By Karen Cox, Broker of Record, Sea & Ski Realty
I’ve been going to fall fairs in this county since before I could walk, and I’ve never once outgrown them. My family put down roots near Collingwood and Wasaga Beach, and by 1970 we’d settled in Meaford. I left for a stretch to study at the University of Guelph, but Grey County pulled me home in 1980, and I’ve been here to live, work, and play ever since. Forty-five years later, fall fair season still feels like the best two months of the year.
If you’re new to the area, or thinking about becoming a neighbour, fall fairs are the fastest way I know to understand what life here is really like. These aren’t manufactured tourist events. They’re community-run, volunteer-powered, and in some cases older than Canada itself. The tractor pulls, the 4-H calf shows, the pie tables, the demolition derbies — that’s Grey County showing you exactly who it is. So here’s my roundup of ten fall fairs across Grey County and the surrounding area, in the rough order you’d hit them if you followed the season from late summer into fall. Exact dates can shift year to year, so I’ve included each Agricultural Society’s contact point where I have it — always worth a quick check before you load up the car
Markdale Fall Fair
The Markdale Fall Fair is one of the oldest in the county, run by the Markdale Agricultural Society since 1858, and it usually kicks off fair season in late August at King Edward Park on Walker Street. Expect agriculture, sewing and needlework, photography, and craft competitions across the board .This is a fair where the whole family can find a category to enter, not just watch. It’s also a fair with deep roots in Artemesia Township and the old Highway 10 corridor, which is a nice reminder of just how long people have been farming this land
This year Markdale is excited to host its fall fair on the 28th & 29th. Admissions for the fair are by donation this year! Check out the website for a detailed list of all the events, activities, and contests!
Date: Friday, August 28th – Saturday, August 29th, 2026
Location: King Edward Park, 75 Walker St, Markdale, ON N0C 1H0, Canada
Durham Fall Fair
Just up the road, the Durham Fall Fair runs Labour Day weekend — September 4 to 6, 2026 — at the Durham Agricultural Society grounds on Garafraxa Street South. This is the 166th year for the fair, and it delivers everything a classic Grey-Bruce fair should: livestock shows, tractor pulls, baking and craft competitions, a midway, and live entertainment. If you want your very first taste of fall fair season with the least amount of driving, this is a strong opener
Get your kids and enjoy the kiddie tractor pull, or head over to the big tent and enjoy the fun factory games, storytime, and so much more. More details are yet to be released but stay tuned on the town of Durham’s website and social media!
Date: Friday, September 4th – Sunday, September 6th, 2026
Location: 451 Saddler St W, Durham, ON N0G 1R0, Canada
Dundalk Fall Fair
The Dundalk Agricultural Society puts on a genuinely big weekend — September 11 to 13, 2026 — at the Fair Grounds and Arena at Highway 10 and Main Street. Dundalk goes all-in: truck and tractor pulls, a 4-H invitational calf show, a sheep show, ATV and lawn mower races, and a demolition derby that closes out the weekend. It kicks off Friday night with the exhibit hall and ambassador competition, so if you can only make one evening, Friday sets the tone
.
Date: Friday, September 11th – Sunday, September 13th, 2026
Location: Dundalk Fairgrounds and Dundalk District Community Centre, Corner of Highway 10 & Main St, Dundalk, ON
N0C 1B0, Canada
Meaford & St. Vincent Fall Fair Family Weekend
This one I have the softest spot for. The Meaford & St. Vincent Fall Fair is usually held every year on the Saturday of the long weekend! This fair takes place at the Meaford Fairgrounds and the Meaford Curling Club on Collingwood Street, with exhibits open for viewing the Friday evening before. Expect flowers, vegetables and fruit, homecraft, culinary entries, photography, honey, maple syrup, antiques, horse shows, and a full calf club and beef and dairy program courtesy of the St. Vincent 4-H Club. It’s small, it’s warm, and it’s exactly the kind of Saturday that reminds me why I never left.
Date: Saturday, September 5th, 2026
Location: 130 Collingwood St, Meaford, ON N4L 1M1, Canada
Beaver Valley Fall Fair
The Beaver Valley Fall Fair runs September 11 and 12, 2026, at the Beaver Valley Community Centre in Thornbury, put on by the Beaver Valley Agricultural Society. It’s a fair that leans into the valley’s personality .More than 25 exhibit categories spanning grains, home craft, and horticulture, a petting zoo, an ambassador program and talent show, 4-H animals, and a draft horse demonstration. If you’re weighing a move to the Beaver Valley — Kimberley, Thornbury, Clarksburg — this fair is a good look at the community that comes with it.
This fair is nothing short of exciting and you won’t want to miss it. See their website for a detailed itinerary of the weekend.
