PHOENIX – The Arizona State Fair is open for its monthlong run. Decked out with flashing rides, colorful carousels, food vendors and midway games, the only thing missing in this year’s edition is a petting zoo.

In August, the fair was sued by Elizabeth Felix, who says her 7-year-old son contracted E. coli after spending 30 minutes at the petting zoo last year. Felix’s son was one of several children and teenagers who were infected after they visited the petting zoo, according to a lawsuit.

Ron Simon, the lawyer representing Felix and her son, said the animals in the petting zoo had not been tested for E. coli and that there was no hand-washing station readily available for attendees. The Maricopa County Department of Public Health ultimately confirmed 18 cases of E. coli.

This year, despite the removal of the petting zoo, there will still be animal-related activities with protective measures in place.  

“We have two restrooms that have running water but we also have a hand-washing station separate to that in all the entrances of the center,” said Brianda Martinez, marketing director of the Arizona State Fair.

Inside the fair’s Agriculture Center on Thursday, neat rows of caged rabbits, gerbils and chickens were alongside sheep, a pig and two goats in their own pens. The fair is limiting human-to-animal contact by keeping the critters on display and prohibiting touching, Martinez said.

Despite the removal of the petting zoo, there are still many animal-related exhibits at Arizona State Fair 2026, including this bunny. Extra hand-washing stations have been added.

Photo by Kylee Loewe/Cronkite News

Karen Searle, the executive director of the Maricopa County Fair, emphasized the importance of cleanliness and hand washing. 

“People need to be responsible and wash their hands,” Searle said. “Hopefully, people are practicing good hygiene with their children and their families... (and) that if they come into the barn at all, whether they touch a pen or touch a cage, they need to wash their hands.”

This year strollers and wagons are banned from entering the barns and must be left outside the center while people are attending any animal-related activities.

Although animal interactions are limited, Martinez said agriculture and livestock are the “heart of the Arizona State Fair,” and that continuing to display animals and educate fairgoers about them is important.

“Because we live in a very metro society, we want kids to see and experience animals up close,” she said. “We want them to experience whether it's a chicken or a pig or a cow, and find out where their milk comes from and where their food comes from. It's important, kids need to understand it doesn't just come from the grocery store.”

Aside from changes to the interactive experiences with animals, the fair is showcasing a high school rodeo, a Native American rodeo, extreme bull-riding and a canine stunt show, as well as new rides, monster trucks and a free NASCAR exhibit.

“We just want everyone to be safe, practice good hygiene, wash your hands and come outside and enjoy the fair,” Martinez said.

The fair is open through Nov. 1 on Thursdays through Sundays at the Arizona State Fairgrounds until Nov. 1. Concert headliners include the Gin Blossoms, Becky G, The Offspring and Public Enemy.

This article first appeared on Cronkite News and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.