Rodney Fair 2026: 172 Years of Small-Town Roots

A West Elgin fall fair tradition since 1854

📍 Get Directions Full Schedule

Three days at the Rodney Fairgrounds in West Elgin — a Scarecrow Spectacle, a Saturday parade, a Friday-night-into-Saturday-tractor-pull one-two punch, a Sunday cattle show, and a fair that’s run continuously since 1854.

🎃 Scarecrow Spectacle 🎪 Parade Saturday 🚜 Tractor pull 🐄 Cattle show

💡 Scarecrow kits are available at the local library ahead of time — worth grabbing one early if you want to enter the contest yourself.

Why Go Schedule Essentials History Getting There Tips FAQ

✨ Why This Fair Is Worth the Drive

Rodney is a small town in the Municipality of West Elgin, tucked between London and Chatham along Lake Erie’s north shore, and its fair has been running since 1854 — long enough that the 2026 edition marks its 172nd year. The Rodney Aldborough Agricultural Society has kept the format close to its roots: livestock and produce judging, homecraft classes, and a weekend built around the fairgrounds rather than a rented lot.

The Scarecrow Spectacle is the fair’s signature touch — kits are handed out at the local library ahead of time so families and kids can build an entry for the contest, judged across three age categories alongside the more traditional exhibit classes covering cattle, field crops, flowers, and photography.

The weekend builds toward Saturday, when the parade kicks off at 11 AM, a Baby Show follows at 2 PM, and the Tractor Pull closes out the evening at 6 PM. Sunday shifts to the Cattle Show and a Road Race before the fair wraps up early in the afternoon — a shorter final day that makes Rodney easy to combine with other West Elgin plans.

Because the fairgrounds themselves are compact, Rodney has a manageable, walkable feel that bigger regional fairs can lose. Everything from the kids zone to the show ring to the exhibit hall is a short stroll apart, which makes it an easier outing for families juggling strollers, coolers, and a Baby Show entry all in the same afternoon.

📋 Fair Weekend Schedule

Gate hours: Friday 4–9 PM, Saturday 10 AM–9 PM, Sunday 9 AM–3 PM. Exact times for some attractions are confirmed on the fair’s official site closer to the date.

📌 Essentials

🏛️ A Fair Since 1854

The Rodney Fair began in 1854 as a gathering for local farmers to show off livestock, crops, and homemade goods, and to trade techniques for the season ahead. That original purpose is still visible in the fair’s exhibition classes today, from cattle and field crops to flowers, culinary arts, and antiques.

Over the decades the fair added midway rides, live entertainment, and children’s programming without losing the agricultural core that gave it its start. It’s organized entirely by the volunteer-run Rodney Aldborough Agricultural Society, which also runs the fair’s youth Ambassador program each year — a competition that can lead all the way to the Canadian National Exhibition’s Ambassador of the Fairs in Toronto, an all-expenses-paid weekend that has sent past Rodney winners on to compete provincially.

The Society also leans on sponsorship to keep youth programs running, encouraging local businesses and residents to sponsor a young Ambassador competitor each year — a tradition that gives teens in West Elgin a rare shot at public-speaking experience, a bursary, and a title that looks good on a resume long after fair season ends.

🚗 Getting There

The Rodney Fairgrounds sit at 135 Queens Line in Rodney, part of the Municipality of West Elgin, roughly midway between London and Chatham along the Lake Erie shoreline. The grounds are set back from the main road, with room for parking on-site.

💡 A Few Things Worth Knowing Before You Go

🎃 Grab a scarecrow kit early. They’re distributed at the local library ahead of the fair, so it’s worth planning your entry before fair weekend arrives.

🚜 Saturday is the big day. The parade, baby show, and tractor pull are all packed into Saturday — arrive by mid-morning if you want to catch the full lineup.

📆 Sunday wraps up early. Gates close at 3 PM Sunday, so build your visit around the morning Road Race and Cattle Show if that’s the day you’re coming.

💵 Check pricing before you go. 2026 gate admission hadn’t been posted as of this writing — confirm current rates on rodneyfair.com or the fair’s Facebook page.

❓ Common Questions