When is Durham Fair 2026?

The Durham Fair runs September 24-27, 2026 (Thursday through Sunday) at the Durham Fairgrounds in Durham, Connecticut. Founded in 1916, it is Connecticut's largest agricultural fair, drawing approximately 250,000 attendees over four days.

What is Connecticut's largest agricultural fair?

The Durham Fair is Connecticut's largest agricultural fair by attendance. The Goshen Fair (Labor Day weekend), Hebron Harvest Fair (mid-September), Berlin Fair (mid-to-late September), Bethlehem Fair (mid-September), and Woodstock Fair (Labor Day weekend) are also among the state's biggest.

How many agricultural fairs does Connecticut have?

The Connecticut Association of Fairs lists 36 member fairs for 2026 across four categories: Major Fairs, District Fairs, County 4-H Fairs, and Grange Fairs. The September agricultural fair calendar alone includes eighteen distinct events, most clustered into back-to-back weekends from Labor Day weekend through the end of September.

When is the Connecticut Renaissance Faire 2026?

The Connecticut Renaissance Faire runs Saturdays and Sundays plus Labor Day and Columbus Day from August 29 through October 25, 2026 at the Lebanon Country Fairgrounds. The 28th annual season features dozens of live shows daily across twelve stages, 204 artisan vendors, live jousting, and themed weekends.

What's the biggest December holiday market in Connecticut?

The 41st annual Newtown Holiday Festival on December 6 is among the largest, with 80+ vendors across Historic Main Street in Newtown. The Hartford Christmas Market on Pratt Street runs two weekends (December 5-6 and December 12-13). The New England Christmas Festival at Mohegan Sun (November 6-8) features 350+ vendors and is the largest indoor holiday craft event in the state.

What's the best Connecticut fair for first-time visitors?

For a classic Connecticut fair experience without the crowds of Durham or Hebron, the Bethlehem Fair, Goshen Fair, or Haddam Neck Fair are all excellent choices. They're medium-sized, family-friendly, and offer the full agricultural-fair experience in a more relaxed setting. The Grange fairs (Simsbury, Hillstown, Granby, Norfield) offer the most intimate community-fair experience.

How do I apply to be a vendor at a Connecticut fair?

Most Connecticut agricultural fairs publish vendor applications on their official websites 3-6 months before the event. The Durham Fair, Goshen Fair, Berlin Fair, Bethlehem Fair, and Hebron Harvest Fair all have separate categories for commercial exhibitors, craft vendors, and food vendors. Application deadlines and booth pricing vary by fair — check each official site for current details.

What's the best boat show in Connecticut?

The Norwalk Boat Show in late September is the marquee in-water boat show in the state and one of the largest on Long Island Sound. The Hartford Boat Show in January at Mohegan Sun is the largest indoor show. The Connecticut Spring Boat Show in Essex (April) is more intimate but well-located in one of the most picturesque sailing harbors on the East Coast. The Steelpointe Yacht & Charter Show in November is the upscale, yacht-focused option.

Connecticut Fairs & Festivals 2026: Full Calendar by Month

A fairground ferris wheel at dusk with rides and colorful lights Photo on Pexels

Connecticut's fair season is one of New England's best-kept secrets. While the Big E in Massachusetts gets the headlines and Maine's Fryeburg Fair gets the destination travelers, Connecticut quietly runs one of the densest, highest-quality agricultural fair circuits in the country — anchored by the legendary Durham Fair, the state's largest, the four-day Hebron Harvest Fair, and a deep bench of small-town fairs in Bethlehem, Goshen, Hebron, Woodstock, Berlin, Guilford, and Haddam Neck — plus the seven county 4-H fairs and eleven Grange-run agricultural fairs that round out the season.

The Constitution State packs a remarkable amount of fair culture into a small geography. Most of the state's marquee agricultural fairs run during a tight four-week window in September, which means you can plan a Connecticut fair tour without much driving. Add in the Connecticut Renaissance Faire (8 weekends from Labor Day through October), Mohegan Sun's Earth Expo Center hosting major craft and boat events including the 350-vendor New England Christmas Festival, the Norwalk Boat Show, the Hartford Home Show, summer festivals along the Long Island Sound coast, and a robust December holiday-market calendar, and Connecticut's event year starts to feel much bigger than its borders.

