The Best Summer County Fairs In Connecticut

These Connecticut county fairs feature activities such as helicopter rides and frog jumping competitions, which will surely create lasting memories. If you plan on coming to Connecticut during the summer and are looking forward to spending the day at the fairgrounds, these five county fairs in Connecticut will be sure to fill your day with all the rides, games, food, and entertainment you can ever imagine.

Bridgewater Country Fair

Held every August in Bridgewater, Connecticut, is the Bridgewater Country Fair. The fair is a massive, three-day agricultural and carnival event that is a primary annual fundraiser for the Bridgewater Volunteer Fire Department, with proceeds going toward the fire department’s annual budget, daily operations, life-saving equipment, vehicle maintenance, and emergency services for the town. Speaking of the fire department, a highlight of the fair is the meals prepared by local firefighters, who serve delicious food, including their famous slow-cooked roast beef sandwiches, barbecue, and slow-cooked chicken, to all the hungry patrons.

Other parts of the fair you can look forward to are the firefighters' kick-off parade, midway carnival rides, live music and entertainment, professional daredevil and stunt acts, livestock competitions, farming demonstrations, hearty fair foods, and, of course, all those classic carnival games with their rows of prizes you can try and win. The fair not only gives people a chance to have some classic summer fun, but you will also be making a difference for the first responders in the Bridgewater community.

Woodstock Fair

As Connecticut’s largest agricultural fair, as well as one of the oldest, the Woodstock Fair is bursting with all sorts of exhilarating things to do for both young and old. Every Labor Day Weekend, the fairgrounds in South Woodstock come alive with all of the things you can expect to find in a traditional county fair: carnival rides and games, traditional fair food, and live entertainment like chainsaw carvings, music acts, stunt shows, and family-friendly performances.

True to the fair’s roots, the fairgrounds also feature extensive displays of livestock and demonstrations on tractor pulls, and patches brimming with freshly grown fruits and vegetables. You might even have a chance to get up close and personal with different animals like cattle, sheep, horses, pigs, and poultry by petting them and feeding them. The fair is the perfect place to end a memorable time in Connecticut and a long, wonderful summer filled with fun, adventures, and good friends galore.

Lebanon Country Fair

The Lebanon Country Fair is a family-oriented fair that is a celebration of traditional rural American life and agriculture. Organized by the local Lions Club, the fair acts as a major community fundraiser to support local nonprofits and health initiatives. Along with the classic carnival rides, games, delicious (and slightly unusual) fair foods, and the pens that are home to all sorts of livestock, the entertainment at the fair includes helicopter rides, a pie-eating and a watermelon-eating contest, demolition derbies, and antique tractor pulls.

For the pageant lovers or pageant participants, the fair is also the place where you might get the chance to be crowned Little Miss/Mister Lebanon Fair, a contest where each child’s personality shines upon the stage. The fair takes place for one weekend in late July, so be sure to book those tickets for an unforgettable time with friends and family.

Chester Fair

Next, let’s explore what sort of experiences can come your way when visiting the Chester Fair. Running since 1877, the year that the Agricultural and Mechanical Society of Chester was formed, the fair welcomes patrons to enjoy all of its carnival rides and games, livestock shows, tractor pulls, and arts and crafts exhibits. Patrons can also enjoy live musical performances, competitions that range from frog jumping to a women’s frying pan toss, a lot of comfort food, and interesting shows like rope-making.

This year, the Chester Fair is partnering with Marenna Amusements as the fair’s official ride company, which will make the fair brighter and better. The purpose of vendors and performers coming together at the Chester Fair is to celebrate and promote the community’s agricultural roots, mechanics, and local community. The fair is a wonderful opportunity to bring everyone in the neighborhood of Chester together, including locals and visitors. When bringing people together, they will be able to make friendships that will last a lifetime.

Brooklyn Fair

At the Brooklyn Fair, you will find fun for the entire family at every corner. The fair is a mix of classic carnival rides, live music, and agricultural events. True to its history, the fair features judged competitions for all sorts of things like livestock, vegetables, quilts, and arts and crafts. If you are bringing younger children to the Brooklyn Fair, the fairgrounds provide a designated "Playland" where there are always competitions being held, from pie-eating contests to sack races, interactive exhibits, and pedal tractor pulls, ensuring the kids have just as good a time as you.

There are also interesting forms of entertainment such as Robinson’s Racing Pigs, the Flippen Out Trampoline Show, the Aim High K-9 Dog Agility, and Christopher Lengyel Magic. The fair also has thrilling truck and tractor pulls, livestock pulling categories, and the most unique thing of all: an on-site museum where you can see displays of antique farm equipment, a general store, and a replica farm kitchen, which will make for some interesting photos for you to take and share with others.

County fairs are a classic American staple of summertime, and Connecticut does not shy away from putting together a spectacle of rides, games, shows, and interesting food options. While a lot of county fairs are a lot of fun, if you are looking for a certain New England charm and a place to celebrate the state's agricultural roots, Connecticut is the place to be for visiting a county fair. Connecticut is also strong on community, so if you are looking for a place to make connections with others, a county fair, especially in the Constitution State, is the perfect place to spend a summer's day.