Walworth County Fair 2026 Guide: Tickets, Rides, Food, Schedule & Local Tips

The 177th Walworth County Fair runs Wednesday, September 2 through Labor Day Monday, September 7, 2026 at the Walworth County Fairgrounds, 411 E. Court St. in Elkhorn, Wisconsin. This year’s theme is “Glitter and Gold: A Fair to Behold.”

If you’re coming from Lake Geneva, Williams Bay, Fontana, Delavan, Chicago, Milwaukee, or anywhere else around southern Wisconsin, this is the page to bookmark before you go.

You’ll find the 2026 ticket prices, fair hours, free parking information, carnival wristband prices, grandstand lineup, agriculture attractions, family activities, food notes, mobility information, official links, and a few local planning tips that can save you some walking and a little frustration.

View the official 2026 Walworth County Fair daily schedule

Buy official Walworth County Fair tickets

Browse more Lake Geneva area events

Walworth County Fair 2026 at a glance

The fairgrounds are in Elkhorn, roughly north of Lake Geneva and within an easy drive of the Geneva Lake communities. If you’re making a long weekend of it, pair the Fair with our Lake Geneva fall guide and Elkhorn community guide.

Quick answer: is the Walworth County Fair worth going to?

Yes, especially if you want a county fair that still feels tied to the county.

The Walworth County Fair has the midway rides and grandstand concerts people expect, but the barns, judging, youth exhibits, agriculture displays, demonstrations, open-class entries, auctions, stage shows, machinery, gardens, livestock and fair food are a big part of the day.

For first-time visitors, the easiest plan is simple: arrive before the afternoon crowd, walk the barns and exhibit buildings first, hit Barnyard Adventure and Discovery Barn, eat before the dinner rush, then move toward the midway or your grandstand event later in the day.

If your main goal is rides, come on a wristband day. If your main goal is agriculture, exhibits and included entertainment, give yourself more daytime than you think you need.

When is the Walworth County Fair in 2026?

The Walworth County Fair is September 2 through September 7, 2026.

It opens the Wednesday before Labor Day and runs through Labor Day Monday, which is the traditional Fair schedule.

The grounds are scheduled to be open:

• Wednesday, September 2: 7:00 AM-11:00 PM
• Thursday, September 3: 7:00 AM-11:00 PM
• Friday, September 4: 7:00 AM-11:00 PM
• Saturday, September 5: 7:00 AM-11:00 PM
• Sunday, September 6: 7:00 AM-11:00 PM
• Monday, September 7: 7:00 AM-8:00 PM

The Fair Office is open 9:00 AM-9:00 PM during the Fair.

Exhibit-building and animal-barn hours vary. Carnival hours also change by day, so check the official daily schedule before you leave home.

How much are Walworth County Fair tickets in 2026?

The official 2026 general-admission prices are:

The early-bird adult season pass was $35 through the first Friday in August.

For current inventory and purchase details, use the official Tixr ticket page. The Fair identifies Tixr as its official ticketing partner and warns buyers that tickets from other online sellers or brokers may not be valid.

Local tip: If you’re planning more than 1 visit, do the math on a season pass before buying individual gate tickets.

Is parking free at the Walworth County Fair?

Yes. General parking is free.

That matters on a busy concert night when you’re already paying for admission, rides, food and possibly a separate grandstand ticket.

The fairgrounds address is:

Walworth County Fairgrounds 411 E. Court St. Elkhorn, WI 53121

Get directions to the Walworth County Fairgrounds

Give yourself extra time Friday through Sunday evenings. A sold-out or near-capacity grandstand show changes the traffic pattern fast.

2026 grandstand entertainment lineup

This is one of the strongest Fair lineups in years, with country, classic rock, hip-hop, motorsports, rodeo and the Labor Day demolition derby spread across 6 nights.

Wednesday, September 2: Rice Pro Rodeo with Bella Cain

The Fair opens with Rice Pro Rodeo with Bella Cain in concert.

The official Wednesday schedule lists the grandstand program at 5:30 PM.

Wednesday is also Honorary Dignitaries Day / Senior Citizens Day, with the daily theme “Stars, Spurs & Sparkles Day: Country Western Americana Vibe.”

See the official grandstand lineup

Thursday, September 3: PI Motorsports Truck & Tractor Pulls

Thursday night is PI Motorsports Truck & Tractor Pulls.

This is the night for diesel, dirt and grandstand noise. If that’s your draw, plan your barn and exhibit time earlier in the day and move toward the grandstand well before the event starts.

Friday, September 4: Russell Dickerson

Country artist Russell Dickerson plays Friday night, sponsored by Tanis Construction.

Friday is likely to pull a strong after-work and weekend crowd. If you’re coming from the Lake Geneva area, build in more drive and parking time than you would on Wednesday afternoon.

Saturday, September 5: Lynyrd Skynyrd

Lynyrd Skynyrd takes the grandstand Saturday at 7:30 PM.

Saturday’s official daily theme is “Rockin’ the Red, White, and Blue.” The day also includes a deep slate of fair activities before the concert, including contests, stage music, agriculture programming and combine rides.

