CULLMAN, Ala. – Visitors planning to ride, play midway games or purchase food from Kissel Entertainment at the 2026 Cullman County Fair will need more than cash in their pockets.
Kissel has announced that its midway will be “completely cashless” during the fair, which is scheduled for Oct. 15-24, at the Cullman County Fairgrounds.
Credit cards, debit cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay will be accepted at Kissel ride ticket booths, games and food concessions.
Visitors who bring cash will still be able to participate. Kissel says a reverse ATM will be available to transfer cash onto a prepaid Mastercard. That card can be used throughout the Kissel midway and anywhere else Mastercard is accepted.
Once money is placed on the prepaid card, however, it cannot be converted back into cash. Kissel’s published information does not state whether the reverse ATM will charge a fee, whether minimum or maximum loading amounts will apply or how many machines will be available.
Cash users may want to load only what they expect to spend at the midway. Any remaining balance can be used later at other businesses that accept Mastercard, but it cannot be withdrawn as cash.
The cashless announcement applies specifically to Kissel’s portion of the fair. It should not be interpreted as confirmation that the admission gates, Cullman Lions Club concession stand or independent merchandise vendors will follow the same policy.
Official fair rules distinguish between food concessions operated by the Cullman Lions Club and those operated as part of the midway. Kissel’s announcement does not address payment methods for transactions outside its rides, games and concessions.
Ride prices and hours
Kissel says ride tickets and unlimited-ride wristbands will be sold in-person at the fair. Online ticket sales are not available for the Cullman event.
Unlimited-ride wristbands will cost $30 on opening day, Thursday, Oct. 15; Kids Day, Monday, Oct. 19; and Tuesday through Thursday, Oct. 20-22.
Wristbands will cost $35 Friday through Sunday, Oct. 16-18, and Friday and Saturday, Oct. 23-24.
Individual ride tickets will cost $2 each or $40 for 20 tickets.
The midway is scheduled to open at 5 p.m. on most weekdays, 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sunday and 1 p.m. on Kids Day. Closing times are not listed. Kissel says operating hours can change because of weather, crowd size or other conditions.
Visitors should also be aware of Kissel’s refund policy. Ride wristbands must remain securely attached, and the company says it does not offer refunds, rain checks, exchanges, re-stamping or rebanding.
That policy also applies when rides or the midway close because of mechanical problems, weather, low attendance or other circumstances.
Kissel Entertainment has provided the Cullman County Fair midway since 2018. The family-owned amusement company traces its history to 1932, when brothers Russel and Ralph Kissel began offering pony rides to children at an amusement park near Cincinnati.
When Kissel arrived in Cullman, The Tribune reported that the company directly operated its midway rides, games and food concessions. That arrangement helps explain why the cashless policy applies to Kissel operations rather than automatically covering every part of the fair.
The fair’s official website says annual attendance exceeds 40,000 visitors. The Cullman County Fair Association and Cullman Lions Club also use the event to support charitable causes, with more than 95% of their charitable distributions remaining in Alabama.
The Cullman County Fairgrounds is located at 1501 Sportsman Lake Road NW. For fair information, visit www.cullmanfair.org or call 256-734-0661 or 256-734-0339.
Additional midway information is available at www.kisselentertainment.com.