Date: Friday, September 11th – Saturday, September 12th, 2026
Location: 58 Alfred St W, Thornbury, ON
http://www.beavervalleyfallfair.ca
Feversham Fall Fair
Established in 1867, the Feversham Fall Fair is one of the county’s true heritage fairs, usually held over a weekend in mid-September at the Feversham Fairgrounds on Grey County Road 2. The lineup includes a parade, a 4-H cattle show, a market lamb pen show, light horse and horse shows, truck, field, and antique tractor pulls, and a classic car and truck show. Do not miss the parade and popular farmers’ Olympics on Saturday! Browse many amazing and talented artists and vendors throughout the weekend. Feversham is a small community with a big fair, and it shows in the turnout every year.
Date: Friday, September 18th – Sunday, September 20th, 2026
Location: 494196 Grey County Rd 2, Feversham, Ontario N0C 1C0
Rocklyn Fall Fair
Celebrate Rocklyn’s 158th Fall Fair this September! Don’t let the size fool you. The Rocklyn Fall Fair is a one-day event, traditionally held the last Saturday of September, and it packs a full weekend’s worth of fun into a single afternoon and evening. It’s the kind of small-town fair where you’ll run into half the people you know, which, in my experience, is exactly the point. Check out the Rocklyn Fall Fair website for more information & to book.
Date: Saturday, September 26th, 2026
Location: 156371 7th Line, Meaford ON N4L 1W6, Canada
Chatsworth Fall Fair
Rounding out the season, the Chatsworth Agricultural Society hosts its own fall fair each year, continuing a tradition of community exhibits and competitions typical of the smaller Grey County societies. Dates for Chatsworth can move around a bit more than the larger fairs, so it’s worth a check of the Chatsworth Agricultural Society’s Facebook page as the date gets closer .It’s a lovely, low-key way to close out the season. Enjoy scrumptious meals from the ever-popular breakfast buffet or a wonderful BBQ put on by the Chatsworth Fire Department. Get your sweet tooth with the pie table to finish it all off. There is something for everyone, so have fun!
Date: Saturday, September 19th, 2026
Location: 112 Salter St., Williamsford, ON
Owen Sound Fall Fair
This one’s a Grey County institution. The Owen Sound Fall Fair is celebrating its 174th year in 2026, running September 10 to 12 at Victoria Park and the Owen Sound Fairgrounds on 7th Avenue East. Traditionally held the weekend after Labour Day, it’s the county’s Grey County 4-H Showdown host, along with beef shows, antique and modern tractor pulls, a demolition derby, and enough homecraft exhibits to fill an afternoon on their own. If you only make it to one “big” fair this year, this is the one most people mean when they say it.
Date: Thursday, September 10th – Saturday, September 12th, 2026
Location: 700 10th St. E., Victoria Park, next to Julie McArthur Regional Rec Centre, Owen Sound, ON
Why Fall Fair Season Says So Much About Grey County Living
People ask me all the time what it’s actually like to live in Grey County not the real estate listing version, the real version. My honest answer is: go to a fall fair. Watch a kid show a calf they’ve raised since spring. Buy a pie from a table where the recipe hasn’t changed in three generations. Stand next to a farmer and a retiree and a young family all cheering for the same demolition derby car. That’s the community you’re buying into, not just the house.
At Sea & Ski Realty, I like to say we help people find their Happy Place and for a lot of my clients, fall fair season is the moment it clicks. Whether you’re picturing a country property near Beaver Valley, a walkable home in Meaford, a hobby farm outside Markdale, or something on the water near Owen Sound, the fair schedule is a pretty good map of the character of each community. I’ve lived and worked this ground for over thirty years, and I still learn something new every fair season.
Grey County Fall Fair FAQ
When does fall fair season start in Grey County?
Fall fair season in Grey County typically runs from late August through late September, starting with fairs like the Markdale Fall Fair in late August and closing out with the Great Northern Exhibition in Stayner and the Rocklyn and Chatsworth fall fairs in late September.
What is the biggest fall fair near Owen Sound?
The Owen Sound Fall Fair, held each September at Victoria Park and the Owen Sound Fairgrounds, is one of the largest and longest-running fairs in the area, marking its 174th year in 2026.
Are Grey County fall fairs family-friendly?
Yes. Nearly every fair on this list includes a kids’ zone, a petting zoo or 4-H animal exhibits, an ambassador or talent program for youth, and free or low-cost admission for children, alongside the agricultural competitions and midway rides.
How do I find the exact dates for a specific Grey County fall fair?
Each fair is run by its local Agricultural Society, and the most reliable source is that society’s own Facebook page or website, since dates and schedules are sometimes finalized only a few months in advance. Visit Grey (visitgrey.ca) also maintains an up-to-date community events calendar.
Is fall a good time to move to or buy a home in Grey County?
Fall is an excellent time to see Grey County at its most authentic fair season, harvest markets, and fall colour tours all happen in September and October, giving prospective buyers a genuine sense of community life before making a decision. This isn’t legal or financial advice; anyone considering a purchase should speak with a licensed real estate professional about current market conditions.
Plan Your Fair Season — and Your Grey County Move
However many of these ten fairs you make it to this year, I hope you get a little dust on your boots and a little pie on your plate. And if wandering these fairgrounds has you thinking more seriously about calling Grey County home, I’d love to help you find your Happy Place.