When it comes to Ontario’s fairs, the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) in Toronto is the undisputed giant, drawing about 1.5 million visitors each summer. But technically, the CNE isn’t a fall fair since it wraps up on Labour Day weekend, just before autumn begins.
This leaves room for another heavyweight to take first place: The Norfolk County Fair & Horse Show in Simcoe, about a two-hour drive from Toronto, attracts more than 115,000 visitors annually for its week-long agricultural festival during Thanksgiving weekend! The fair’s agricultural roots go back nearly two centuries, making it one of Ontario’s longest-running agricultural events.
This year, it runs from Oct 7-13, 2025, and features the usual livestock shows, equine events, crafts, giant veggies, motorsports and tons of concerts.
Competitions are expected to draw in over 15,000 entries in categories like equine, art, livestock, poultry, giant produce, homecraft and photography! Animal lovers can enjoy the cattle, sheep and goat shows, along with 4-H and llama exhibitions that highlight Norfolk’s rich farming heritage. And whether or not you’re a horse lover, you’ve got to check out the fair’s outdoor horse show! It’s one of Canada’s largest and features events like open western classes, antique buggy showcases, pony classes and jumpers.
Bring the whole family to explore the midway; it’s packed with rides, games and a large petting zoo. Adults can get early Christmas shopping done at the indoor exhibition halls. Vendors will be selling tons of homemade products, from colourful crafts and quilted masterpieces to homegrown produce, baked goods and preserves, all alongside craft competitions, creative Lego builds and culinary demonstrations that celebrate local artistry!
Head to the grandstand for motorsports competitions, think demo derbies, monster trucks and tractor pulls, as well as concerts by headline artists. We’re still waiting on more details for this year’s fair, but past acts have included the Barenaked Ladies, Dallas Smith, Carly Rae Jepsen, Chantal Kreviazuk and Lonestar!
Other notably large fall fairs include the Rockton World’s Fair (with over 44,000 visitors annually) and the Markham Fall Fair (70,000 visitors), both of which take place in October. Toronto’s Royal Agricultural Winter Fair has about 300,000 attendees each year, making it the largest indoor agricultural and equestrian event in the world (although, as its name suggests, it’s considered a winter fair).
If you prefer to attend your fairs while it’s still warm outside, check out these 13 charming end-of-summer small town fairs across Ontario.
