McDonald’s Corners Fair 2026: Homesteading

172 years of Lanark Highlands agricultural tradition since 1853

📍 Get Directions What’s On

A single day at the McDonald’s Corners Agricultural Hall — livestock and 4-H shows, a mini horse show, homecraft and quilt exhibits, market vendors, and a lineup of family games, all under this year’s “Homesteading” theme.

🐴 Mini horse show 🧵 Homecraft & quilts 🥕 4-H demonstrations 🎪 Market vendors

💡 New this year: a shuttle bus runs 10 AM to 4 PM from two alternative parking lots if the field beside the fairgrounds fills up.

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

✨ Why This Fair Is Worth the Drive

The McDonald’s Corners Agricultural Society has held a fair every single year since 1853, except during wars or pandemics — a run that makes the 2026 edition its 172nd. It’s a genuinely community-scale fair, serving not just the small community of McDonald’s Corners itself but the wider area including Maberly, Elphin, Lanark, Watson’s Corners, Hopetown, Middleville, Balderson, Perth, and Sharbot Lake.

The 2026 theme, “Homesteading,” fits neatly with a fair whose agricultural roots run genuinely deep — the Society is an active member of the Ontario Association of Agricultural Societies and partners directly with Lanark County 4-H clubs to support youth agriculture. Livestock and cattle shows, a horse show, and multiple homecraft prize categories (from quilting to home baking) all reflect that ongoing agricultural focus.

Past years’ family programming has included a dunk tank, zucchini races, chainsaw carving, rabbit agility demonstrations, and a children’s scavenger hunt — a genuinely full day for a fair that runs on a single Saturday rather than stretching across a weekend.

Because the fair fits into a single day, it has a tight, energetic pace that bigger multi-day fairs don’t always manage — everything from the livestock judging to the pie auction to the outdoor stage entertainment happens within the same few hours, which makes it an easy, complete outing rather than something you need to plan a whole weekend around.

📋 What’s On

A detailed hour-by-hour 2026 schedule hadn’t been posted as of this writing beyond the confirmed date and theme. Based on the fair’s established format from recent years, visitors can expect the following mix of activities and attractions across the day:

📌 Essentials

🏛️ 172 Years, Wars and Pandemics Aside

The McDonald’s Corners Agricultural Society has run its fair every year since 1853, with the only interruptions coming during wartime or pandemic years — a genuinely rare streak of continuity for an event this small. The Society describes itself simply as a volunteer-run organization serving the immediate community of McDonald’s Corners and the wider Lanark Highlands area.

Beyond the annual fair, the Society keeps the historic Agricultural Hall active year-round — hosting community dinners, dances, weddings, and a weekly Farmer’s Market every Sunday through spring, summer, and fall. That steady, volunteer-driven activity is what has kept both the Hall and the fair itself going for well over a century and a half.

The Society’s reach extends well past the small community of McDonald’s Corners itself. By serving Maberly, Elphin, Lanark, Watson’s Corners, Hopetown, Middleville, Balderson, Perth, and Sharbot Lake all at once, the fair functions as a genuine regional gathering point for rural Lanark County — one of the few times each year that families from across that wide stretch of countryside come together in one place at the same time.

🚗 Getting There

The fair is held at the McDonald’s Corners Agricultural Hall, 194 Camerons Road, in the community of McDonald’s Corners, part of the Township of Lanark Highlands — a rural area northwest of Perth and west of Lanark, Ontario.

💡 A Few Things Worth Knowing Before You Go

🚌 Use the shuttle if the field is full. New this year, alternative parking with a shuttle bus runs 10 AM to 4 PM from Vincent Hall Memorial Diamond or MERA.

🧵 Entering a quilt? Check the current prize list — the minimum perimeter measurement recently changed to 280″ under new OAAS rules.

👶 Bring the kids for free. Admission for children under 12 is free — a budget-friendly outing for the whole family.

🍔 Plan for lunch on-site. A canteen and BBQ lunch are typically available all day — no need to bring your own food.

❓ Common Questions