Ever see the iconic Racine County Fairgrounds sign “Since 1923” and wonder about the history of our fair?

 

The Racine County Fair traces its roots much farther back to the 1850s when the first annual agricultural fair was held in the township of Yorkville.  Throughout that century, locations ranged across the county from Racine to Burlington.  One consistent theme in these early fairs was the presence of competitive horse shows and racing.

 

After the absence of a county fair for 30 years, a group of ag-vocates formed the Racine County Agricultural Society and selected Burlington as the temporary location of the county fair in the fall of 1922.  The committee considered several locations throughout Racine County for the more permanent location of the annual fair, ultimately deciding on Union Grove’s Old Settlers Park.  

 

The Racine County Agricultural Society and Racine County Fair continue to grow and celebrate the agriculture, industry, and community that makes our county so special.  In order to provide an expansive experience to fairgoers, the Racine County Agricultural Society purchased the 100 acres while renting Old Settlers Park during the fair season.  The Agricultural Society has evolved over the years. They now meet annually to select a 39 person Board of Directors. The Board of Directors is entirely made up of passionate and hardworking volunteers who meet monthly to plan the annual Racine County Fair. 

 

Over the years, the Racine County Fair has included exhibits from thousands of young people, hundreds of commercial vendors, dozens of musical acts, and ever-evolving grandstand feature entertainment.  We have had over 100,000 people through our gates in a single year and been featured on local and national TV programming including the show Carnival Eats.  

 

The Racine County Agricultural Society prides itself on providing an experience like no other in the county and combining new and fan-favorite activities during a week filled with community moments.  We challenge you to immerse yourself in the “Farming through the Ages” exhibit, try a new fair food, learn about raising animals from our youth exhibitors, fly high on a midway ride, and yell “Start your engines!” at the Demo Derby.

 

We hope this brief look into our history excites you as the Racine County Fair approaches each year and that you’ll join us in celebrating the fair for years to come!