<P> Coordinates: 40 ° 50 ′ 08" N 96 ° 41 ′ 14" W ﻿ / ﻿ 40.8356 ° N 96.687176 ° W ﻿ / 40.8356; - 96.687176 The Nebraska State Fair is a state fair held annually in Grand Island . It is an approximately eleven - day event; since the early 1990s, the fair ends on Labor Day . Prior to 2010, the fair was held in Lincoln, Nebraska . </P> <P> The first state fair was a territorial fair held September 21--23 in 1859 in Nebraska City . The next fair was held in Nebraska City on October 7--9, 1868; this was the first fair held after Nebraska became a state . Nebraska City also hosted the 1869 fair . </P>

When did the nebraska state fair move to grand island