Dutchess County Fair: Why Everyone Should Go to this Fair, At Least Once

*Due to the continued concerns surrounding the spread of COVID-19, the Dutchess County Fair has been cancelled for 2020. Check their website for updated information regarding the 2021 Dutchess County Fair.

As Summer rolls around, residents of the Hudson Valley begin to get excited about the the many Festivals and County Fairs that take place. Each county has its own County Fair on their Fairgrounds and there are also an array of smaller fairs that take place all around the Hudson Valley. We’ve visited many Fairs and can tell you that the Dutchess County Fair is our favorite by far!

The Dutchess County Fair is one of the most popular Summer Fairs and we can see why people come from all around to experience it!

Where/When does the Dutchess County Fair Take Place?

The Dutchess County Fair is held every August at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds in Rhinebeck, NY.

According to Google Maps, the Fairgrounds are approximately 90 minutes North of Yonkers, early in the morning before the Fair has even started.

That being said, there is one road in and one road out of the Fairgrounds, so expect a whole lotta traffic. This is a popular event and, of course, the weekends are more crowded. So allow yourself plenty of time and lots of patience to get there.

According to their Website:

“For six days each August, the bucolic fairgrounds on Route 9, in Rhinebeck, plays host to nearly half a million patrons. The second largest county fair in New York State is the showplace for agriculture in Dutchess County.

The tradition of excellence that has been the Dutchess County Fair for over 170 years offers something for everyone and creates memorable moments that will be cherished for a lifetime.”

The Dutchess County Fair is a Food-lovers Dream

Fair Food is Amazing!!!! With all the choices available for you to enjoy, the Dutchess County Fair has the greatest selection we’ve seen…. Hands Down! They have an Entire section of the Fair called the “Food Mall” (Great name, don’t you think?) housing an incredible assortment of food vendors.

Some food vendors we saw included:

Sausage and Peppers
Chicken Wings
Hamburgers & Hot Dogs
London Broil Sandwiches
Taco & Burrito Bowls
BBQ Foods
Ice Cream
Popcorn
And Best of All….. Fries!!!! 😀 (Which is our Go-To Every Year!)

The Dutchess County Fair offers Top-Notch Entertainment

Not only does the Fair offer Great Shows at the Main Stage/GrandStand, they also offer free entertainment throughout the Fairgrounds.

Some of the Free Entertainment that you can find throughout the Fair include:

Talent Show
Rosaire’s Racing Pigs
Milord’s High Dive Show
Hilby the Skinny German Juggle Boy
And much more….

The Summer this post was written (2017), my daughter and I saw “3 Doors Down” in Concert and the year before (2016), we saw “Third Eye Blind” in concert at the Grandstand for a very affordable price.

2018 Featured “The WallFlowers” in concert, as well as, Kane Brown, Chris Lane and Kip Moore.

They have different ticket options; the most affordable being the General Admission Floor. They also offer assigned, covered benches for an additional fee.

Also performing during the 2017 Fair in the GrandStand:

The Dutchess County Fair offers rides that Everyone will enjoy

The Fair offers wristbands for ride packages, as well as, individual ticket sales for those who only want to experience a hand full of rides.

There are plenty of rides for all; including Classic Fair rides, like the Ferris Wheel and Swing Ride

The Dutchess County Fair offers a nice variety of rides for younger children in their Kiddie Land Section.

Some highlights include: the Carousel and Pony Rides, as well as, as small Roller Coaster.

Related Posts:

If you’re looking for more things to do in Dutchess County, why not visit the Walkway Over the Hudson State Park.

The Dutchess County Fair has a Petting Zoo and other up-close animal encounters

In addition to the Petting Zoo, Camel Rides, Pony Rides, and various Barns housing animals from Llamas to rabbits, the Fair added a Sting Ray encounter to the list.

I loved the exhibit and, best of all, it was Free (a donation was suggested).

The families at this exhibit seemed to enjoy it as much as I did.

Other Fun Activities at the Dutchess County Fair

Games, Games and more Fair Games. Everywhere you turn there were an array of Carnival Games.
Face painting booth (for a fee)
Sand Art Booth (for a fee)
A unique Indoor Flea Market offering a variety of vendors

In Conclusion

Now that you’ve seen all the great things at the Dutchess County Fair, make sure you make this event something that you visit, at least once…

Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.

A Few Things to Know Before Visiting the Dutchess County Fair:

This fair is perfect for: Everyone – Young and Old
Cost: At the time of posting, General Admission is $15/pp
- They offer FREE admission to children 11 years old and under
Days/Hours: The Fair takes place over 6 days every August only
Parking: There is always FREE parking
You can Save some money by ordering your tickets online in advance
The Fair offers Specials four out of the six days (check their site for more information)
The Fair is Wheelchair Accessible
They have ATM stations on site for your convenience
The Fair offers Comfort and Baby Stations on Site in addition to the bathroom
No Pets (other than Service animals) are allowed on the Fairgrounds
All Events take place Rain or Shine