Marion County Fair



Named for Francis Marion, a brigadier general from South Carolina in the American Revolutionary War, Marion County is centrally located in the state of Iowa, U.S.A. The fairgrounds are located in the county seat of Knoxville, Iowa at the prestigious Knoxville Raceway.

Marion county celebrates their history and culture at the county fair, held every year in mid-July. The Marion County Fair offers everything from farming exhibits to gardening competitions, dog shows to arm wrestling contests.

The current fairgrounds was purchased in the late 1800s and a new half-mile horse racing track was constructed at that time. The annual county fairs were held on the grounds but no actual auto racing was staged until 1914, unless of course one counts the 1901 race, which can most likely be touted as the first automobile race attempted on a fairgrounds in Iowa, if not the country.

Marion County Fair website

Documents and Files