🏛️ Est. 1831 — 189th Fair 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family Friendly

Picton Fair 2026: Ontario’s Oldest Agricultural Fair

Three days of livestock, a midway, live music, and a demolition derby in Prince Edward County

📍 Get Directions Full Schedule

A Skynyrd tribute band, an Eagles tribute band, a $6,000 demolition derby, heavy horse team matches, and the last Crystal Palace of its kind in North America — the Picton Fair has been doing this since 1836, and it shows.

🎪 Midway 🐄 Livestock Shows 🎸 Crystal Palace Live Music 💥 Demolition Derby

💡 Gate admission covers parking and every entertainment stage on the grounds — the only separate ticket you’ll need is for the Midway.

Why Go Schedule Essentials Getting There Tips FAQ

✨ Why This Fair Is Worth the Drive

The Picton Fair doesn’t just claim to be one of Ontario’s oldest agricultural fairs — the numbers back it up. The Prince Edward Agricultural Society was formed in 1831 to promote better farming methods, and the first fair ran in 1836. It survived the Depression, kept running through wars and recessions, and 189 years later it’s still a volunteer-run event held on the same grounds in Picton.

The centrepiece is the Crystal Palace, built in 1890 and now the only surviving exhibition hall of its kind in North America. Inside, MillPond Music & Entertainment books a full weekend of live acts — this year’s headline slots go to a Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute (Symply Skynyrd) on Friday and an Eagles tribute (Los Desperados) on Saturday, both backed by a rotating “Breezeway Live” second stage that runs multiple sets each day.

Outside the Palace, it’s a genuinely full agricultural fair: 4-H dairy and beef calf shows, a saddle horse show, heavy horse team matches, and an 18th annual Celebrity Bake-Off in the Curling Club. Then there’s the stuff that draws in people who couldn’t care less about livestock — Super Dogs performances, a skateboard competition, an arm wrestling tournament, and a Sunday demolition derby with a guaranteed $6,000 prize purse. It’s a fair built for a full weekend, not an afternoon.

🗓️ Weekend Schedule

Schedule may be subject to change. Exhibitor drop-off and the Fair Office open the Thursday before (September 10); gates open to the public Friday through Sunday.

📋 The Essentials

🏛️ The Crystal Palace

Built in 1890, the Crystal Palace is the fairgrounds’ architectural centrepiece and the only surviving exhibition hall of its type left in North America. It’s also where most of the weekend’s live music happens — MillPond Music & Entertainment Inc. programs the Friday and Saturday night feature shows and a rotating “Breezeway Live” second stage that plays multiple short sets throughout each day. All entertainment inside the Palace is included in your gate admission.

Symply Skynyrd The Reasons Jamie Stever Los Desperados Isabella Hoops Fire Show Magic Danny’s Wonderama

🚗 Getting There & Parking

The Picton Fairgrounds sit right on Main Street East (Highway 49) in Picton, roughly 2 hours from Toronto and 3 hours from Ottawa or Montreal. On-ground parking is included with paid gate admission.

From Toronto: Take Highway 401 east to Highway 49 South into Picton, about 2 hours.

From Ottawa/Montreal: Take Highway 401 west and follow signs to Highway 49 South, about 3 hours.

💡 A Few Things Worth Knowing Before You Go

🎟️ Buy the 3-day pass if you’re staying all weekend. The $25 advance adult weekend pass beats paying $10 a day at the gate if you plan to come back more than twice.

🎡 Buy Midway tickets online first. World’s Finest Shows sells advance online tickets at a discount versus paying at the gate.

💥 Get there early Sunday for the derby. The 2 PM demolition derby draws one of the biggest crowds of the whole weekend — grandstand seating fills up.

🎸 Don’t skip the Crystal Palace. Live music runs inside all weekend and is included in your gate ticket — it’s easy to miss if you’re focused on the midway and livestock barns.

📅 Check the schedule closer to the date. The fair explicitly notes the program is subject to time and location changes — follow their Facebook page for real-time updates.

❓ Common Questions