Started in 1869 by the Lexington Colored Agricultural and Mechanical Assoc., the annual Lexington Colored Fair promoted racial achievement and offered entertainment that attracted thousands from Kentucky and beyond. When it was located on Georgetown Pike, the site included an exhibition hall, amphitheatre, and racetrack. Although similar fairs were held statewide, Lexington's Colored Fair was the most successful and lasted well into the 1930s. As popular as Emancipation Day among the state's black citizens, the fairs awarded cash prizes in categories ranging from livestock and racing to music and floral display, and they showed African American accomplishments since emancipation.