The Pawnee County Free Fair is held at the Pawnee County Fairgrounds and Event Center in Pawnee City in mid-July, and as the name says, it is free. It reached its 84th annual edition in 2026. The week is a mix few other fairs carry together: a Thursday evening parade, Greg’s Goodtime Polka Band, stick horse races, team roping, a community band concert, a barbecue competition, a mud volleyball tournament, a magic show, inflatable bounce houses, a car show with antique tractors, two nights of Grand River Rodeo and an Outlaw truck and tractor pull. It is organized by the Pawnee County Ag Society and the Pawnee County 4-H Foundation. The 2026 grand marshal was 97-year-old Esther Tegtmeier.