State Fair Volunteers: Putting the ‘Fun’ in ‘Fundamentally Exhausted but Happy’

Every August, the Missouri State Fair rolls into Sedalia with all the fried food, farm animals, and funnel cakes your little heart (and digestive system) can handle.  Well, if we're being real, it's starting in like, maybe late June.  Moving on. Behind the scenes of this beloved tradition is a small army of volunteers who keep the whole thing running.

So Why Do People Volunteer For the Fair?

The reasons are as varied as all the different exhibits. Some love the energy. Others love the corn dogs. Many just want to be part of something uniquely Missouri.

Volunteers direct traffic, hand out maps, keep lost kids calm, and help visitors find their way through acres of exhibits, contests, and deep-fried wonders. They sweat in the sun, smile through the noise, and occasionally explain the difference between a heifer and a steer. (It’s harder than you think.)  The opportunities include working in the scooter rental tent, souvenir sales, water bottle sales booths, and at  the museum.

Get our free mobile app

Most of all, they do it because they love the fair.  But they also love helping the community. Volunteering brings people together, offers a front-row seat to all the fun, and guarantees at least one free lemonade.  And that warm, fuzzy feeling?  It lingers.

So if you see someone in a neon vest or an official-looking lanyard, give them a smile. They’re not just working the fair.....they’re the heart of it.

If you can't see the flyer, you can always call 660-951-4053 to get signed up.

Voluntarily Yours,
Behka