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Cows, corn stalks and community: Orangeville Fall Fair returns Labour Day weekend

August 27, 2026   ·   0 Comments

By Sam Odrowski

The Orangeville Fall Fair is back for its 2026 edition, running Friday, Sept. 4 through Sunday, Sept. 6 at the Orangeville Agricultural Society fairgrounds, with organizers promising a weekend built around this year’s theme: “Cows and Corn Stalks.”

Fair coordinator Patti Dickins said the event will feature a photo opportunity with a large cow prop, cow-print tablecloths in the Oak Room, and corn stalk decorations spread throughout the fairgrounds. The Lego Club will also make an appearance on Saturday.

One of the biggest changes this year is the return of a two-night demolition derby, presented by Mom’s Motor Sports, running Saturday and Sunday at 5:30 p.m. The truck and tractor pull takes over Friday night.

New to the fair this year is Kathryn Burrell, author of Our Orangeville Colouring Book, who will be on hand to meet visitors. Entertainment includes the Mazel Band on Friday, Guitars Cadillacs on Saturday afternoon and the Edge Band on Sunday afternoon.

Michelle Hartley, the newly appointed coordinator of the Kid’s Zone, is bringing new activities to that area of the fair, Dickins said. Among the returning favourites is a barrel train built by Dickins’ husband, which proved a hit with young kids last year.

“The kids loved it, absolutely loved it,” Dickins said of the ride.

Now in its third year, the Kids Zone sits just steps from the admission gate and will run Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., according to Hartley. The area, geared toward children up to age 12, includes free activities such as a ball pit, bouncy animals, lassoing and hula hooping under a large arch. A corn husking competition for three age categories is set for 1:30 p.m. Saturday.

Groups confirmed to take part include the Orangeville Outlaws U16 football team, Otters Swim Club, Skate Canada, Girl Guides, Scouts, the Ontario SPCA’s Orangeville branch, and the Orangeville Hallowe’en Haunt Patrol and Christmas Nite Lites Patrol. The Haunt Patrol is expected to hand out more than 300 freebies and run a craft table where kids can make a cloth ghost for a 25-cent donation, with proceeds going to the Dufferin HART Hub and the food bank vending machine at the Orangeville Library’s Mill Street Branch.

Outdoor space in the Kids Zone remains free for non-profit groups, with a few spots still open, Hartley said.

Dickins, who has volunteered with the fair since 2018 and is now in her sixth year as coordinator, said the sense of community is what keeps her coming back.

“I just love seeing the community come together,” she said. “You see friends you have seen forever, and just the smile on the kids and parents’ faces – it’s just lovely. That’s my takeaway: bringing the community together.”

Dickins is hoping to see a rebound in home craft entries this year, an area she said has been declining as fewer people take part in what used to be a fair staple.

“Home craft entries have really gone downhill because the home fair is starting to be a thing of the past,” she said, encouraging residents, especially kids, to submit an entry. Winners can take home prize money along with the recognition.

The fair’s midway, supplied by a Chatham-based company, will return with a lineup of rides, though Dickins said fairs the size of Orangeville’s are increasingly squeezed out of booking larger operators. Many midway companies sold off equipment during the pandemic, she said, and long-term contracts with larger fairs have made it difficult for smaller events to book bigger attractions.

Agricultural programming remains a cornerstone of the weekend. The 4-H Dairy Club Show and the Dufferin Wellington Holstein Show both take place Friday, while the Miniature Horse Show runs Sunday morning. Dickins said those events, along with the home craft hall, offer a rare chance for city kids to connect with where their food comes from.

“For city kids, it’s very exciting to come see a cow, see the animals,” she said, adding the home craft hall similarly shows children “how your bread is made from grains.”

Supporting local agriculture remains a priority for the fair, Dickins said, pointing to her own background as the daughter of a farmer.

“It’s so hard to be a farmer nowadays,” she said. “We want to encourage farmers and let the kids experience the farming experience.”

Roughly 40 volunteers help run the fair each year, Dickins said, adding the event could always use more hands, including students looking to complete volunteer hours. She credited volunteers, especially students, with keeping the atmosphere lively.

“They bring energy and happiness to the fair because it’s new to them,” she said. “It’s just so nice to work with the young ones.”

Fall fair attendance topped 6,000 last year, weather permitting, according to Dickins.

For those who have never attended, she pointed to the home craft exhibits, including the biggest pumpkin and zucchini competitions, as a highlight not to be missed.

Dickins also credited the fair’s community partners and sponsors for helping keep the event running year after year.

“We really appreciate all our partners out in the community,” she said.

Gates open at 9 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, with the fair running until 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 10 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $15 for adults, $10 for seniors and youths aged six to 14, and free for children five and under.

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