Fonner Park
Fonner Park is a year-round racetrack and fairgrounds complex just off Interstate 80 in Grand Island, Nebraska, and it hosts the Hall County Fair and the Nebraska State Fair. The campus is open 24 hours a day, and the RV park offers 129 full-service concrete sites. At the Nebraska State Fair, parking is free and free shuttle buses run from an off-site lot.
Before you go
- Capacity
- Heartland Events Center arena 6,000 seats; conference center 8,000 sq. ft.
- Official site
- fonnerpark.com
- Next festival here
- Nebraska State Fair, Aug 27 to Sep 6, 2027
Worth knowing before you go
- Outside the State Fair, the RV park is open only to RV owners taking part in an event at Fonner Park.
- The live thoroughbred race meet runs from mid-February through early May.
- At the Nebraska State Fair, shuttles load and unload at Gate 5A by the 4-H / FFA Building.
- Businesses on the campus keep their own hours, even though the campus itself never closes.
Festivals here
Venue basics: Just off Interstate 80 · Campus open 24 hours, 7 days · RV park with 129 full-service sites.
Is it for you
Choose it if
- You want to stay in an RV on site at a major event.
- You like free parking, with a free shuttle if you park off site.
Think twice if
- You want to camp at a time when no event is on at Fonner Park.
Getting there and parking
Fonner Park is just off Interstate 80 in Grand Island, in the center of Nebraska. The campus itself is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, while the businesses and organizations on it keep their own hours.
Festival-specific · Nebraska State FairThe fair does not charge for parking on the campus. Free parking is in the main lots off Stolley Park Road, on State Fair Boulevard, with more at Fonner Park Road and Stuhr Road.
Festival-specific · Nebraska State FairFree off-site shuttle buses leave Sam's Club at the top of every hour from 9am each day. Shuttles load and unload at Gate 5A by the 4-H / FFA Building on the north side of the campus.
Festival-specific · Nebraska State FairTractor-drawn trams with ADA lifts let guests hop on and off around the grounds, and volunteers at any staffed information kiosk can call a courtesy golf cart for a ride.
Accessibility
We don't yet have confirmed information about accessibility at Fonner Park. The venue's own pages are the place to check: fonnerpark.com.
Camping
The RV park has 129 full-service concrete sites with water, sewer and electric. The bathhouse has five shower and restroom rooms, including one handicap-accessible toilet, sink and shower combination.
From October through July the RV park is available only to RV owners taking part in an event held at Fonner Park. During the State Fair it is open to vendors and carnival staff from August through September.
Food, water and what you can bring
Festival-specific · Nebraska State FairThe fair allows concert attendees to bring their own lawn chairs for general admission seating.
Recently at Fonner Park
2026 Nebraska State Fair - It All Happens Here!!
Nebraska State Fair
Quick answers
Is parking free at the Nebraska State Fair?
Yes. The fair does not charge for parking on the campus, with free lots off Stolley Park Road, Fonner Park Road and Stuhr Road.
Is there a shuttle to the Nebraska State Fair?
Yes. Free off-site shuttle buses leave Sam's Club at the top of every hour from 9am each day and drop off at Gate 5A.
Can I camp at Fonner Park?
Partly. The RV park has 129 full-service concrete sites, but from October through July it is open only to RV owners taking part in an event at Fonner Park.
Can I bring a lawn chair to a Nebraska State Fair concert?
Yes. The fair allows concert attendees to bring their own lawn chairs for general admission seating.
Is Fonner Park open 24 hours?
Yes. The campus is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, though the businesses on it keep their own hours.
How big is the arena at Fonner Park?
The Heartland Events Center has a 6,000 seat arena and an attached 8,000 sq. ft. conference center.
A little history
Fonner Park began in the 1950s on farmland owned by Gus and Emma Fonner. In 1953 a group of businessmen formed the Hall County Livestock Improvement Association to find a permanent home for the Hall County Fair, and the Fonners sold the land to it at a low cost. The park is still the home of the Hall County Fair.
The heart of Fonner Park is the live thoroughbred race meet, which runs from mid-February through early May. The Heartland Events Center opened in 2006 with a 6,000 seat arena and an attached 8,000 sq. ft. conference center.