This guide covers the major Connecticut fairs and events for 2026, organized chronologically. The Connecticut Association of Fairs is the authoritative statewide source for the agricultural fair list and member fair links.

Why Connecticut for Fair Season

Connecticut's fair scene has been quietly growing. Our event listings for the state are up significantly year-over-year, reflecting a renewed interest in agricultural fair traditions and an expanding craft and home-show calendar.

The state's geography works in your favor. Connecticut is small enough that you can drive from Hartford to Mystic in 90 minutes, or from the Litchfield Hills to the Connecticut shore in about the same. A single weekend can realistically include a Saturday at a hilltop agricultural fair (Goshen, say) and a Sunday on the coast (a Mystic-area festival or the Norwalk Boat Show). Few other New England states pack their fair calendar this densely.

Connecticut also benefits from being the southern anchor of New England's fair circuit. Visitors from New York City, northern New Jersey, and the Hudson Valley often choose Connecticut fairs over driving further north — the Litchfield Hills and the Connecticut River Valley are within easy reach, and the fairs themselves tend to be less crowded than the Big E across the Massachusetts border.

Spring: Boat Shows, Craft Festivals, and the Garden Trail (April–May)

Connecticut's event calendar wakes up early. The Connecticut Spring Boat Show (April 24–26) opens the in-water boat show season for the region. Essex is one of the most picturesque sailing villages in southern New England, and the show takes advantage of its working harbor to showcase boats in their natural element.

Two weeks later, the New England Spring Craft Festival (May 9–10) takes over the Earth Expo & Convention Center at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville. With 275+ juried artisans across two days, this is one of the largest indoor craft shows in southern New England.

Mid-May fills out fast. The Lyman Orchards 285th Anniversary Festival (May 16–17) in Middlefield marks 285 years of one of the country's oldest continuously family-owned farms. The same weekend brings the Suffield Garden Club's 48th Annual May Market (May 16), the New Milford Art Fair and Tag Sale (May 16), and the CT Food Truck Battles Festival (May 15–17).

A week later: the Voice of Art Fine Art Festival in Sharon (May 23–24), the Heirloom Market Spring Festival (May 23), and the Seafood Fest at NEBCO Branford (May 23).

May closes with a chocolate weekend: the Montville Spring Chocolate Expo (May 30) returns to Mohegan Sun's Earth Expo, alongside the New London County Strawberry Festival (May 30–31) and the Yankee Peddler Day (May 30) in Berlin.

Early Summer: June Markets, Strawberry Festivals, and the Grange Calendar Begins (June)

June is when Connecticut's outdoor festival calendar really takes off. Several historic farmers markets open their season — the Glastonbury Farmers Market (June 2 – September 8) and the Trumbull Farmers Market (June 4 – October 15) both run weekly.

The first big crafts weekend is June 6: Celebrate West Hartford Arts & Crafts Show (June 6–7), running alongside the New Hartford Lions Club Giant Flea Market (June 6).

The following weekend brings the 5th Annual Connecticut Sea Music Festival (June 12–16) in Mystic, the Juneteenth Festival (June 12–14) at the Hempsted Houses in New London, the Mystic Strawberry Festival (June 13–14) at Olde Mistick Village, and the Simsbury Grange Agricultural Fair (June 13) — the earliest of the state's eleven Grange-run agricultural fairs.

Father's Day weekend brings Art in the Village (June 20–21), Olde Mistick Village's outdoor arts festival.

Mid-Summer: July Brings the Agricultural Fair Calendar Online

July is when the major agricultural fair circuit actually starts. The Niantic Lions Club Arts and Craft Show (July 4–5) opens the month on Long Island Sound, followed by the North Stonington Agricultural Fair (July 9–12) — one of the state's largest fairs, held at the North Stonington Fairgrounds in eastern Connecticut.

Mid-July brings the Fairfield County 4-H Fair (July 11) at Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo in Bridgeport, the Greater Hartford Festival of Jazz (July 17–20), and ConnectiCon XXIII (July 16–19) at the Connecticut Convention Center.

