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Upcoming festivals in Central Ontario & Cottage Country →Kinmount Fair 2026: A Country Tradition Since 1877
Labour Day weekend livestock, midway rides, and a demolition derby in the Haliburton Highlands
Dates
Sep 4–6
Cost
$15/day
Where
Kinmount, ON
Kids 12 & under
Free
For three days over Labour Day weekend, the pine-shaded fairgrounds along Highway 503 fill with livestock barns, a midway, chainsaw carvers, and a demolition derby — a Kawartha Lakes tradition that’s been running since 1877.
🐎 Horse shows & judging
🎡 Midway rides
🪚 Chainsaw carving
💥 Demolition Derby
💡 The midway pay-one-price wristband is $40 in advance (through Sept 3 at 11:59pm) — after that it jumps to $45 per person, per day, on-site.
✨ Why This Fair Is Worth the Drive
Kinmount sits about 30 minutes north of Fenelon Falls, right at the gateway to the Haliburton Highlands, and its fair has been drawing farm families and cottagers to the same pine-shaded grounds since 1877. Presented by the Kinmount Agricultural Society, it’s the kind of fair that still runs on volunteers and a genuine love of the land — livestock barns, an exhibit hall of homecraft and preserves, and a fairgrounds ringed by forest instead of a parking lot.
What sets Kinmount apart is the range packed into one weekend. There’s the serious agricultural side — cattle, sheep, goat, and horse judging, a junior cattle show, and a working farmers market — right alongside grandstand spectacle like the Truck & Tractor Pull, the Ontario Demolition Derby, and a chainsaw carving competition that runs all three days and ends in a live auction.
Saturday’s Warriors Day Parade and Legion of Honour Celebration gives the weekend a stronger community feel than most midway fairs, and with a petting zoo, pony rides, and free admission for kids 12 and under, it’s an easy one to bring the whole family to.
📋 Weekend Schedule
Gates open early each day and the grounds stay busy from the livestock barns to the Grandstand. Here are the day’s anchor events — check the official Program of Events for the full minute-by-minute lineup.
Friday, September 4
8:00 — Gates open
9:00 — Saddle Horse Show
10:00 — Heritage Complex & Exhibit Hall open, Chainsaw Carving begins
11:00 — Midway opens, petting zoo & pony rides, Flying Pig Races, Stunt Dog Show, Extreme Lumberjacks
5:00 — Truck & Tractor Pull, Grandstand area
6:30 — Arena doors open, evening show ($10)
7:00 — Urban Cowboy Line Dancing
9:00 — Saddle Horse Show
10:00 — Heritage Complex & Exhibit Hall open, Chainsaw Carving begins
11:00 — Midway opens, petting zoo & pony rides, Flying Pig Races, Stunt Dog Show, Extreme Lumberjacks
5:00 — Truck & Tractor Pull, Grandstand area
6:30 — Arena doors open, evening show ($10)
7:00 — Urban Cowboy Line Dancing
Saturday, September 5
8:00 — Gates open
9:00 — Farmers Market (until 5pm)
9:30 — Horse Judging
10:00 — Sheep Judging, Junior Cattle Show
12:00 — Warriors Day Parade & Legion of Honour Celebration, Grandstand
1:00 — Amateur Talent Show ft. Dennis Whitty
2:00 — Grandstand Show: Eastbound of Bytown
5:00 — Light & Heavy Horse Draw
9:00 — Dance featuring Ambush, Arena ($20)
9:00 — Farmers Market (until 5pm)
9:30 — Horse Judging
10:00 — Sheep Judging, Junior Cattle Show
12:00 — Warriors Day Parade & Legion of Honour Celebration, Grandstand
1:00 — Amateur Talent Show ft. Dennis Whitty
2:00 — Grandstand Show: Eastbound of Bytown
5:00 — Light & Heavy Horse Draw
9:00 — Dance featuring Ambush, Arena ($20)
Sunday, September 6
9:00 — Gates open, Farmers Market, Miniature Horse Show
10:00 — King & Queen of Strength Competition, Baby & Children’s Races
11:00 — Midway opens, Goat Show
11:30 — Mutt Show, Grandstand area
1:00 — Chainsaw Carving Auction, Dennis Whitty Band
2:00 — Ontario Demolition Derby, Grandstand
5:00 — All buildings close
10:00 — King & Queen of Strength Competition, Baby & Children’s Races
11:00 — Midway opens, Goat Show
11:30 — Mutt Show, Grandstand area
1:00 — Chainsaw Carving Auction, Dennis Whitty Band
2:00 — Ontario Demolition Derby, Grandstand
5:00 — All buildings close
🏆 Don’t Miss
The four events people plan their weekend around.
🪚 Chainsaw Carving Competition
Running all three days in the Commercial Area, with finished pieces sold at auction Sunday afternoon.
🚜 Truck & Tractor Pull
Friday evening at the Grandstand area, right after the day’s exhibit halls close.
🎖️ Warriors Day Parade
Saturday at noon, with a Legion of Honour Celebration at the Grandstand.
💥 Ontario Demolition Derby
The weekend closer — Sunday at 2:00 PM at the Grandstand.
🎟️ Essentials
Midway Wristbands
Sold separately from gate admission by World’s Finest Shows. $40 advance pay-one-price (through Sept 3), $45 per person per day after that or on-site.
Weekend Pass
$40 covers gate admission Friday through Sunday, versus $15 per adult per day individually.
Parking
$10 per vehicle at the North Gate or Reid St.-Gate 2, paid at the gate alongside admission.
Evening Shows
Friday’s arena show is $10 at the door. Saturday’s dance featuring Ambush is $20, starting at 9pm.
🚗 Getting There & Parking
The fairgrounds sit at the corner of Highway 503 and Reid Street in Kinmount, in the Municipality of Trent Lakes — about 30 minutes north of Fenelon Falls and a little over two hours from Toronto.
Parking: $10 per vehicle at the North Gate or Reid St.-Gate 2. On-ground spots are limited, so arrive early — especially Saturday, ahead of the noon parade.
Note: Parking directly along Reid St. and the sides of Highway 503 is prohibited. Some private homes and businesses along the 503 offer paid parking, but these lots aren’t affiliated with the fair.
📍 Get Directions to the Fairgrounds
💡 A Few Things Worth Knowing Before You Go
🎟️ Buy the midway wristband early. The advance $40 pay-one-price rate ends September 3 at 11:59pm — after that it’s $45 per person, per day, at the gate.
🅿️ Get there early on Saturday. Between the Farmers Market, judging events, and the noon Warriors Day Parade, on-site parking fills up fastest that day.
🏗️ Buildings close before the grounds do. The Heritage Complex and Exhibit Hall close at 6pm Friday and Saturday (5pm Sunday), even while outdoor shows and the midway keep going.
🪚 Watch the whole carving unfold. The Chainsaw Carving Competition runs all three days, then the finished pieces are auctioned off Sunday at 1pm — a fun one to bid on if you liked what you saw.
🎫 Evening events cost extra. Friday’s arena show ($10) and Saturday’s dance featuring Ambush ($20) are separate from gate admission.
❓ Common Questions
Details may change — always confirm on the official Kinmount Fair website before heading out.
Location
Get DirectionsKinmount Fairgrounds, Highway 503 & Reid Street, Kinmount, ON, K0M 2A0
