Though nobody likes the extreme humidity that comes with summertime in Connecticut, everyone loves summer. It’s a time for vacations, no school, beach trips, and enjoying the beautiful sights, sounds, and tastes that our state has to offer.
That makes August a bittersweet month. It marks the beginning of the end of summer, which stinks for all of us sun worshippers but does come with a perk of its own: It’s the start of fair season in Connecticut!
Without further ado, here is the complete list of fall country fairs happening in CT, a number of which start as early as the first week in August and continue into September and October.
New Haven County
Potato and Corn Festival—North Branford
August 4–6, 2017
Enjoy rides, live music, food and craft vendors, and all the potatoes and corn you can imagine! There’s a car show, a tractor pull and even Saturday night fireworks. Sunday kicks off the last day of the festival with a cross country 5K.
Wolcott Country Fair—Wolcott
August 18–20, 2017
With an impressive 30,000 attendees every year, the Wolcott Country Fair earns its place as one of Connecticut’s largest and most renowned annual fairs. Agricultural displays, tractor pulls, carnival rides, live entertainment, and great food make this a can’t-miss event!
North Haven Fair—North Haven
September 7–10, 2017
The North Haven Fair is a great place for the whole family with kid-friendly attractions like the petting zoo and a kid’s pie eating contest. Enjoy live music, agricultural exhibits, arts and crafts and delicious fair food!
Guilford Fair—Guilford
September 15–17, 2017
The Guilford Fair is a little hard to pin down. It’s a combination of traditional agricultural fair, acrobatics displays, and theatre! Carnival rides, kid’s games and great food vendors are sure to be crowd favorites. But stay and be wowed by circus acts and live tiger and lion performances. You can’t get all of this anywhere else!
Orange Country Fair—Orange
September 16–17, 2017
The Orange Country Fair features a classic car show, arts and crafts, livestock displays, tractor pulls, and more. Live entertainment and awesome fair food is sure to please attendees of all ages.
New London County
Lebanon Country Fair—Lebanon
August 11–13, 2017
The Lions Club operated Lebanon Country Fair has been around for almost 60 years! The fair is fun for the whole family with agricultural and livestock exhibits, live entertainment, games, arts and crafts, and delicious fair food favorites! This event doubles as a fundraising opportunity for many local non-profits, so local support is always encouraged!
Litchfield County
Bridgewater Country Fair—Bridgewater
August 18–20, 2017
The annual Bridgewater Fair parade kicks off this three day agricultural event. The Bridgewater Fair is one of the largest seasonal fairs in CT and features contests, animal exhibits, arts and crafts competitions, great food, live music, and more. Some of the new attractions include tire changing contests and an adventure zip line!
Terryville Lions Club Fair—Terryville
August 25–27, 2017
The Terryville Fair has been around for almost 70 years and will feature ATV, dirt bike, and truck racing, as well as pickup and Jeep tug-of-war contests. There will be great food vendors and entertainment for all ages!
Goshen Fair—Goshen
September 2–4, 2017
The renowned Goshen Fair features livestock displays and competitions, horse shows, woodcutting demos, entertainment, food vendors, arts and crafts, home exhibits, and more. There will be fireworks, an adult spelling bee, pie eating contest, parade and dozens of other attractions!
Bethlehem Fair—Bethlehem
September 8–10, 2017
This more than 90 year old country fair has exhibits, horse shows and competitions, a jamboree, art and photography contents and more. There will also be canning, honey, and maple syrup contests. Come out for contests and displays, carnival rides, and many commercial vendors!
Harwinton Fair—Harwinton
October 6–8, 2017
Every year, The Harwinton Fair is held in the first week of October. This small town fair boasts great times and some of the kindest people you’ll ever meet! Pig races, tractor shows, Civil War displays, bluegrass music and much more will entertain the whole family. Visit the animals and enjoy great food in the beautiful Northwest Corner.
Riverton Fair—Riverton
October 13–15, 2017
The Riverton Fair takes place on the scenic Farmington River with various exhibits, livestock/animal displays, vendors, concessions, carnival rides, live music, wood chopping demos and much more. For more than 100 years, the fair has been an annual highlight for its vegetable competitions, oxen pulls, and ax throwing contests every October!
