New England
Biggest Agricultural Fairs in New England
Meet me at the fair! Here are the biggest agricultural fairs in New England, featuring crafts, contests, music, food, pageants, rides, and more!
By Yankee Magazine|May 25 2021|
Coffee By Design | Portland, Maine
Photo Credit : Katherine Keenan
Photo Credit : Thinkstock
Biggest Agricultural Fairs in New England | Updated for 2021
Washington County Fair | August 11 -15, 2021 Richmond, RI
Featuring daily concerts, special acts and events, a giant midway and kiddy land area (including New England’s largest traveling roller coaster), agricultural events and shows, exhibits and displays, tractor and horse pulls, the farm museum, and more!Vermont State Fair | August 17 – 21, 2021 Rutland, VT
Celebrating agriculture since 1846! Reach new heights on the Ferris wheel, thrill to the action of the demolition derby, try your luck at games of chance, ride the carousel, enjoy 4-H livestock shows, indulge in some tasty treats (fried dough, anyone?), and more!
Photo Credit : Photo by MA Office of Tourism / CC BY-ND
The Big E | September 17 – October 3, 2021 West Springfield, MA
The Big E is the sixth largest agricultural fair in the country, and the largest of the agricultural fairs in New England. Featuring Avenue of the States, Butter Sculpture, contests, rides, endless selections of fair food, shopping, top entertainment and musical acts, cheese competition, agricultural events and competitions, and much, much, more. You’ve got to visit to believe it! SEE MORE: Opening Day at the Big E | New England’s Largest Agricultural Fair
Photo Credit : Photo by Peter Gene / CC BY-SA
Durham Fair | September 23 – 26, 2021 Durham, CT
Featuring top entertainment, crafts on the Green, carnival rides and games on the Midway (including the Super Coaster), first-class animal competitions and discovery events on the Corn Stalk Stage, lots to eat, exhibits showcasing livestock, fruits, vegetables, art, crafts, baking, needlework, photography, and more!
Photo Credit : Photo by James Lee / CC BY
Deerfield Fair | September 30 – October 3, 2021 Deerfield, NH
Featuring tractor pulls, livestock pulls and exhibitions, a demolition derby, the Ms. Deerfield Fair pageant, rides, artisans, your favorite fair food, and 4-H exhibits. A New Hampshire family fair tradition since 1876!
Photo Credit : Photo by Alex Kehr / CC BY
Fryeburg Fair | October 3 – 10, 2021 Fryeburg, ME
Featuring an impressively large display of oxen and ox competitions, plus livestock shows, harness racing, horse pulling, antique farm equipment displays and demonstrations, gardening and cooking contests and displays, a petting zoo, live musical acts, amusement rides, food, and more! SEE MORE: Scenes From The Fryeburg Fair | Photographs Which of our picks for the biggest agricultural fairs in New England is your favorite? Do you go for the food? The animals? The rides and games? Let us know! This post was first published in 2013 and has been updated.SEE MORE:
12 New England Fairs to Visit This Fall
10 Places to Visit in New England in Fall
Best Fall Food Festivals in New England
Best Corn Mazes in New England
Where does the Marthas Vineyard Ag Fair rank in this mix. I just loved it this year. Lots of stuff and my son played in the band which provided music. What is your grading on this? Obama was there?
FRYEBURG IS MY FAVORITE
WE CAMP TRACKSIDE
NINE DAYS IN HEAVEN !!!
My favorite fair is still the one from my hometown; I always spent the last week of my summer vacation at the Champlain Valley Fair. 🙂 And my house was so close to the fairgrounds that I could hear the live concerts–no need for tickets!
If you want a REAL AG fair it’s Skowhegan Fair. Great livestock shows
How can you leave out the Topsfield Fair?
