West-central Missouri city known for the Missouri State Fair and Scott Joplin's ragtime years
Sedalia is a small city in west-central Missouri, roughly halfway between Kansas City and St. Louis on US-50. It is best known as the home of the Missouri State Fair, held every August, which draws hundreds of thousands of visitors for livestock shows, carnival rides, and concerts.
The town also has a place in American music history: Scott Joplin lived here in the 1890s and composed several of his early ragtime pieces in Sedalia, including the "Maple Leaf Rag," named after a local dance hall. The Scott Joplin Ragtime Festival each June celebrates this legacy with performances and lectures. Downtown Sedalia retains a handful of well-preserved 19th-century commercial buildings along Ohio Street.
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Getting There
Sedalia sits at the junction of US-50 and US-65 in west-central Missouri, about 90 miles south-east of Kansas City and 190 miles west of St Louis. US-50 is the main approach from either direction and the drive from Kansas City is around 90 minutes.
By train. Amtrak's Missouri River Runner stops at Sedalia twice a day in each direction on the Kansas City – St Louis route, calling at the small station on East 3rd Street. It's one of the few mid-Missouri towns with a regular passenger rail service.
By air. The nearest commercial airport is Kansas City International (MCI), 100 miles north-west. Sedalia's own regional airport (DMO) handles only general aviation.
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When to Go
Sedalia's calendar revolves around two events. The Scott Joplin International Ragtime Festival runs over five days in early June and is the cultural high point of the year — book accommodation well in advance if you're attending. The Missouri State Fair takes over the south-west side of town for eleven days in mid-August; expect every motel within forty miles to be full and prices to spike.
Outside those windows, late spring (May) and early autumn (September–October) are the most pleasant times to visit. Summer is hot and humid, regularly into the mid-30s Celsius, with thunderstorm risk. Winter is cold but rarely severe; January averages hover around freezing.