Late July clusters tightly. The Lebanon Country Fair (July 24–26) at the Lebanon Country Fairgrounds and the Windham County 4-H Fair (July 24–26) at the Brooklyn Fairgrounds run the same weekend, alongside the Old Lyme Midsummer Festival (July 24–25) and the 22nd International Sea Glass Festival (July 25–26).

The final July weekend pairs the Litchfield County 4-H Fair (July 31 – August 2) at the Goshen Fairgrounds and the Middlesex & New Haven County 4-H Fair (July 31 – August 2) at the Durham Fairgrounds.

Peak August: County Fairs, Grange Fairs, Coastal Festivals, and the Renaissance Faire Opens

August is when Connecticut's fair calendar peaks in density. There are nearly twenty multi-day events in the month, plus the start of the Connecticut Renaissance Faire — an eight-weekend Labor Day-through-October run at the Lebanon Country Fairgrounds, featuring 204 artisan vendors, twelve stages of daily live shows, and live jousting.

The first weekend brings the Taste of Caribbean and Jerk Festival (August 1–2) and the New London County 4-H Expo & Fair (August 7–9) at the North Stonington Fairgrounds. The same weekend: the Tolland County 4-H Fair (August 7–9) at the Tolland Agricultural Center in Vernon and the Wolcott Country Fair (August 7–9) at the Wolcott Fairgrounds.

August 8 is also a major Grange day: both the Ekonk Community Grange Fair (Sterling) and the Winchester Grange Fair (Winchester Center) run the same Saturday — single-day community fairs that exemplify the Grange tradition.

The same weekend brings one of the state's most beloved arts events: the 68th Annual Mystic Outdoor Art Festival (August 8–9), with close to 270 juried artists displaying along the streets of downtown Mystic.

Mid-August brings the Milford Oyster Festival (August 14–15) on the Long Island Sound shoreline, the Hartford County 4-H Fair (August 14–16) at the Four Town Fairgrounds in Somers, the Riverton Grange Fair (August 15), and the Riverfront Dragon Boat & Asian Festival (August 15).

Late August: the Bridgewater Country Fair (August 21–23), one of the few remaining old-style "country" fairs in the state, and the Hamburg Fair (August 21–23) in Lyme. The same weekend, three Grange fairs cluster around western Connecticut: the Cheshire Grange Community Fair (August 22–23), the Greenfield Hill Grange Fair (August 22) in Fairfield, and — the following weekend — the Cannon Grange Agricultural Fair (August 30) in Wilton.

The final August weekend is the calendar's first taste of major-fair scale: the Brooklyn Fair (August 27–30), one of Connecticut's oldest agricultural fairs (founded 1849), the Chester Fair (August 28–30), and the Terryville Lions Country Fair (August 28–30) all run the same four-day weekend.

September: Connecticut's Fair Month

September is when the Connecticut fair calendar truly comes alive. Eighteen distinct agricultural fairs run during a four-week stretch — far more than most visitors realize — with most of them clustered into back-to-back weekends. Plan your geography: Goshen is in the northwest hills, Durham is in the central river valley, Bethlehem is in the western hills, Hebron is in the eastern suburbs of Hartford, and Brooklyn and Woodstock are in the state's quiet northeast corner.

Labor Day Weekend (September 3–7)

Three of the state's most beloved fairs all run over Labor Day weekend.

The Woodstock Fair (September 3–7) at the Woodstock Fairgrounds has been running since 1860 and remains one of Connecticut's most authentic agricultural fairs.

The Haddam Neck Fair (September 4–7) is smaller and more intimate, held on the east bank of the Connecticut River. It's known for its strong horse-drawn vehicle competitions, community feel, and a tractor pull schedule that draws competitors from across the region.

The Goshen Fair (September 5–7) sits in the Litchfield Hills and has the best scenery of any fair in the state. The drive in alone — through farm country and over Litchfield ridge — is half the experience.

