🌾 166th Annual Fair 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family Friendly

Almonte Fair 2026: Roots, Shoots & Farm Boots

One of the oldest fairs in the Ottawa Valley, running since 1853

📍 Get Directions Full Schedule

Dancing tractors, chainsaw carving, a demolition derby, live music in the Ag Hall, and one pay-one-price ticket that covers the midway too — the Almonte Fair has been doing this since 1853, and it still feels like the whole town shows up.

🎡 Midway Included 🐄 Livestock & Horse Shows 💥 Demolition Derby 🐕 Team Absolute K9 Shows

💡 One $20 ticket covers everything — shows, entertainment, and unlimited midway rides — with in-and-out privileges all day.

Why Go Schedule Essentials Getting There Tips FAQ

✨ Why This Fair Is Worth the Drive

The North Lanark Agricultural Society has been running the Almonte Fair since 1853, which makes it one of the older continuously held fairs in the Ottawa Valley. It’s held at the Almonte Agricultural Fairgrounds on Water Street, a genuinely picturesque riverside spot that doubles as a boat launch and beach the rest of the year.

What makes the fair worth the trip is how much is packed into the single pay-one-price ticket. Twenty dollars gets you the Beauce Carnival Midway, the Grandstand shows, live music in the Agricultural Hall running most of the afternoon and evening, and a full slate of livestock competitions — a Light Horse Show, a Lanark County Holstein Show, sheep and beef cattle shows, and 4-H programming that runs right through Sunday’s Steer Auction.

The 2026 theme, “Roots, Shoots & Farm Boots,” runs through everything from the new Class 9 egg competition to the Chili Cook-Off and Cow Plop Bingo. Add in Team Absolute’s dog performance shows, Dancing Tractors, chainsaw carving, and a Sunday Demolition Derby, and it’s clear why this fair still draws a strong crowd more than 170 years after it started.

The fairgrounds themselves are part of the draw. Water Street sits right along the Mississippi River, and outside of fair weekend the same grounds double as a public boat launch and small beach — so there’s a genuine sense of place here that a lot of purpose-built fairgrounds don’t have. Add the fact that almost everything, from the Grandstand shows to the Beauce Carnival Midway, is bundled into one ticket, and it becomes an easy fair to plan a full day (or full weekend) around without worrying about a running tally of extra costs.

🗓️ Weekend Schedule

A packed lineup runs across the Grandstand, Kids Stage, Agricultural Hall, and Ag Education Tent all weekend. Highlights below.

📋 The Essentials

🎪 What to Expect Around the Grounds

A sample of the recurring attractions spread across the Grandstand, Kids Stage, and Agricultural Hall:

Team Absolute K9 Performance Jon the Cowguy Mojo Magic Show Against the Grain Chainsaw Carving Meet the Keepers Show Canadian Classic Wrestling Chili Cook-Off Almonte Arm Wrestling

🚗 Getting There & Parking

The Almonte Agricultural Fairgrounds sit at 195 Water Street in Almonte, part of the Municipality of Mississippi Mills, about 30 minutes west of Ottawa.

From Ottawa: Take Highway 417 toward Carleton Place, then follow Highway 29 or local roads into Almonte, roughly 30 minutes.

💡 A Few Things Worth Knowing Before You Go

🎟️ Buy your weekend pass online before September 10. It’s discounted compared to buying day tickets at the gate for all three days.

🎡 Don’t hunt for separate ride tickets. The Beauce Carnival Midway is already included in your $20 gate ticket.

💥 Save Sunday for the derby. The 1:00 PM Demolition Derby is the closing highlight of the weekend.

🎵 Take a break in the Agricultural Hall. Live music runs there most of the day, a nice change of pace from the midway crowds.

🐄 Check out the new egg competition. Class 9: Eggs is a brand-new homecraft category for 2026, alongside the long-running horticulture, honey, and maple syrup classes.

❓ Common Questions