A Fayetteville and Fort Bragg Favorite for over forty years is back again. The Fort Bragg Fair opens on April 29 at 5 p.m. at the Fort Bragg Fairgrounds on Howell St. and Bragg Blvd. The annual fair is one of the most anticipated on the Fort Bragg Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation’s calendar, and brings together the Fort Bragg and Fayetteville communities.
“This is one of our biggest events of the year, the command team is really excited about it because it does involve so many from the local community. Our commander gets excited meeting and talking with people from outside the Fort Bragg gates,” said April Olsen, Fort Bragg Public Affairs.
Amanda Cahill, Fort Bragg MWR Special Events Coordinator, echoed the sentiment.
“I enjoy that we have the community coming together, we have the Fayetteville community as well as the Fort Bragg community, and everyone comes together to have a good time,” she said.
Cahill has been in charge of organizing the fair for the last three years. She said the fan favorite rides and attractions will be back this year, as well as the live entertainment events, such as an extreme motorcycle show.
“Everyone enjoys the Ferris wheel,” she said. “The swings, the drop tower, the zipper, the bumper cars … all of those are our fan favorites.”
In addition to the bigger rides, the fair also has a dedicated children’s area for the smaller kids to enjoy. From age-appropriate rides to activities for the little ones, the fair will have something for all ages to participate in.
The cost of admission to the fair includes unlimited carnival rides, live entertainment and parking. Carnival games and food are an additional cost. Cahill stated the average cost of the games starts around $5. General admission rates for the fair for Monday-Friday are $18, $16 for military and DoD civilians. Children over 36 inches are $16, and children under the height requirement are free.
On weekends, general admission is $23, $21 for military and DoD civilians. On Mother’s Day, May 10, Mothers with a paying child over 36 inches and 17 years old or younger can get in for $11. A full list of prices, admission specials and directions to the fairgrounds can be found at https://bragg.armymwr.com/calendar/event/2026-fort-bragg-fair/7210073/23406.
The fair will be open Mondays-Fridays at 5 p.m. On Saturday and Sunday, gates open at 1 p.m. Closing time varies depending on attendance and weather.
Cahill stressed checking out the prohibited items list before coming to the fair. This list can be found at the website above, and includes items such as firearms, knives and illegal substances.
“Amanda and her team have been working very closely with our Directorate of Emergency Services to make sure it is a safe and enjoyable event for everyone who comes out,” Olsen said. “There will be MP teams on site, and they’ll be patrolling around assisting and there's medical aid on site if needed. It is a priority for Fort Bragg that this is a safe and enjoyable event for our guests.”

(Photo: The Fort Bragg Fair is one of the biggest events of the year on post. This year's fair will be full of fun, rides and good food. Photo courtesy of Fort Bragg MWR's Flickr page)