Missouri State Fair
The Missouri State Fair is home to hundreds of exciting attractions, including stages filled with entertainers and live music, demonstrations, competitions, and more. While enjoying all the fair has to offer, fairgoers make their way to the Gerken Dairy Center to enjoy delicious ice cream, freshly made grilled cheese sandwiches, and ice-cold milk. The Center’s unique cow butter sculpture and live milking demos are another reason to stop by and learn how dairy farmers provide quality care for their cows, communities, and the planet.
The Gerken Dairy Center first opened its doors in 1999 and is a must-stop for fairgoers! When there, they can try the newest Flavor of the Fair ice cream treat, enjoy hot, made-to-order grilled cheese sandwiches, and watch milking demos to learn how your favorite dairy products are made!
Fun Fact: In 2025, over 33,000 scoops of hand-dipped ice cream and over 10,000 soft-serve ice cream cones were served!
Flavor of the Fair
The 2026 Flavor of the Fair will be announced soon!
In 2024, the Missouri State Fair introduced its first Flavor of the Fair ice cream treat. The inaugural flavor was Kingdom Crunchdown, selected personally by Governor Mike Parson. In 2025, the Flavor of the Fair was Pasture Parfait.