The Brigden Fair

The story

A little history

The Moore Agricultural Society and the Brigden Fair go back to 1850, when the fair was a single day held on the first Wednesday in October. In 1958 it became a two-day Thanksgiving weekend event, grew to three days in 1973, and today it fills all four days of the long weekend, the largest fair in Lambton County and one of the biggest in Southwestern Ontario.

The grounds carry the history: the Exhibition Hall built in 1979, the Ploughman figure that became the society's own in 1987, and the main gate erected in 1988 to honour the founders, members and volunteers who built the fair. This year's theme, Thru the Fair Gate, says it plainly. For 176 years, generations of families have passed through that gate every Thanksgiving.

2026

This year's fair

The fair runs Friday October 9 to Thanksgiving Monday October 12 at the Brigden Fairgrounds, with the World's Finest Shows midway, livestock shows, the parade, tractor pull, live entertainment, and exhibit halls full of homecraft, crafts, quilts, baking and photography.

For kids, Brigden is a full day on its own: the Ploughman's Farmyard children's educational activity centre, Agriculture in the Classroom displays, the children's rabbit and guinea pig show, the baby show, and 4-H displays and shows throughout the weekend.

Building hours

• Fri and SatExhibit buildings 9am to 8pm
• SundayExhibit buildings 9am to 6pm
• MondayExhibit buildings 9am to 4pm

The lunch counter

The Homecraft Lunch Counter in the Exhibition Hall serves homemade lunch and pies, 9am to 6pm Friday through Sunday and 9am to 3pm Monday. Go for the pie. Everyone does.

Enter something

Prizebooks and membership cards are available now at the fair office, 2976 Brigden Road. The exhibit halls take entries in everything from baking and quilts to photography, youth classes, heaviest pumpkin and industrial arts.

Helicopter rides

Zimmer Air runs helicopter rides over the fair all weekend, weather permitting: $85 for adults and youth 12 and up, $65 for kids under 11. Kids need to be tall enough for a booster-style seat, and the pilot has the final say on seating. Friday from noon to dusk, Saturday and Sunday from 9am to dusk, Monday 9 to 4.

Good to know

The practical stuff

• New for 2026: a new entrance, Gate B, on Courtright Line. Watch for signage, and a shuttle runs between the parking area and the admission gate, with volunteers on hand for directions.
• Parking is free on the fairgrounds, with handicap parking near the buildings and people-mover wagons often available for anyone who finds the walk long.
• First aid, lost children, police, fire and EMS are all stationed at the Giant Flag Pole near the north parking area. Point it out to your kids when you arrive.
• An ATM is in the north end of the Exhibition Hall, cash back is available at midway ticket booths, and the entry gates take card.
• No dogs or pets are allowed on the grounds, except registered show animals and working service animals.

The essentials

Plan your visit

• WhenFriday Oct 9 to Monday Oct 12, 2026, Thanksgiving weekend
• WhereBrigden Fairgrounds, 2435 Courtright Line, Brigden
• Friday$5 until 4pm, $15 after 5pm
• Sat to Mon$15 per adult
• KidsElementary age and younger free
• Weekend$40 pass
• ParkingFree on the grounds

Full details at brigdenfair.ca

Family tip

The $5 Friday secret

Friday admission is just $5 until 4pm, and elementary kids are always free. A family can walk the exhibit halls, visit the Ploughman's Farmyard and have pie at the lunch counter for less than the cost of one regular ticket. Locals have known this for years. Now you do too.