Let's Go Back to the State Fair

By Judie Matthews, Special Collections Librarian

The Metropolitan Library System recently teamed up with the Oklahoma State Fair to bring fair-themed excitement to our libraries. If you participated in August, the raffle for State Fair tickets will be drawn on Sept. 6! The Oklahoma State Fair runs from Sept. 12 - 22, so be sure to take in all the fun and activities.

What does it mean to GO BACK to the State Fair?

"Let’s Go Again!" We’ve been called to return to the lights, food, rides, and shows. The Fair feels like a homecoming—a chance for us to celebrate who we are as Oklahomans while the harvest comes in and the days are still long.

This sense of nostalgia also touched Oklahomans a century ago. In 1923, the State Fair faced significant challenges during a time of political turmoil. Gov. Jack Walton and the Ku Klux Klan were locked in a power struggle, with headlines dominated by their conflict. That August ended with Tulsa County under martial law, and the Fair's attendance hit lows not seen since World War I.

In 1924, the fair organizers knew they had to win back the public. Fair Secretary Ralph Hemphill confidently promoted the event, promising it would be the best yet. Extra vendors and new events were introduced, and it paid off—attendance exceeded expectations.

Oklahomans returned to their fair in 1924, setting aside the political strife of the previous year. The State Fair offered a chance for revelry and competition that strengthened community bonds. As we’re invited to return to the fair this year, let’s follow the example of those who came before us— “Let’s Go Again” and enjoy the bounty our state offers.

FROM OUR SPECIAL COLLECTION - In this Sept. 25, 1924 article in The Oklahoma News, columnist Jane Ellen recounts an unforgettable trip to the State Fair. She wrote:

“Loveliest one: Wednesday, the 24th – what a wonderful day! Went to the State Fair and ate and looked and walked and talked and laughed until I thought the excitement of it all would kill me dead. Mr. and Mrs. Oklahoma City had a terribly good time too – I could tell by the smiles on everybody’s faces. Horse races, lots of fun, too much to eat, lost and separated families, hot in the sun and cold in the shade in fact, everything to make a Day at the Fair complete. And as proof of my good time, Diary, look right over there at that ruined pair of pumps, that perfectly good dress with the soda pop splashed all over the front and that feather going the wrong way on my hat.”

This article (right) ran in The Oklahoma News on Sept 25, 1924. Metropolitan Library System Special Collections.