Washington County Fair 2026 in Richmond, Rhode Island

Washington County Fair 2026 in Richmond, Rhode Island, from Wednesday, August 12, through Sunday, August 16, bringing five days of country music, midway rides, livestock shows, horse and ox pulls, motorsports, agricultural exhibits, fair food, family contests, 4-H activities, and more than 130 food and craft vendors to the Washington County Fairgrounds.

This isn’t simply a carnival with some farm animals tucked into a corner.

Agriculture remains at the heart of the Washington County Fair nearly 60 years after the first fair was held in 1967. Walk away from the midway and you’ll find cattle being judged in the show barn, young 4-H members showing animals they’ve spent months raising, draft horses pulling thousands of pounds, vegetables and flowers competing for ribbons, and exhibits celebrating the farming traditions the fair was originally created to preserve.

Then, when evening arrives, the Main Stage comes alive with nationally known country artists.

For anyone looking for the full county-fair experience, this is one of Rhode Island’s biggest summer traditions.

Five Days at the Fair

Fair gates open at 8:00 a.m., although most activities and vendors begin around 10:00 a.m.

The midway opens daily at noon.

The fair remains open until:

• Wednesday through Saturday: 11:00 p.m.
• Sunday: 8:00 p.m.

With livestock shows beginning early and concerts continuing well into the evening, it’s entirely possible to spend most of a day here.

Country Music Takes Over the Main Stage

Music is included with fair admission, and the 2026 Main Stage lineup features nationally known country performers alongside rising artists.

Wednesday, August 12

Presley & Taylor — 9:00 p.m.

Sister duo Presley & Taylor bring their contemporary country sound and close harmonies to opening night.

Thursday, August 13

Joss Ross — 9:00 p.m.

Country singer-songwriter Joss Ross headlines Thursday night.

Friday, August 14

Mark Wills — 9:00 p.m.

Friday belongs to one of the weekend’s biggest names.

Grand Ole Opry member Mark Wills scored a string of country hits during the late 1990s and early 2000s, including 19 Somethin’, Wish You Were Here, Don’t Laugh at Me, Places I’ve Never Been, and I Do (Cherish You).

Saturday, August 15

Jamie O’Neal & Ty Herndon — 9:00 p.m.

Saturday brings two established country stars to the same Main Stage.

Jamie O’Neal broke through with back-to-back No. 1 hits There Is No Arizona and When I Think About Angels.

Ty Herndon became one of country’s recognizable voices of the 1990s with songs including What Mattered Most, Living in a Moment, and It Must Be Love.

Sunday, August 16

Zach John King — 6:00 p.m.

Rising country singer-songwriter Zach John King closes the Main Stage schedule Sunday evening.

Earlier performances are also scheduled during the week, including Raquel Hawkins at 4 p.m. Friday and Madhatter at 4 p.m. Saturday.

This Is Still a Real Agricultural Fair

It’s easy to get distracted by the Ferris wheel and concerts, but some of the most interesting parts of the Washington County Fair are inside the barns and show rings.

The fair includes competitions and exhibits involving:

• Dairy cattle
• Beef cattle
• Working steer
• Sheep
• Swine
• Goats
• Rabbits
• Poultry
• 4-H animals
• Agricultural exhibits
• Vegetables and produce
• Flowers and dahlias
• Grange exhibits
• Scarecrows
• Arts and crafts
• Photography
• Needlework and quilts
• Baking and canned goods

Saturday morning features the Premier Animal Contest at 10 a.m., bringing together Grand Champion animals from the fair’s different livestock divisions.

Sunday at 11 a.m., the Premier Showmanship Contest puts the emphasis on the young exhibitors themselves as first-place showmanship winners demonstrate their skills handling animals from multiple livestock divisions.

For children who have never spent much time around agriculture, don’t rush through this part of the fair.

Stop at the barns.

Watch a judging competition.

Ask questions.

Some of the young exhibitors have spent much of the year preparing an animal for the few minutes you’ll see inside the show ring.

Horse, Ox and Pony Pulls

Animal pulling competitions remain another connection to the fair’s agricultural roots.

Different nights feature different classes of working animals competing to pull increasingly heavy loads.

The schedule includes:

Wednesday: Pony Pull
Thursday: Ox Pull
Friday: Horse Pull

Friday night’s Horse Pull features teams divided into under and over 3,225-pound classes, competing in traditional 12-foot pulls.

