For one day of its 167th run, the Mississippi State Fair turns its gates over to the people it spent the year saluting. Military Monday, on Oct. 12, 2026, gives veterans and active-duty service members free admission to the fairgrounds in Jackson simply by showing valid identification at the gate. The fair runs through Oct. 18.
The gesture is not an isolated promotion. It is the centerpiece of a fair that has organized its entire identity around military service this year. The 2026 theme is "Let Freedom Ring," chosen by Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson to honor veterans and active military members and to fold the state fair into America250, the nonpartisan observance of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Red, white and blue decor runs throughout the grounds, and fairgoers are encouraged to dress in patriotic colors.
"Because of the work of our veterans who have served all these years from the Revolutionary War to the present time, we have freedom," Gipson said when announcing the theme. "We're going to recognize our veterans every single day at the state fair."
That recognition takes concrete form beyond the free gate. The Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce is conducting daily interviews with veterans and active military members visiting the fair, and posting the videos on the state fair's website, building an oral-history archive out of ordinary fairgoers. Military members also receive discounts from participating Midway vendors.
Military Monday itself runs from 10 a.m., when gates open, until the fair closes at 9 p.m. Rides start at noon. A $35 ride wristband is available from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. The day's entertainment lineup includes the Flying Fools High Dive Show, the Royal Legacy Circus, pig races, Fetch N Fish and the Taste of Dixie National Rodeo.
The most Mississippi-specific perk may be the food. Veterans and active-duty members who present a valid military ID at the gate and show the resulting armband at the Biscuit Booth receive a complimentary brisket biscuit. The brisket biscuit is new for 2026, a collaboration between fair organizers and the Mississippi Beef Council that sandwiches Beef Barn brisket between two biscuits from the fair's long-running Biscuit Booth. The free biscuit is available Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
That biscuit carries more history than most fair food. The Biscuit Booth has been handing out free buttermilk biscuits filled with maple syrup on the Midway for more than five decades. The booth has since become so identified with the fair that volunteers from the Department of Agriculture and Commerce now aim to make roughly 100,000 biscuits over the fair's run. In 2024, more than 100,000 free biscuits were handed out.
The brisket biscuit is not the only upgrade to that tradition this year. The Biscuit Booth may also travel to Washington, D.C., as part of Mississippi's participation in the America250 celebration.
Military Monday also sits alongside another themed day. Tuesday, Oct. 13, is Disability Friendly Day, sponsored by Joni & Friends, running 9 a.m. to noon at the Mississippi Coliseum. It features a Resource Carnival connecting individuals and families with services, organizations and community resources, along with sensory-friendly tents for quiet breaks, inclusive entertainment and accessible versions of classic fair activities. The event is free for people and families affected by disabilities, and while organizers strongly encourage pre-registration, registration is available at the gate.
The fair itself is a long-standing fixture. The 167th edition opened Oct. 8 at the Mississippi State Fairgrounds. The Mississippi Coliseum, built in 1962, anchors the grounds. This year's musical lineup includes Flo Rida, scheduled for 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 15, and the Let Freedom Ring Midway Parade stepped off at 1:30 p.m. on Oct. 10.
For anyone planning around Military Monday, the practical details matter. General admission is $10 per person, with children 5 and younger free and parking free. Admission is free on weekdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., except Columbus Day. Tickets, concert tickets and ride wristbands are available online at msstatefair.com, and admission and concert tickets can also be purchased at the Mississippi Coliseum Box Office.
A few rules apply. Guests younger than 18 must be accompanied by an adult age 21 or older from Sunday through Thursday beginning at 6 p.m. until closing, and all day Friday and Saturday; guests may be asked to show identification to verify age. Bags are subject to search, and guests entering the Midway must pass through security screening. Outside food and beverages are not allowed. Jefferson Street is closed between Pearl Street and Amite Street, and Greymont Street is open for fair traffic only.
What Military Monday offers, in the end, is a free gate and a free biscuit, but the fair has framed it as something larger: a single day set aside inside a two-week run that, this year, is built around remembering who served.