Jonesboro, AR – (JonesboroRightNow.com) – September 29, 2025 – The 2025 Northeast Arkansas District Fair came to a close Saturday night. Fair organizers dealt with unusually hot weather at the beginning of the fair then 2 1/2 days of rain last week. Officials said the weather hurt attendance.
“Numbers were down,” said Mitch Johnson, NEA District Fair Manager. “The 2 1/2 days of rain definitely hurt our attendance.”
The fair also dealt with the publicity of what was believed to be some sort of shooting incident on Saturday night, September 20. The incident caused panic among fairgoers who fled the fairgrounds. The fair was ultimately closed. Fair staff and Jonesboro Police officers could never confirm that a shooting had taken place. A review of the audio on security video did not detect any gunshots. “We had a few unexpected circumstances we had to overcome but we managed to provide a great event for the community,” Johnson said.
The fair is held on property now owned by the Nettleton Baptist Church. The fair pays rent to the church for use of the property each year. “We will be meeting with the church to discuss a contract going forward,” Johnson said.
“I love to be a part of putting this fair together for our patrons and being able to provide an incredible experience for many families,” Johnson said. “Many of us work so hard to bring the fair together and to insure a safe and enjoyable atmosphere for all fair goers.”