Mid-September (September 10–13)

The Hebron Harvest Fair (September 10–13) at the Hebron Lions Club Fairgrounds is one of Connecticut's largest fairs and a perennial favorite. It runs four days, has a packed midway, and consistently draws the biggest crowds outside of Durham.

The same weekend, three other agricultural fairs run: the North Haven Fair (September 10–13) at the North Haven Fairgrounds, the Wapping Fair (September 10–13) at the John J. Mitchell Fairgrounds in South Windsor (which co-hosts the Connecticut Association of Fairs Baking Contest), and the Bethlehem Fair (September 11–13) at the Bethlehem Fairgrounds. The shoreline gets its own event the same weekend: the Norwalk Oyster Festival (September 11–13).

September 12 is a major Grange day. Four Grange-run agricultural fairs all happen the same Saturday: the Hillstown Grange Agricultural Fair (East Hartford), the Granby Grange Agricultural Fair (Granby), the Wallingford Grange Fair (Wallingford), and — the next day — the Norfield Grange Agricultural Fair & Market (September 13) in Weston.

Late September (September 17–27)

Fair month peaks in the second half of September.

The Berlin Fair (September 17–20) at the Berlin Fairgrounds runs four days. The same weekend, the Four Town Fair (September 17–20) returns to its Somers fairgrounds.

The Guilford Fair (September 18–20) sits near the Long Island Sound shore and is known for its proximity to coastal Connecticut culture. The Orange Country Fair (September 19–20) is a smaller two-day fair south of New Haven.

The fourth weekend is the biggest of the year. The Durham Fair (September 24–27) is Connecticut's flagship — the largest in the state and one of the largest volunteer-run fairs in the country, drawing over 200,000 visitors across four days. If you only attend one Connecticut fair, this is the one.

The same weekend brings the Norwalk Boat Show (September 24–27) at Norwalk Cove Marina — the largest in-water boat show on Long Island Sound. The same Saturday: the Plainville Gun Show (September 26) and the Stafford AppleFest (September 26). The next day adds the Celebrate Mansfield Festival (September 26–27) and the Trumbull Arts Festival (September 27).

October: Harvest Fairs, Apple Festivals, and Highland Games

October opens with the final cluster of agricultural fairs. The Portland Agricultural Fair (October 2–4) at Chris Cote's Driving Range in Portland (Connecticut, not Maine) runs alongside the Harwinton Fair (October 2–4) at the Harwinton Fairgrounds and the Southington Apple Harvest Festival (October 2–11), a ten-day Apple Harvest run.

The same weekend brings the Old Wethersfield Arts and Crafts Fair (October 3), the New Haven Chalk Art Festival (October 3), and the 10th Annual NICE Festival (October 3–4) in Norwalk.

October 9–11 brings the Riverton Fair at the Riverton Fairgrounds, the last agricultural fair of the year. The same Saturday: the Connecticut Garlic & Harvest Festival (October 10–11) at the Bethlehem Fairgrounds, the Scotland Connecticut Highland Games (October 10), and the Nutmeg Hamfest, ARRL Connecticut State Convention (October 11) in Meriden.

Mid-October is apple-festival season. The Glastonbury Apple Harvest & Music Festival (October 16–18) and the Mystic Apple Festival (October 17–18) at Olde Mistick Village are the two largest.

The Connecticut Renaissance Faire concludes its season October 25 after eight weekends at the Lebanon Country Fairgrounds.

The month closes with the Hartford CT Fall Home Show (October 31 – November 1) at the Connecticut Convention Center — the marquee home-improvement event of the year for central Connecticut.

November: Boat Shows, Bridal Expos, and the Holiday Market Season Opens

November is when Connecticut's holiday season truly begins. The headline event is the New England Christmas Festival (November 6–8) at the Earth Expo Center at Mohegan Sun — the 36th annual run of one of the East Coast's largest holiday craft festivals, featuring 350+ pop-up boutiques across three days.

The Steelpointe Yacht & Charter Show (November 5–8) at Bridgeport Harbor Marina at Steelpointe is a Newport-style boat show focused on yacht-class boats and the charter market.

