In a surprise announcement this week, Lisa Garner and Kristen Larey of the Four States Fairgrounds were joined by Dan Sawyer of North American Midway Entertainment (N.A.M.E.) to unveil a major new partnership for the 81st Annual Four States Fair, scheduled for April 3–12, 2026.
Beginning in 2026, the Four States Fair will feature a full carnival experience produced by N.A.M.E., the largest and most award-winning carnival entertainment company in North America. The company’s portfolio includes 121 fairs, festivals, and carnivals each year from February through November—ranging from local community events to some of the most prestigious fairs on the continent.
N.A.M.E. currently provides midway attractions for major events such as the Arkansas State Fair, Indiana State Fair, Illinois State Fair, and North Carolina State Fair, as well as internationally recognized spectacles like the Calgary Stampede and the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) in Toronto. Collectively, these events draw millions of visitors each year, establishing N.A.M.E. as the premier name in large-scale carnival entertainment.
Garner and Larey emphasized that bringing N.A.M.E. to Texarkana ensures a bigger, more modern, and more diverse lineup of rides, games, and attractions than ever before. Dan Sawyer noted that N.A.M.E. is excited to bring their industry-leading midway to the Four States Fair and to begin a long-term partnership with the Texarkana community.
More information about North American Midway Entertainment can be found at namidway.com.
Although today’s radio segment was built around a surprise announcement, we managed a fun and informative conversation with our guests. You can watch the interview in the embedded video below:
