Greater Gulf State Fair Greater Gulf State Fair The Greater Gulf State Fair is an annual fair and agricultural show that is held at the Greater Gulf State Fairgrounds in Mobile, Alabama. It features livestock competitions, rides, concessions, motor contests, and concerts. It has been held every year since 1955, and moved to its current location in 1974. The event's name stems from its serving of people from Lower Alabama, Lower Mississippi, and the Panhandle of Florida. It is the largest fair in the state of Alabama. The Greater Gulf State Fair began as a fund-raising initiative for the Mobile Jaycees, a group of
Gulf of Mexico Foundation Paul Kelly, a former senior executive at Rowan Companies, an oil drilling firm. Other board members are executives from Shell Oil Company, ConocoPhillips, Transocean oil drilling firm, and legal, environmental and marketing firms. At least half of the 19 board of directors have ties to the offshore oil drilling industry. Gulf of Mexico Foundation partners include major oil companies and oil drilling firms, and others concerned for the environment. They include BP, Transocean, Marathon, ConocoPhillips, Shell Oil Company, Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, Rowan Companies and the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund. The Foundation has a reported $2 million annual budget, and one-quarter