Carnival & Fair News

The Maryland State Fair has been living a dream, a big dream. This mid-Atlantic tradition has maintained a strong following since the pandemic, continuing its role as the annual farewell to summer and the largest outdoor event in the state. The 2025 edition attracted 565,307 fairgoers, which is about the same level of attendance the fair has sustained since 2022, when it shifted from 12 consecutive days to a three-weekend format.

That year, the fair was still billed as the “12 Best Days of Summer,” even though it was no longer a dozen days in a row. Last year, however, a revamped marketing campaign with an emphasis on social media and higher-quality content introduced a new tagline: Dream Big. Team MSF used it in videos that paired dreamers with their dreams.

Branding Concepts

Retiring the long-standing seasonal slogan went hand in hand with a larger rebranding effort. The fair added an extra weekend, dropped the dated tagline, and rolled out Dream Big. By 2025, the message no longer needed an introduction. The public understood it. Dream Big had become linked to the idea of enjoying one more weekend of Americana warmth at the state fair.

This year showed that the tagline and its supporting campaign, with a heavy focus on social media, had truly connected with the audience. Dream Big now underscored iconic images of livestock, agriculture, midway rides, horse racing, and more. The challenge in 2025 was no longer to rebrand, but to build on the brand and deepen the fair's relationship with its community.

“We've had Dream Big for a couple of years now,” said Andy Cashman, General Manager of the Maryland State Fair & Agricultural Society. “This year we added content about dreaming of a pig, cow, or horse that our team came up with. There's one with a child eating ice cream. Using the same tagline with better content helps us get noticed. After two years, people know we're a place to Dream Big.”

The marketing budget stayed the same as last year, but strategy shifted. “We didn't increase ad buys, but we did more trades with print. About 70 percent of our budget is now digital or social media. We do virtually no print or radio. Aside from a few digital platforms, it's all social media.”

This approach paid off at the transactional level, especially in advanced ticket sales. “We saw more presales this year and made them part of the campaign. We also ran more flash sales, which worked extremely well.”

Social media also proved to be the best way to reach the target demographic. “That's where you find young families. Parents and kids use social media for everything now, and that's the age group we need. Fairs are about family.”

“I would say their staff is amazing, and moving to three long weekends has helped tremendously since school now starts before Labor Day,” said Jamie Deggeller, CFO of Deggeller Attractions, the fair's longtime midway provider. “It was a great fair. We had good sales and the staff is wonderful.”

Fair Programming

Marketing also highlighted the wide variety of programming, from the Deggeller midway — featuring favorites like the Rip Tide Roller Coaster, Space Port, Hydra, Merry-Go-Round, Giant Wheel, and a Kiddie Land — to signature Thoroughbred horse racing at the grandstands and a state-of-the-art, air-conditioned Off-Track Betting facility. The grandstand lineup included Maddox Batson and the Marshall Tucker Band. Returning and new ground acts featured AmirrorCAN MEN, Butterfly Encounter, mobile blacksmithing, glass blowing, wood carving, the Otter Show, Swifty Swine, and a rodeo with professional bull riding and barrel racing.

“The vibe this year was an expectation of great entertainment and that's what we gave them,” said Cashman. “The free otter show was brand new and incredibly popular. The racing pigs are always great. People love them.”

Equestrian events remain a core part of the fair. Fans could wager at the Timonium 5/8-mile racetrack, attend Back Stretch Tours, and enjoy Maryland Day, the Timonium Shine Again Stakes, and College Day at the Races. “Horse racing is a long-time Maryland State Fair tradition. It attracts an older crowd, but younger audiences are starting to show interest. The jockeys, handlers, and trainers are also younger. The next generation is moving into the sport, even if not fully into the audience yet.”

Financially, the fair managed to shield visitors from inflation. “We didn't raise prices,” said Cashman. “Admissions, wristbands, and parking stayed the same.” That helped boost spending. “People came and spent money. The midway had one of its best revenue years.”

“Yes, we kept prices the same and sales were up on the midway,” said Deggeller. “It was a very successful year.” The midway also featured a refurbished Starship 4000 (now themed, The Odyssey), the Rock N Roll Himalaya that was recently purchased from Belle City Amusements, and returning hits like the Giant Wheel, Rock N Roll, and Wave Swinger.

As a late summer fair, the Maryland State Fair capped the company's season. “We had a great spring, then a summer of bad weather, but when the weather's good, we do well,” said Deggeller.

Mother Nature was cooperative this year, with 13 days of near-perfect weather. “We couldn't have asked for more perfect weather,” said Cashman. “The sunshine, cool breezes, new competitions, entertainment, and traditional favorites made this one of the biggest fairs in our history. We are proud to have fulfilled our mission to educate more people and families about agriculture.”



Despite ideal weather, attendance dipped from 2024's 589,380. “Last year we had a group sale that added 19,000 people. That doesn't happen every year. If we're only down one or two percent, we still consider that a good fair. We've maintained a steady following.”

Looking ahead, Cashman was optimistic. “The 2025 fair exceeded expectations. The past three years have been steady. Every fair has its own flavor, and you always try to do your best. I work with a great staff, and we have a lot of younger people on the team. We learn from each other and already have ideas for next year.”