These aren’t staged demonstrations. They’re competitions governed by established pulling-association rules, with prize money awarded to the top teams.

Motorsports and Pulling Events

The fair’s show rings aren’t reserved entirely for livestock.

Truck and tractor pulling events bring horsepower of a very different kind to the grounds, adding engine noise, dirt, and competition to the traditional agricultural schedule.

For families with children fascinated by tractors, trucks, and heavy machinery, this side of the fair can be every bit as exciting as the midway.

Check the day’s schedule when you arrive, because individual pulling and motorsports events are held at specific times throughout the fair.

The Midway

Rockwell Amusements returns with the Washington County Fair midway, continuing a partnership that has lasted more than 40 years.

The midway opens at 12:00 p.m. each day with rides for children, families, and thrill seekers.

Expect everything from traditional fair rides to attractions including the Ferris wheel, Zipper, and what Rockwell bills as the largest traveling roller coaster in New England.

Individual rides require between three and six tickets.

Ride Ticket Prices

Single ticket: $1.50
25 tickets: $25
40 tickets: $40

Unlimited Ride Wristbands

Unlimited ride wristbands are available on select days.

Wednesday, Thursday & Friday:
$40 for unlimited rides from noon to 6:00 p.m.

Sunday:
$40 for unlimited rides from noon until closing.

The bungee jump is not included with tickets or unlimited ride wristbands and requires separate cash payment.

Children must be at least 36 inches tall to ride kiddie rides, and individual attractions may have additional height requirements.

Kids Can Do More Than Ride the Rides

Some of my favorite things on the schedule are the activities that could only happen at a county fair.

We’re talking about mooing.

Pie eating.

Milking.

Egg tossing.

This weekend’s children’s activities include:

Friday

12:00 p.m. — Mooing Contest

Yes. A mooing contest.

If your child has spent years perfecting an inexplicably convincing cow impression, their moment has arrived.

1:00 p.m. — Obstacle Race

3:00 p.m. — Potato Sack Race

4:00 p.m. — Milking Contest

Children ages 7–12 who have never milked an animal before compete to see who can collect the most milk.

5:00 p.m. — Egg Toss

Saturday

10:00 a.m. — Pedal Tractor Pull

1:00 p.m. — Water Balloon Toss

3:00 p.m. — Junior Pie Eating Contest

This one is for ages 13–17. Hands stay behind the back while competitors attempt to finish half of a full-size pie using nothing but their mouths.

It’s going to get messy.

4:00 p.m. — Milking Contest

5:00 p.m. — Egg Toss

Sunday

1:00 p.m. — Corn Shucking Contest

2:00 p.m. — Senior Pie Eating Contest

3:00 p.m. — Milking Contest

4:00 p.m. — Egg Toss

Some contests require advance registration, generally one hour before the event, and participation may be limited.

Stage ’67

Need a break from the midway?

Stage ’67 is dedicated to family entertainment throughout the fair.

Farmer K: Stories From the Barnyard brings farm-themed storytelling to the stage on multiple days.

The Rhode Island Circus Space also performs throughout the five-day fair with circus arts and family entertainment.

Weekend circus performances include:

Friday: 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Saturday: 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Sunday: 12:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.

Come Hungry

You shouldn’t have much trouble finding something to eat.

More than 130 food and craft vendors participate in the Washington County Fair, creating an enormous marketplace throughout the grounds.

Fair food ranges from Rhode Island and New England favorites to the classics you probably started thinking about the moment somebody mentioned going to the fair.

Expect choices including:

• Burgers
• Barbecue
• Seafood
• Steak sandwiches
• Strawberry shortcake
• Fresh-squeezed lemonade
• Traditional carnival food
• Desserts and sweet treats

One interesting detail: many of the food vendors are operated by nonprofit organizations, so that plate of fair food may also be supporting a local group.

Many food vendors accept cash only, although ATMs are available on the fairgrounds.

Coolers and alcoholic beverages are not permitted.

Don’t Skip the Exhibit Buildings

The exhibit buildings are easy to overlook when there’s a midway glowing outside.

Go inside anyway.