Mid-November brings the Noah Webster House Holiday Market (November 14 – December 5) in West Hartford, a juried artisan market that runs across two November weekends plus a December opening, and the Fall CT Wedding & Bridal Expo (November 15) at Aqua Turf Club in Plantsville.

Thanksgiving weekend brings the YCGG 2026 Fall Gun Show (November 21–22) at the Clarion Inn North Haven. The same Saturday: Frosty's Christmas Festival (November 22). The Southington Holiday Craft Fair (November 29) closes the month, and the IAIS Annual Holiday Market (November 28 – December 13) at the Institute for American Indian Studies opens its multi-weekend run.

December: Connecticut's Holiday Market Calendar

December is when Connecticut's holiday-market calendar comes alive. The Hartford Christmas Market on Pratt Street (December 5–13) runs across two downtown Hartford weekends. The same opening weekend: the Powder Ridge Winter Festival & Holiday Market (December 5–6) at Powder Ridge Mountain Park & Resort in Middlefield, combining ice skating and winter activities with a 20–30-vendor holiday craft fair.

The 41st annual Newtown Holiday Festival (December 6) transforms Historic Main Street in Newtown into an outdoor holiday market with 80+ vendors, plus performances of The Nutcracker at Edmond Town Hall, historic trolley tours, and family activities. All proceeds benefit Newtown Youth & Family Services.

The following Saturday brings the Redding Artisan Holiday Market (December 13) at John Read Middle School — a juried indoor craft market featuring local Connecticut artisans selling handmade gifts.

Looking Ahead to 2027

Connecticut's late-winter/early-spring 2027 calendar is already filling up. The Hartford Home Show 2027 (January 9–10) opens the year, followed by the Hartford Boat Show 2027 (January 28–31) at Mohegan Sun — one of the largest indoor boat shows in the Northeast.

February brings the Connecticut Wedding & Bridal Expo (February 6–7) at the Connecticut Convention Center, followed by the Connecticut Flower & Garden Show (February 18–21) and the SE Connecticut Home & Garden Show (February 19–21).

March brings the Connecticut Home & Remodeling Show (March 5–7) and the Western New England Home Show (March 13–14).

Tips for Connecticut Fair-Going

Plan around the September clusters. Connecticut's fall fair calendar packs eighteen distinct agricultural fairs into roughly four weekends. If you're trying to hit several, build your weekends geographically — northwest (Goshen), central river valley (Durham, Haddam Neck, Berlin, Portland), eastern (Hebron, Woodstock, Brooklyn), shore (Guilford, North Haven), and the Grange cluster of September 12 (Hillstown, Granby, Wallingford, Norfield) — each forms a natural day's tour.

Drive early on Saturday. Connecticut fairs near Hartford and the I-91 corridor get crowded by mid-morning on Saturday. Arriving by 10am makes the difference between a relaxed visit and a stressful one.

Bring cash. Many Connecticut fairs still run cash-only food vendors, parking, and admission. ATMs at the fairgrounds frequently run out or charge high fees.

Pack for the weather. Connecticut Septembers can swing from 85°F humidity to 55°F and rainy in the same weekend. Layers, a light rain jacket, and good walking shoes are essential.

Family planning. If you're bringing kids, the smaller fairs (Bethlehem, Haddam Neck, Goshen) and the Grange fairs (Simsbury, Hillstown, Granby, Norfield) are easier to navigate than the giant ones (Durham, Hebron). For a comprehensive guide, see our best New England fairs for families with kids.

Vendor application timing. If you want to set up at a Connecticut fair, applications typically open between February and May for the September fairs. Larger fairs (Durham, Hebron, Berlin) have juried selection for craft and artisan booths and often fill by April. Apply early.

Browse the Full Calendar

For full event details, dates, ticket information, vendor application info, and venue logistics for every event in this guide, browse the full Connecticut event calendar on Meet Me at the Fair. Connecticut has 125+ events on the calendar for 2026 — far more than fits in this guide.

Cluster Deep-Dives

For more on the major Connecticut events covered in this guide, see our deep-dive cluster posts:

More State Fair Guides

More Fair Season Guides

Last updated: May 2026

Connecticut Fairs and Festivals 2026: Your Complete Guide