Sunday, September 6: Ludacris with DJ Bizzon

Ludacris with special guest DJ Bizzon headlines Sunday night.

That gives the 2026 Fair a very different Sunday-night draw than the traditional country-and-rock county-fair formula.

Monday, September 7: Demolition Derby

Labor Day closes with 3 Demolition Derby sessions:

• 12:30 PM
• 3:00 PM
• 5:30 PM

Monday’s fairgrounds hours end at 8:00 PM, so the day runs on a tighter clock.

Buy official grandstand tickets through Tixr

Which day should you go?

The best day depends on what you want from the Fair.

My pick for a first-time fairgoer who wants the whole thing is Saturday before noon. You get a full day to walk the exhibits and agriculture areas before the midway and evening crowd take over.

For lighter crowds, Wednesday daytime is the smarter play.

Carnival rides and 2026 wristband prices

North American Midway Entertainment operates the Walworth County Fair carnival.

The presale unlimited-ride wristband is $32 through September 1, 2026 at midnight. Starting September 2, the price is $37.

A wristband is valid for unlimited rides on 1 selected regular wristband day.

2026 wristband hours

• Wednesday, September 2: 3:00 PM-close
• Thursday, September 3: 3:00 PM-close
• Friday, September 4: noon-close
• Saturday, September 5: noon-close
• Sunday, September 6: noon-close
• Monday, September 7: noon-9:00 PM

Carnival tickets and wristbands can be purchased online or at North American Midway Entertainment ticket booths during the Fair.

See official midway and wristband information

Worth knowing: The wristband clock and the fairgrounds clock are not the same thing. The grounds open hours before the rides do. That gives you a good morning window for barns, exhibit halls and agriculture areas.

What’s included with general admission?

There is a lot to do before you spend another dollar.

The Fair’s included activities and viewing areas include:

• Junior and Open Class exhibit areas
• Daily prize contests
• Peggy’s Park Stage entertainment
• Discovery Barn
• Barnyard Adventure
• Barnyard Adventure Stage
• Amazing Anastasini Circus
• Heavy Duty Dirt Machinery Experience
• Live glassblowing
• Horse events
• Pedal tractor pulls
• Saturday combine rides
• Plein-air artists
• Scavenger hunt activities

See the Fair’s official “What’s FREE at the Fair?” page

If you’re bringing kids, this list is why I wouldn’t make the midway your first stop. There is enough going on around the grounds to fill a few hours before anyone gets in a ride line.

Barnyard Adventure: one of the best stops with kids

Barnyard Adventure is included with paid fair admission.

It mixes agriculture education with hands-on and walk-through activities. The Fair describes working-beehive displays, butterfly education, an outdoor observation tent with a daily butterfly release, gardens, agriculture exhibits and its Learning Coop.

New for 2026 is a Kindness Garden, along with the Freshly Picked garden.

The Learning Coop covers topics such as cooking, beekeeping, horticulture and old-world crafts.

Explore Barnyard Adventure

For families who want the Fair to feel like more than rides and food, put this near the top of the day.

Discovery Barn and combine rides

The Discovery Barn sits between the Activity Center and Junior Beef Barn and is also included with paid admission.

Local FFA members help visitors through live-animal displays and agriculture learning stations. Published Fair examples include piglets, rabbits, calves, ducks, goat milking and sheep-shearing demonstrations.

On Saturday morning, the Fair schedules Combine Rides for Kids from 9:00-11:00 AM. A voluntary contribution supports the Discovery Barn agriculture-education area.

See Discovery Barn and combine ride details

This is the sort of Fair stop that’s easy to miss if you walk straight from the gate to the midway.

What can you see in the exhibit buildings?

Open Class and Junior exhibits are a big part of the Walworth County Fair.

The published Open Class departments include:

• Dairy
• Beef
• Swine
• Sheep
• Goats
• Draft horse
• Farm products
• Crops
• Vegetables, fruits and nuts
• Flowers and plants
• Arts and crafts
• Photography
• Woodworking
• Antiques
• Home economics

These are competitive exhibits to view. They should not be confused with the Fair’s commercial-vendor shopping areas.

The Fair has separate commercial areas in North Hall and the Fair Office Building.

See Open Class exhibit information

Saturday, September 5: a strong full-day fair plan

Saturday is the easiest day to turn into a full outing.

The official Saturday schedule includes:

• Combine Rides for Kids: 9:00-11:00 AM
• Pies in the Park pie auction: 11:30 AM
• Ludy and his Lady: 1:30 PM at Peggy’s Park Stage
• Honey Quick Bread Baking Contest: 2:00 PM
• Fair-guest contest: 2:00 PM
• Mitch Downey Band: 4:00 PM at Peggy’s Park Stage
• Walworth County Cloggers: 5:00 PM in the Wiswell Center
• Master Showmanship Contest: 6:00 PM
• Are You Ready for It: Taylor Swift Experience: 7:00 PM at Peggy’s Park Stage
• Lynyrd Skynyrd: 7:30 PM in the Grandstand
• Combines for Kids / Combine Rides: 9:00 PM grandstand listing

There is also regular Barnyard Adventure programming, live glassblowing, wood carving and Amazing Anastasia Circus programming.

