Stisted Fall Fair 2026: The Little Country Fair with a Big Country Heart

An old-fashioned day of horse shows, hall exhibits, and country games near Huntsville

📍 Get Directions Full Schedule

A full day of English and Western horse shows, poultry and small animal exhibits, hall exhibits of baking and crafts, and old-time contests like log sawing and nail driving — a genuine one-day country fair that’s been running since 1885.

🐴 Horse show 🐓 Poultry & small animals 🪚 Log sawing & nail driving 🐾 Pet show

💡 The fair is always the first Saturday after Labour Day — a reliable date to build into your fall calendar year after year.

Why Go Schedule History Essentials Getting There Tips FAQ

✨ Why This Fair Is Worth the Drive

The Stisted Agricultural Society has run this fair since 1885, and its nickname — “The Little Country Fair with a Big Country Heart” — genuinely captures what makes it special. This isn’t a fair chasing scale; it’s a single-day, community-scale event about 20 minutes outside Huntsville that’s kept its old-fashioned character intact for well over a century.

The exhibit hall itself is part of the draw — a restored 19th-century building lovingly maintained by volunteers, where exhibits from direct descendants of the fair’s first families sit alongside entries from newer community members. The horse show covers both English and Western disciplines for riders of all skill levels, and the day is rounded out by genuinely old-fashioned contests: log sawing, nail driving, sack races, wheelbarrow races, and a tug of war.

If you’re anywhere in the Muskoka region and want a genuine, unhurried alternative to the bigger regional fairs, Stisted delivers exactly that. It’s the kind of fair where the same families have exhibited, judged, and volunteered for generations, and that continuity gives the whole day a warmth that’s hard to manufacture at a larger event.

🎪 Schedule for the Day

Based on the fair’s consistent recent programming, expect a day built around these mainstays — exact 2026 timing may shift slightly, so confirm closer to the date.

📋 Good to Know

🕰️ A Fair Built on Pioneer Roots

Stisted Township was settled by pioneer farming families in the 19th century, and the Stisted Agricultural Society formed in 1885 to give those farmers a place to compare crops, livestock, and homecraft. The fair hall itself dates back to that century — a genuinely historic building that volunteers have restored and maintained over the decades, and one that gives the fair a sense of place you won’t find at a newer or more commercially built venue.

That continuity carries through to the exhibitors. On any given fair day, entries in the hall come both from families whose ancestors exhibited at the very first Stisted fairs and from newer residents just discovering the tradition — a genuine mix of old and new that keeps the event feeling alive rather than like a historical reenactment. It’s a good reminder that a fair doesn’t need to be large to matter deeply to the people who show up for it every year.

🚗 Getting There & Parking

The Stisted Fairgrounds sit at 38 Ashworth Road, just off Etwell Road, about 20 minutes outside Huntsville in Stisted Township.

From Huntsville: Follow the posted signage from town toward Etwell Road — the fair has historically directed visitors with roadside signs closer to the date.

Parking: On-site parking is available at the fairgrounds.

💡 A Few Things Worth Knowing Before You Go

🐴 Arrive early for the horse show. It’s traditionally one of the first things happening in the morning, right after the gates open.

🐾 Bring the family pet for the pet show. It’s a genuine community tradition and a fun, low-pressure way to participate.

📱 Follow their Facebook page or newsletter for updates. This is a volunteer-run fair without a dedicated website, so social media is the most reliable source for confirmed 2026 details.

🌽 Save room for the corn roast. It’s a fair-day staple alongside the barbecue and home baking, and one of the simplest pleasures of the whole afternoon.

❓ Common Questions