The 120th annual Vermilion Fair is set for July 23 to 25, 2026, at the Vermilion Fairgrounds, bringing three days of agricultural celebration to Vermilion, Alberta. Organized by the Vermilion Agricultural Society, this year’s theme, “Born in a Barn,” honors the fair’s deep rural roots and farming heritage. The event, which draws between 24,000 and 26,000 people each year, is known as Western Canada’s largest and oldest traditional agricultural fair.
The fair kicks off Thursday, July 23, with a parade at 11 a.m. along a route through town. The society is urging residents and groups to join the procession with floats and entries that play on the barn-inspired theme. Throughout the weekend, visitors can take in livestock shows, heavy horse hitches, ladies open cart races, and competitions inside the exhibit hall. A midway with amusement rides, a trade show, and nightly fireworks are also on the schedule.
Admission is $15 for a single day or $30 for a three-day pass. Children under six get in free. All-day ride bracelets are available for $55 each day. For those wanting a chance at a cash prize before the gates even open, the society has launched an online 50/50 draw that can be entered now through its website.
The Vermilion Agricultural Society, a volunteer-run not-for-profit, first held a fair back in 1906. It has since grown the gathering into a signature event that attracts crowds several times larger than the town’s population of about 4,000. In 2024, the Alberta Professional Chuckwagon & Chariot Association named the society its Fairboard of the Year, an award it also earned in 2013 and 2015.
Residents looking to showcase their creativity can take part in the store decorating contest and submit themed exhibits that tie into the “Born in a Barn” concept. More details are available on the society’s website.