The midway wristband runs noon to close on Saturday.

If you want a long Fair day, this is it.

Wednesday, September 2: a good lower-pressure first visit

Wednesday has a strong opening-day mix and can be easier to navigate than the weekend.

Published Wednesday schedule items include:

• Junior Swine Barrow Show at 8:00 AM
• Farm Products judging at 9:00 AM
• Junior Dog Obedience & Showmanship at 9:00 AM
• Junior Plant & Soil Science at 9:00 AM
• Flowers, houseplants and antiques judging
• Crafts at 9:30 AM
• Opening Ceremony at 10:00 AM
• “Celebrating America 250” Log Cabin dedication at 11:00 AM
• Yves Francois Racombu Jazz at noon
• Foods judging at noon
• Vanilla on Vinyl at 3:00 PM
• Banana Wind, The Music of Jimmy Buffett, at 6:30 PM
• Youth Dairy Showmanship at 7:00 PM

Wednesday’s midway wristband runs 3:00 PM to close.

This is a good day for grandparents, agriculture fans and visitors who want to see more of the grounds before the weekend rush.

What about fair food?

You’ll find food and beverage concessions around the Fair, but the organizer has not published an attendee-facing 2026 vendor roster or menu list as of this update.

So I’m not going to invent a “10 foods you have to try” list using last year’s vendors.

The Fair says its reviewed food and beverage vendors provide a wide range of fair food and drinks. Individual vendors, menus and prices can change.

Check the Fair’s vendor information page

One firm rule from the Fair: carry-in alcohol is not allowed.

If the Fair releases a public 2026 food-vendor directory, we’ll add it here.

Commercial shopping and vendor hours

The official Fair FAQ lists these commercial-area hours:

• North Hall Commercial Area: 10:00 AM-10:00 PM
• Fair Office Building Commercial: 9:00 AM-10:00 PM

Hours can change without notice.

The Fair has food concessions and commercial vendors, but there is currently no consumer-facing vendor roster that supports naming specific booths on this guide.

Mobility and accessibility notes

The Fair says a limited number of standard-size wheelchairs are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Fair does not rent electric scooters.

If someone in your group has specific mobility needs, call the Fair Office before your visit rather than counting on equipment being available when you arrive.

Fair Office: 262-723-3228

The grounds cover a lot of territory. Comfortable shoes matter here more than they do at a compact downtown festival.

Read the official Fair FAQ

Are dogs allowed at the Walworth County Fair?

Pets are not allowed during the Fair.

The Fair permits ADA-qualified working service animals under its stated policy, subject to safety restrictions in certain ride and attraction areas.

For the current wording, read the official Fair FAQ and admission policies before you go.

A practical first-timer plan

If you’ve never been, this order works well:

1. Arrive before noon. Weekend afternoons build fast.
2. Start with the barns and exhibit halls. You’ll see more while everyone still has energy.
3. Go through Discovery Barn and Barnyard Adventure.
4. Eat before the main dinner rush.
5. Move to the midway after rides open.
6. Leave a time buffer before your grandstand event.
7. Check the official schedule the morning you go. Fair schedules can change.

And take a photo of where you parked. That advice gets funnier only if you ignore it.

What to bring to the Walworth County Fair

A small list is enough:

• Comfortable walking shoes
• Sunscreen
• Hat
• Light rain layer if the forecast is questionable
• Portable phone charger
• Water plan for warm afternoons
• A screenshot or saved link to the daily schedule
• Your grandstand tickets
• A little patience after the evening show lets out

Before packing a cooler, outside food or specialty items, review the Fair’s General Admission Policy.

Where to stay if you’re making a Lake Geneva weekend of it

The Walworth County Fair sits in Elkhorn, making it easy to combine with a Geneva Lake weekend.

Good bases include Lake Geneva, Williams Bay, Fontana, Delavan and Elkhorn. Each gives you a different mix of dining, lake access and drive time.

For trip planning:

• Lake Geneva area events calendar
• Lake Geneva fall activities guide
• Lake Geneva family activities
• Elkhorn community guide
• Lake Geneva community guide
• Williams Bay community guide
• Delavan community guide

Labor Day weekend is busy around Geneva Lake. If you’re staying overnight, book earlier than you would for a normal September weekend.

If you live here, the Fair feels different

Visitors often come for the concert, rides or demolition derby.

Locals know the Fair through the people in the barns, the kids showing animals, the ribbons, the plant entries, the woodworking, the food judging, the 4-H and FFA work, the same annual walking route, and the familiar faces you run into halfway across the grounds.

That local side is worth making time for.

If you’re spending the weekend here and catch yourself wondering what it would be like to make the Lake Geneva and Southern Lakes area part of your regular life, Kim and Joel Reyenga work with buyers and sellers throughout the region.

Luxury. Lake. Golf. Town & Country.

Search homes around Lake Geneva and the Southern Lakes Region

Frequently asked questions about the Walworth County Fair