This is where you’ll find the quieter side of county-fair competition: vegetables grown in someone’s backyard, carefully arranged flowers, photography, quilts, needlework, ceramics, crafts, canned goods, baking entries, and other projects competing for ribbons.

There’s also a 4-H Exhibit Hall where young people display projects ranging from agriculture and animal care to gardening and other skills.

These exhibits may not have flashing lights.

They don’t need them.

They’re part of what separates a county fair from a summer carnival.

Nearly 60 Years of Washington County Fair History

The Washington County Fair began in 1967 on the grounds of the Perryville Grange in Wakefield.

It was created to emphasize the importance of agriculture in everyday life while reviving the traditional county fair experience.

It didn’t take long to outgrow its original home.

After only two years, organizers purchased land in Richmond. The property included a stand of pine trees on a sloping hill that organizers envisioned as a natural amphitheater.

There was just one problem.

They had to build practically everything.

Land needed clearing. Boulders had to be removed. Booths had to be constructed. A stage had to be built.

Grange members and other volunteers did much of the work themselves.

That volunteer tradition continues today. The Washington County Fair is owned and operated by the Washington County Pomona Grange, and organizers begin preparing for the next fair almost as soon as the previous one ends.

Over the decades, the grounds have expanded to include additional pulling rings, livestock facilities, exhibit spaces, and an agricultural museum filled with equipment and artifacts from Rhode Island’s farming past.

The midway has gotten bigger.

The concerts have gotten bigger.

But the goal hasn’t changed much since 1967: create an authentic county fair where families can experience a piece of Rhode Island’s agricultural heritage.

Admission

Adults and ages 11+: $14 at the gate

Children 10 and under: FREE

Gate admission includes:

• Main Stage concerts
• Special entertainment
• Agricultural events
• Livestock shows
• Exhibits and displays
• Contests
• Tractor pulls
• Horse and livestock pulls
• Farm museum admission

Midway rides require separate tickets or wristbands.

Gate purchases are cash only.

Same-day re-entry is permitted with a hand stamp.

The Washington County Fair is held rain or shine.

Parking

Parking is free.

Designated parking is available at the fairgrounds, with additional off-site lots used during busy periods.

The Beaver River off-site lot operates:

Thursday & Friday: 4:00 p.m. to close
Saturday & Sunday: 12:00 p.m. to close

Shuttle service is available from the Beaver River lot.

The final shuttle from the fairgrounds generally leaves approximately 30 minutes after the Main Stage concert.

Accessible parking is available near the fair entrance for vehicles displaying the appropriate placard.

Visitors should follow fair staff and parking attendants rather than parking on surrounding private property or in undesignated areas.

What to Know Before You Go

A few things can make the day easier:

• Bring cash. Gate admission and many food vendors are cash only.
• Wear comfortable shoes. The fairgrounds are large and you’ll do plenty of walking.
• Check the day’s schedule when you arrive. Livestock shows, pulls, contests, concerts, and children’s activities happen throughout the day.
• If the kids want to enter a contest, check registration requirements early. Several competitions require registration before the scheduled start.
• Midway rides don’t open until noon, but the fairgrounds open much earlier.
• Don’t bring a cooler or alcoholic beverages.
• Give yourself more time than you think you’ll need.

Most importantly, don’t spend the entire day on the midway.

Ride the Ferris wheel. Absolutely.

Eat something fried that you probably wouldn’t eat anywhere else.

But then walk through a livestock barn. Watch a horse pull. Look at the vegetables somebody grew well enough to earn a blue ribbon. Let the kids try their best cow impression in the mooing contest.

That’s the Washington County Fair experience.

Event Details

Event: Washington County Fair 2026

Dates: Wednesday, August 12 – Sunday, August 16, 2026

Location: Washington County Fairgrounds

Address: 78 Richmond Townhouse Road, Route 112, Richmond, RI 02812

Fairgrounds Open: 8:00 a.m. daily

Most Activities & Vendors: Beginning around 10:00 a.m.

Midway Opens: 12:00 p.m. daily

Closing: 11:00 p.m. Wednesday–Saturday; 8:00 p.m. Sunday

Admission: $14 ages 11+; children 10 and under free

Parking: Free

Midway: Additional charge

Weather: Rain or shine

More Information

More information, including the complete daily schedule and any last-minute changes, is available at the Event Website link below.

To purchase tickets, click the Event Ticketing link below.