Windham County
Brooklyn Fair—Brooklyn
August 24–27, 2017
The Brooklyn Fair boasts status as the oldest, continuously active agricultural fair in the US. Home and garden exhibits, agricultural and historical displays, livestock shows, live entertainment, and other attractions make up this four day fair. Great food and awesome live music are always a given!
Woodstock Fair—Woodstock
September 1–4, 2017
For more than 150 years, The Woodstock Fair has sought to promote and support agriculture through this annual event. The tradition lives on with livestock shows, a petting zoo, live entertainment, carnival rides, go-kart races, vegetable and plant vendors, and more. The “Great Pumpkin” contest is always sure to draw a crowd!
Middlesex County
Chester Fair—Chester
August 25–27, 2017
From pig races and tractor pulls, to frog jumping contests and arts and crafts exhibits, The Chester Fair is great for family fun. This 100% volunteer run event is annual and is put on by the officers, directors, and superintendents of The Chester Agricultural and Mechanical Society. There’s always great food and live music from all different genres!
Haddam Neck Fair—Haddam
September 1–4, 2017
The Haddam Neck Fair is a CT favorite that’s been around for more than 100 years. Livestock displays and competitions, tractor pulls, and local produce vendors make this event a tried-and-true agricultural fair. There’s no shortage of things to do during this three day fair that features live music, food vendors, arts and crafts, and other handmade goods for sale.
Durham Fair—Durham
September 21–24, 2017
The Durham Fair is over 100 years old and continues its tradition as Connecticut’s largest agricultural fair. There’s so much to see and do from baking and art competitions, to food and livestock exhibits, and the Durham Fair consistently draws huge musical acts—concerts included in the price of the ticket! A talent show, lumberjack competition and much more awaits at The Durham Fair!
Portland Fair—Portland
October 6–8, 2017
The Portland Fair ushers its attendees into the fall every year with the classic agricultural fair experience. This small event is packed with fun, food, exhibits and kid’s activities. There’s truck pulls, chainsaw carving displays, live entertainment and more!
Tolland County
Hebron Harvest Fair—Hebron
September 7–10, 2017
The Hebron Harvest Fair is another major Connecticut agricultural fair. This event is packed with fun and entertainment like carnival rides, exhibits, livestock displays, arts and crafts, food vendors and continuous live entertainment and local music.
Four Town Fair—Somers
September 14–17, 2017
The Four Town Fair is a combination event for the towns of Somers, Ellington, East Windsor and Enfield. This area favorite and one of CT’s longest running fairs! There’s an antique and classic car show, live entertainment, kid’s contests, heaviest pumpkin competition, a corn eating contest and much more. A variety of musical acts will take the stage and people of all ages can enjoy food, rides, and fun!
Hartford County
Wapping Fair—South Windsor
September 7–10, 2017
South Windsor’s agricultural fair features livestock, a petting zoo, carnival rides, live music, children’s activities, aerialist performances, food trucks, concessions, and countless other attractions. From the traditional to the unique, you can find it all at this local favorite!
Berlin Fair—Berlin
September 15–17, 2017
The Berlin Fair has everything you’d expect and more with pie-eating contests, livestock exhibits, arts and crafts, and top-notch entertainment. This large agricultural fair is highly anticipated every year and features some of the best food and live music in Central CT. The fair raises money for many nonprofit and charitable organizations. Much of the profits go to great causes in the area!
Honorable Mention
The Big E
September 15–October 1, 2017
Okay, so the Big E isn’t technically in Connecticut. But it’s the largest country fair in New England, and that means we sort of have to include it on our list. And it’s pretty much right over the border, so it may as well be in CT. Head to the Big E for fun rides, crazy foods, and great regional pride!
Did we miss any?
If we missed any fall country fairs in CT, let us know and we’ll add it to our list!
Don’t forget the Glastonbury Apple Harvest Festival!
Hi the Apple Harvest Festival in Southington CT started this last Friday and goes through until next Sunday.