The 176th annual Dutchess County Fair is an ideal way to celebrate the end of summer. The fair brings vendors, rides, horse shows, concerts, and more to the Northeast Dutchess County area. The fun-filled week begins on August 23 and continues through 8/28. With all the fair has to offer, it can be overwhelming to navigate. To make it a bit easier, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite attractions:
Livestock Hill
12 acres of the fairground are dedicated to “Livestock Hill,” showcasing 12 barns of dairy cows, beef cattle, sheep, goats, poultry, rabbits and more. You can also find three show arenas with events taking place all day… including live calf births!
4H Milkshakes
Offering the best milkshakes ever, the Dutchess County Dairy Committee Milkshake at the 4H building is an essential stop during your trip to the fair.
Youth Horse Show
The Dutchess County Fair boasts two horse show rings with several shows running throughout the week. Our favorite, however, is the Youth Horse Show! This year, it is taking place at 8:30 am on Tuesday, August 23.
Midway Rides
What’s a fair without rides? The Dutchess County Fair offers dozens of rides of all different types…ensuring fun for all ages! Be sure to check out all the roller coasters, ferris wheels, and swings that bring life to the fair. Here’s our favorite ride list:
- Wave Swinger
- Air Maxx
- Itsy Bitsy
- Sizzler
- Vertigo
The Grandstand
There’s no better way to end a day at the fair than with live music! Check out the Grandstand for concerts and rodeos. Here’s this year’s line up:
- Wed 8/24 • 7:30 pm → TUSK: Ultimate Fleetwood Mac Experience
- Thurs 8/25 • 7:30 pm → Niko Moon
- Fri 8/26 • 7:30 pm → Chris Janson
- Sat 8/27 • noon & 6 pm → All American Rodeo
- Sun 8/28 • 4 pm → All American Rodeo
Dock Dogs
There are dozens of fun events going on at the fair. Whether you love horse jumping or pig races, there is no shortage of excitement on the grounds. One of our personal favorites is watching the Dock Dogs competitions.
Horticulture Exhibition
The best part about the fair is the diversity in the events, attractions, and exhibitions. One of our favorite unique attractions is the Horticulture Building, filled with impressive garden displays and floral arrangements. You can even participate in the “People’s Choice Awards” by choosing your favorite display.
Food, Food, & More Food
The fair offers a wide selection of food vendors bound to please a crowd. Though it was hard to choose, we compiled a list of our favorite food spots:
- BurgerWorks
- Awesome Apple Crisp
- What’s Poppin Kettle Korn
- Paula’s Pretzels
- Grecian Delights
