Highgate Fair 2026: 172 Years of Rural Life

A small-village country fair in Chatham-Kent, since 1854

📍 Get Directions What’s On

A single day at the Highgate Fairgrounds in this small Chatham-Kent village — a noon parade, 4-H displays and competitions, homecraft exhibits, and community activities that have run continuously since 1854.

🎪 Noon parade 🐄 4-H displays 🧵 Homecraft exhibits 👨‍👩‍👧 Family friendly

💡 At $5 for adults and free for elementary students, this is one of the most affordable full days out on the Ontario fall fair circuit.

Why Go What’s On Essentials History Getting There Tips FAQ

✨ Why This Fair Is Worth the Drive

The Highgate District Agricultural Society has run its fair since 1854, and 2026 marks the 172nd annual edition — a genuinely long run for a fair serving a village of just under 300 people. Highgate sits halfway between Windsor and London, just south of Highway 401, making it an easy stop for anyone travelling that corridor on fair Saturday.

This year is being treated as a milestone by the Society itself — the 4-H Support page explicitly notes that, given the 172nd anniversary, the Society is “looking to host our best Fair ever,” leaning especially on local Chatham-Kent 4-H clubs to bring displays, judged entries, animal competitions, and Achievement Day events to the grounds.

The fair is also a genuine community institution beyond fair day itself — the Society runs an Agricultural Service Award each year, recognizing local residents for their contributions to rural life, and hosts a Canada Day Broasted Chicken BBQ fundraiser at the same fairgrounds every July.

Because the fair runs on a single day rather than a full weekend, everything is packed into a manageable, walkable stretch of hours at the fairgrounds — an easy way to see 4-H judging, homecraft displays, and the parade all in one visit without needing to plan around multiple days.

📋 What’s On

Confirmed directly from the official site: the parade kicks off the day at noon, followed by a full slate of fairground activities. A detailed hour-by-hour schedule beyond the parade time hadn’t been posted as of this writing.

📌 Essentials

🏛️ 172 Years of Rural Life in Highgate

The Highgate District Agricultural Society has hosted its fair since 1854, making 2026 its 172nd anniversary — a milestone the Society is treating as reason to build “our best Fair ever.” The village of Highgate itself dates back to the same era, having grown along a branch of the former Canada Southern Railway and reaching a population of roughly 300 by 1880, a figure that has stayed remarkably stable ever since.

The Society formally acknowledges that Highgate and the surrounding area sit within Treaty 2 territory from 1790, home to the Chippewa/Ojibwa, Odawa, Potawatomi, and Lenape Nations, including the Lenape People of the Delaware Nation at Moraviantown. Beyond the fair, the Society also presents an annual Agricultural Service Award, voted on by members to recognize individuals — such as recent honourees Morley and Judy Clark, longtime local farmers and 4-H volunteers — for their contributions to rural life in the community.

That kind of long-serving local recognition captures what makes a fair like Highgate distinct from bigger regional events: the same families, volunteers, and 4-H members show up year after year, which gives the fair a continuity and sense of belonging that’s harder to replicate at a larger scale.

🚗 Getting There

The Highgate Fairgrounds sit at 271 Queen Street in the village of Highgate, part of the Municipality of Chatham-Kent, roughly halfway between Windsor and London just south of Highway 401. From the 401, take Exit 117 (Orford Road), drive south into the village, turn left onto Main Street, then take the second right onto Queen Street — the fairgrounds are on the east side, marked by a big red barn.

💡 A Few Things Worth Knowing Before You Go

🔴 Look for the big red barn. The Society’s own directions call it out specifically — once you turn onto Queen Street, it’s an easy landmark to spot.

🎪 Arrive before noon for the parade. It kicks off the whole day’s festivities, so getting there a little early means you won’t miss the start.

📝 Want to exhibit? Download the Prize Booklet from hdas.weebly.com ahead of time to see the full range of categories open to entrants.

💵 Bring small cash. At $5 for adults and free for kids, it’s an affordable day — but a small country fair like this is a good place to have cash on hand for vendors and craft booths.

❓ Common Questions