Granite State Fair 2026: The Rochester Fair, Renamed and Still Running
If you have been searching for the Rochester Fair, you are looking for this one. The Granite State Fair is the same fair under a new name, held at the Rochester Fairgrounds in Rochester, New Hampshire.
The rename catches people out every year. Locals still call it the Rochester Fair, search engines still get asked for the Rochester Fair, and the fair itself now runs as the Granite State Fair.
Two weekends, not eleven straight days
This matters, so it goes first. The Granite State Fair runs two separate September weekends — Thursday September 17 to Sunday September 20, and Thursday September 24 to Sunday September 27, 2026. The fair is closed Monday September 21 through Wednesday September 23.
These dates are corroborated by the fair's own 2026 entry system. Gate hours are a different matter — they have not been published yet. The organizer's hours page still shows a prior year, so check the official Granite State Fair site for opening times before you set out.
What's on
- Livestock shows — the agricultural core
- Midway rides
- Demolition derby
- Motorsports
- Grandstand entertainment
- Fair food
Check the official site for current hours and ticket pricing. The motorsports and derby events are individually scheduled rather than running on every fair day.
Where it sits in the New Hampshire season
New Hampshire's fair calendar clusters hard in September and early October. The Granite State Fair's opening weekend coincides with Tunbridge World's Fair across the river in Vermont and Berlin Fair down in Connecticut — all three on the September 17 weekend. If you are running a fair-season road trip, that is a genuinely difficult weekend to schedule.
Q: Is the Granite State Fair the same as the Rochester Fair?
Yes. The Granite State Fair is the former Rochester Fair, held at the Rochester Fairgrounds in Rochester, New Hampshire.
Q: When is the Granite State Fair in 2026?
Two September weekends: Thursday September 17 through Sunday September 20, and Thursday September 24 through Sunday September 27, 2026. The fair is closed on the weekdays in between. Gate hours have not been published yet.
Q: What is there to do at the Granite State Fair?
Livestock shows, midway rides, a demolition derby, motorsports, grandstand entertainment and fair food.
Q: Is the Granite State Fair open on weekdays?
No. It runs across two separate September weekends rather than continuously, so the weekdays between them are not fair days.
Related Reading
- Your Guide to New Hampshire Fairs and Festivals in 2026
- The Sandwich Fair: Why This No-Frills NH Fair Is a Local Favorite
- Deerfield Fair 2026: A Visitor's Guide
- How to Plan a New England Fair Season Road Trip
Last updated: September 2026
