Armada Fair — Local services in Armada Township

The worst this year, esp. the demolition derby! Yes, busy stands, but you could only enter if you already had a seat?! Should have lied! Then closed off enter/exit to everyone! I saw parents couldn't get to kids, kids couldn't get to go potty, food had to be handed around gate as that person wasn't allowed up, just crazy stupid stuff. People told to go to other gates, then the security staff would ask if you can't read, snarky. Went to ALL the gates, same story. Waited in terrible lines, MASSIVE exit of people leaving after cars, but long break before minivans, you'd think that we would finally be let up, as there were plenty of empty spots. NOPE!! Only if you already had a seat, so at no time could anyone get to sit down and see this at all. Had to stand on a railing bent inwards to be able to see the last derby. So bad, EMS had to be called to help someone standing in that long line, no relief for anyone! This was completely uncalled for!! Let the people in when other people leave between heats! You announce that they are no saving seats, yet you guys saved all the seats from anyone who wanted to see the demo and use them!! The carnival rides were now $30 instead of $25, and you had to buy a reusable card to get a wristband or tickets and that was an extra $2, yet when purchased, you didn't get a card at all, just and extra $2 fee whether you paid cash or card, the machines were a hassle and broke, then you had to wait in another line to get to a person so that they took and kept your paper slip(not a card) to finally get a wristband. Less vendors, less food choices and longer lines. Less entertainment overall. The only thing to watch was a pizza eating contest for (pre)school age kids? Really? It eventually when up to older ages, but it was like watching paint dry. Several attractions from the last couple of years were missing, especially the birds, hay towers. Home goods and agriculture seemed like an after thought. The vendors selling SAME stuff in different parts of fair, lack of variety. *This year didn't give us value like in years past. * Corn on a stick was still good and cheap, so 2 stars instead of one. Parking was awful! Why do the RV's need to be up front? Let them park in the far back instead of the other way around. Last year was good for the customers, we parked in front and the RV's were in back. Bring back the old fair! This one sucks!! Eastern State Fair was a much better fair this year. I drove a long way for just...

UPDATE: This year, the Armada Fair wasn't as exciting as year's past. While the parking lot wasn't flooded like last year, the Main St entrance to the lot was closed off and finding the other entrance was a pain, so I decided to park at a church parking lot about 4 blocks from the fair entrance. Better that way for both convenience and donating to the church instead of paying the fairgrounds. Inside, it was the same old thing. $10 to get in and no smoking or vaping (anywhere) on the entire grounds. Overpriced Midway, overpriced carnival food, barn animals and a Monster Truck Show. We came for the Monster Truck show (free with fair admission) and avoided the midway and carnival food. Definitely ridiculous to pay $10 for a ride in a monster truck, though. Spent less than 2 minutes in the truck and you were done with the ride. At least last year you could ride around for 7 minutes before it ended for that $10. Monster Truck Show was great. Only 5 Star rating at this fair and the only thing worth seeing. Monster Jam's Champion driver, Jim Koehler was there this time and he even stayed late to give autographs for everyone that wanted them. A class act and the reason why we go to these little fairs in the first place. However, I don't think the Armada Fair will be something I'll do in the future. Just lost its appeal and we can see monster trucks throughout Michigan. A fun night on Tuesday watching the Monster Truck Show, despite the rainy, windy and cold temps while waiting for it to start. Prices were reasonable to park ($5) and for entrance fees ($10 for adults). Fair grounds, midway and food vendor areas were very muddy and deep with puddles. Very messy and tough to get around. Parking lot was treacherous, filled with deep mud puddles and many, many potholes that could swallow small cars on the road's surface. Barn area was the warmest and driest area on the grounds. Plenty of rides, games and food, but costly and very hard to miss standing in the mud puddles waiting in line. All and all, the Armada Fair was alright, however, if rain is in the forecast, I would skip going and wait for a...

Our family had the best time at the Armada Fair! This fair is the perfect mix of family fun, carnival rides, livestock exhibits, motorsports, and kid-friendly activities. The kids loved the carnival. Between the Ferris wheel, classic fair games, and sweet treats, it really felt like summer fun at its best.

We also enjoyed walking through the barns to see all the animals — the 4-H and youth livestock exhibits were inspiring. My kids got to see goats, rabbits, cows, and more, and it was amazing to watch the kids who worked so hard to prepare their animals for the fair. You can tell how much pride the community has in keeping agricultural traditions alive.

One of the highlights was the motorsports arena — from demolition derbies and tractor pulls to the bump-and-run races, the energy was incredible. The crowd was cheering the whole time, and it’s such a unique part of the Armada Fair experience. With free grandstand seating included in admission, it’s a huge value for families.

We also appreciated how affordable the fair is compared to other Michigan fairs. Adult tickets were cheap, kids under a certain age were free, and parking was just dirt cheap for the day. It really makes it possible to bring the whole family without breaking the budget. Plus, the fairgrounds were clean, the food vendors had all the fair favorites, and everyone we met — from staff to volunteers — was so friendly.

What makes the Armada Fair truly special is the sense of community and tradition. From the Miss Armada pageant to the youth exhibits and local entertainment, it feels like a celebration of small-town values with something for everyone. If you’re looking for an affordable, family-friendly fair in Michigan with rides, food, animals, and motorsports thrills, I can’t recommend the Armada Fair enough. We’ll definitely be...