing smell of fried foods, the thrill of carnival rides, and the opportunity to see and even purchase some of the best agricultural and farmland offerings within state lines. Also part of this Americana tradition are arts and crafts displays made by artists and amateur artisans alike, many of whom hope to sell their work or win a coveted blue ribbon. Much of these decorative pieces, and the stories they tell, have found a home in another fair of sorts in the Smithsonian exhibition, State Fairs: Growing American Craft, on view now until September 7, 2026.
Through 240 artworks from the mid-19th century to the present by artists and 4-H clubs from 43 states and tribal nations, the exhibition highlights the cultural influence of fairgrounds and seeks to liberate rural identity and art from preconceived notions. On display are attractions for everyone; some stand as tall as the size 96 boot of Big Tex, a 55-foot statue from the State Fair of Texas, or as wide as a life-size butter cow created on-site at the Iowa State Fair.
Additionally featured in the show are smaller, yet no less enjoyable, memorabilia, such as regalia from Indigenous fair pageants, sweetgrass baskets, decorative quilts, and glazed earthenware. The quirky, down-home charm that every state fair can bring is also not forgotten by objects like a colorful dress made from paper butter cartons originally worn by Minnesota beauty queen Mary Ann Titrud.
State Fairs is the first exhibition dedicated to artists’ contributions to state fairs in the United States. It was developed after five years of research, which included visits to 15 state fairs across the United States and several historical societies, museums, and archives. “While organizing this exhibition over the past several years, I experienced firsthand the collective spirit of artists getting together at state fairs across the country, sharing their talents and memories with fellow fairgoers,” explains Lloyd Herman, Curator of Craft Mary Savig, in the exhibition’s press release.
The exhibition fills both floors of the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery, and an accompanying on-site installation by artist Justin Favela sits in the Rubenstein Grand Salon. His piece, titled Capilla de Maíz (Maize Chapel), intertwines the traditions of cartonería (piñata making) with the Spanish Baroque architectural element of Churrigueresque, with gold-fringed walls and piñata corncobs that honor the cultural significance of maize in North America.
“State Fairs provides a long-overdue spotlight on these exceptional artists,” says Savig. “When looking at our history from the perspective of the fairgrounds, a richer picture of American art emerges.”
Visit the Smithsonian website for more information about State Fairs: Growing American Craft.
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