Woodstock Fair. CT. FOOD!
the big E,the best fair
Woodstock Fair in Woodstock, CT. Labor Day weekend. Favorite event is the antique tractor pull on Friday night- just a stone boat on dirt with concrete blocks, nothing fancy, and lots of local people with nice machines, many of which are still used day to day. http://www.woodstockfair.com. Might also be bigger than some on this list by attendance and/or physical size…
Hi Ingrid. We agree the Topsfield Fair is great, but since we had to limit this list to just one big fair per state, it’s hard to argue that any MA fair is bigger than the Big E!
Haddam Neck Fair – major agricultural fair, but small enough to enjoy.
The Big E is held in West Springfield, MA, not Springfield.
Thanks for the clarification, Diane! We’ve updated the article.
Big E in West Springfield, Massachusetts is the best.
You did not mention the CHAMPLAIN VALLEY FAIR..VERMONT’S BIGGEST & BEST FAIR. Located in EssexnJct.
VT. it has lots of animals, horseshows, cattle shows? Sheep shows, farm to table dinner, craft, art shows, great concerts, terrific rides & the list goes on & on. Come by for a visit. There’s much more!!
i wondered why The Topsfield Fair wasn’t included. Isn’t it the oldest fair in the country? I think it is.
Bethlehem Fair, Bethlehem, CT – always the weekend following Labor Day weekend.
Right?? How did the Woodstock Fair not make this list??
Yes the Woodstock fair in ct should be on this list
We received a wonderful placard from Yankee Magazine indicating that our fair was included in this information, Hopkinton State Fair is a wonderful Labor Day Weekend fair, full of our local 4-H children and their exhibits, local and regional entertainment, a fantastic mid-way show and much much more. Please plan to include us when planning to visit New Hampshire over Labor Day this year.
The Brooklyn Fair in Brooklyn, Ct is the oldest continuously running agricultural fair in the country.
Fryeburg Fair, the best camping there is also a must!
The big e and the Durham fair are the best fairs.
My all time favourite is the Sandwich Fair in Ctr. Sandwich, NH (in the heart of the Lakes Region). Always held on or around October 12th – it was once the largest 1-day fair at the end of the season … now, it’s held over a week-end. I remember waking up in the morning and seeing cars parked on both sides of Lake Road leading from Squam Lake into the center of the village. I haven’t been in the area for many years now – but, would be very curious to return to see what’s happened with the area and the fair.
I always go to the Topsfield fair in Topsfield Mass. Always lots to see and do.
The Topsfield Fair is celebrating its 200th anniversary this year and is the oldest in the country.
No Bethlehem (CT) Fair again?!
Well, this probably isn’t considered New England, but the Dutchess County Fair in Rhinebeck is amazing. It is now in its 173rd year!
I should have added that Rhinebeck is Rhinebeck, NY.
#1 Fryeburg Fair…great fair food, huge livestock area, harness racing, local crafts and foods, great music, (Charlie Daniels and Marshall Tucker this year) ….a real North Country fair!
I have been to the Durham Fair, The Big E, and a lot of others, but I find the Fryeburg Fair to be the best in my opinion, and it runs for a whole week!
Take out Springfield (Just an awful area, you will witness a robbery the second you come around that area), and replace it with Topsfield the oldest!
Hi Ryan. We love the Topfield Fair, too! See more in our 2018 feature “Behind the Scenes at the Topsfield Fair.”
Common Grounds Fair in Maine. Hosted by the Maine Organic Farmers Association. EVERYTHING is organic including the concession stands. It is huge and fabulous! I’ve gone twice from the CT shore. If you are interested in organic farming or produce it is a must. I learn so mush every time and don’t miss the organic fresh french fries, also a must.
Hi Jeanne! Thanks for your comment. You’ll find Maine’s Common Ground Country Fair proudly featured on our list of 12 New England Fairs to Visit This Fall. We agree that it’s a wonderful and delicious event!
Suprised that Hopkinton isn’t on this, seeing that it’s the largest fair in New Hampshire..