Kingston Fall Fair 2026: 194 Years and Counting

Four days of horse shows, demolition derby, and downtown Kingston agricultural tradition

📍 Get Directions Full Schedule

Kingston’s longest-running fair returns for its 194th year with a full slate of demolition derby, FMX freestyle motocross, horse shows, and old-fashioned 4-H competitions, all set inside the city’s Memorial Centre grounds.

🎡 Midway rides 🐴 Horse shows 💥 Demolition derby 🎨 Artisan’s Alley

💡 Saturday, September 19 is Tomlinson Day, the fair’s biggest and busiest day, packed with Western Games, 4-H Achievement Day, and evening FMX and monster truck action at the grandstand.

Why Go Schedule Essentials Attractions Getting There Tips FAQ

✨ Why This Fair Is Worth the Trip

There’s a reason the Kingston & District Agricultural Society has kept this fair going since the 1830s, long before Kingston grew into the city it is today. Where a lot of Ontario fall fairs have moved out to rural fairgrounds on the edge of town, the Kingston Fall Fair still runs right inside the city, at the Memorial Centre off York Street, which gives it a different feel than most – part neighbourhood block party, part working agricultural show.

The 194th edition keeps the formula that’s worked for generations: dairy and beef shows in the barns, a full horse show program in the indoor arena, and 4-H kids from the Frontenac 4-H Association putting their year of work on display. Then, as the sun goes down, the personality flips completely – the grandstand fills for FMX freestyle motocross, monster trucks, and the demolition derby, while the Entertainment Tent hosts the Country Singing Showdown finals.

It’s a fair built for a full day out rather than a quick pass-through. Bring the kids for the Rebecca Allen Petting Farm and Artisan’s Alley in the afternoon, stick around for dinner from the midway food stands, and close the night out at the grandstand. Very few fairs this size manage to keep both halves of that experience – agricultural tradition and grandstand spectacle – running at full strength on the same grounds.

📅 Daily Schedule

Four packed days, from receiving entries in Bennett Barn on opening morning to the final demolition derby on Sunday afternoon. Here’s the day-by-day rundown, pulled straight from the fair’s official schedule.

🎟️ Essentials

🎪 Featured Attractions

Beyond the day-by-day schedule, a few attractions run across most or all of the four days and are worth planning around.

🐐 Rebecca Allen Petting Farm 🦙 Meet the Alpacas 🖼️ Artisan’s Alley 🏍️ FMX Freestyle Motocross 🚗 Demolition Derby 🐎 Horse Shows 🎤 Country Singing Showdown 🐄 4-H & Dairy Shows

Artisan’s Alley sits between the Bennett and Downey Barns and runs Friday through Sunday, giving local craft vendors a dedicated space that’s separate from the midway food and games – a good spot to slow down for a few minutes between shows.

The Country Singing Showdown, presented by The Buckle, splits into Junior Finals on Saturday afternoon and Open Adult Finals on Friday evening, both held in the Entertainment Tent and open to anyone wandering the grounds – no separate ticket required beyond gate admission.

🚗 Getting There & Parking

The Kingston Memorial Centre sits in an established residential neighbourhood just off York Street, close to downtown Kingston. Because it’s an in-city venue rather than a rural fairgrounds, space is tighter than at most fall fairs, so plan your arrival time around the busier evening slots, especially Friday and Saturday.

Parking: Limited on-site parking is available for $5 per car. Arriving earlier in the day gives you a better shot at a nearby spot.

Address: 303 York Street, Kingston, ON K7K 4M4

💡 A Few Things Worth Knowing Before You Go

🚫 Leave pets at home. This is one of the strictest pet policies among Ontario fall fairs – only certified service animals with documentation are allowed on the grounds, no exceptions.

🎟️ Buy the 4-day pass if you’re coming more than once. At $30 for adults, it pays for itself after your third single-day visit and lets you catch both the Friday and Sunday demolition derby-adjacent action without re-paying at the gate.

🚗 Get there early on Saturday. Tomlinson Day is the fair’s busiest by a wide margin, and on-site parking is genuinely limited – plan to arrive well before the Western Games kick off at 8:30 AM if you want a spot close by.

🎡 Buy midway wristbands online in advance. Advance pay-one-price passes are only available online through World’s Finest Shows and typically run cheaper than paying per-ride at the gate.

🎃 Bring the little ones on Sunday. The Pumpkin Patch activity area for ages 2 and up only runs Sunday from 11 AM to 1 PM, so if that’s on your list, don’t leave your visit to Sunday afternoon.

❓ Common Questions