Norfolk County Fair & Horse Show

What Norfolk County Fair & Horse Show does

Norfolk County Agricultural Society, operating as the Norfolk County Fair & Horse Show, is a registered nonprofit charity founded in 1840 (as the Talbot District Agricultural Society) and headquartered at a 48-acre fairgrounds in Simcoe, Ontario. The organization runs a multi-event, venue-anchored community programming platform whose flagship is the Norfolk County Fair & Horse Show — Ontario's oldest agricultural fair and one of the largest in the province alongside the Canadian National Exhibition and The Royal Winter Fair. The portfolio spans seasonal events (Eat & Drink Norfolk, Norfolk Night Market Summer and Christmas editions, Great Garage Sale, Parent to Parent Bazaar, Creative Workshop Series) and year-round facility rentals across 14+ buildings (900–23,000 sq ft), a 2,400-seat grandstand, serviced campground, and certified commercial kitchen.

The underlying technology stack is conventional event-management tooling rather than a proprietary platform: Authentigate provides ticketing for paid events, Square processes membership and checkout transactions, Constant Contact powers the e-Insider newsletter, and CanadaHelps handles charitable donations. The society's most differentiated internal feature is a digital tasting-token system for Eat & Drink Norfolk ($1 per token, vendors price samples at 4–9 tokens) and a VIP reserved seating system ($120 per table of six). The organization is primarily volunteer-driven, with a small core staff of 11–50 led by General Manager Angela Hogeveen.

Revenue is generated across five streams: facility rentals (per-booking fees ranging from $200 for the commercial kitchen to $1,500 for CIBC Auditorium), event admission fees ($5–$20 per person), vendor fees ($20–$75 per table), token sales for food and beverage sampling, and sponsorship packages ($1,000–$10,000, with Platinum naming rights). Customer segments are horizontal: general public/families, local vendors and artisans, sponsors (local businesses), private event organizers, and agricultural exhibitors/youth. The customer base is highly diversified — dozens of small breweries, wineries, distilleries, food vendors, and artisan sellers participate across events, with CIBC Private Wealth as the sole disclosed enterprise-grade sponsor. Recent strategic moves include the 2025 dissolution of the Norfolk County Fair Foundation (transferring $121,466 to NCAS), the 2026 launch of Eat & Drink Norfolk's Mini Market take-home format, and CIBC's presenting sponsorship of Eat & Drink Norfolk with naming rights to the CIBC Auditorium.

Name

Norfolk County Fair & Horse Show

Legal name

The Norfolk County Agricultural Society

Website

https://www.norfolkagsociety.com/

Company type

Private

Founded year

1840

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Norfolk County Agricultural Society (Norfolk County Fair & Horse Show) is a registered Ontario nonprofit charity founded in 1840 that operates a 48-acre fairgrounds in Simcoe, Ontario, hosting Ontario's oldest agricultural fair and a year-round calendar of community events, vendor markets, creative workshops, and facility rentals serving families, local artisans, sponsors, and private event organizers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Fair & Community Event Services

NAICS

Amusement and Theme Parks (713110), Amusement and Theme Parks (71311), Amusement Parks and Arcades (7131)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Fairgrounds & Expo Parks (THAHAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Local Community & Multi-Category Fairs (MPAGAFAO), Equestrian & Rodeo Facilities (MPAKAEAM), Family, Kids & Education Fairs (MPAGAFAH), Equestrian Teams & Stables (Racing/Show Jumping/Eventing) (MPAKABAG)

Keywords

• Agricultural fair events
• Event venue rentals
• Community festivals
• Vendor marketplace events
• Food and beverage festivals

Headquarters

HQ city

Simcoe

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Facility Rentals: Rental revenue from indoor and outdoor spaces at the 48-acre fairgrounds. Buildings range from 900 to 23,000 square feet, many fully serviced. Rental rates vary by space type and day of week (weekday vs weekend).
2. Event Admission Fees: Revenue from ticket sales for signature events including Norfolk County Fair, Eat & Drink Norfolk, and Norfolk Night Market. Admission fees range from $5-$20 per person depending on event and timing.
3. Vendor Fees: Revenue from commercial, food, and artisan vendors participating in events. Vendor table spots range from $20-$75. Food concessions and exhibitor fees for indoor/exterior spaces.
4. Sponsorships: Sponsorship revenue from businesses supporting events. Packages range from $1,000 to $10,000 with benefits including logo placement, social media exposure, email blast mentions, and admission tickets. Platinum package includes naming rights.
5. Food and Beverage Tokens: Token sales for food and beverage sampling at Eat & Drink Norfolk. Tokens sold at $1 each with vendors pricing samples from 4-9 tokens.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Norfolk County Agricultural Society operates and produces community-based events at its 48-acre Norfolk County Fairgrounds in Simcoe, Ontario. Its flagship offering is the Norfolk County Fair & Horse Show — Ontario's oldest agricultural fair — supplemented by year-round signature events (Eat & Drink Norfolk, Norfolk Night Market Summer and Christmas editions, Creative Workshops, Great Garage Sale, Parent to Parent Bazaar), competitive programs with over $100,000 in prize money, vendor marketplaces, sponsorship programs, and venue rentals of 14+ buildings for weddings, corporate functions, and community gatherings.

Product overview

Norfolk County Agricultural Society operates a multi-event platform centered on the Norfolk County Fair & Horse Show (Ontario's oldest agricultural fair) as the core flagship product, supplemented by signature events including Eat & Drink Norfolk, Norfolk Night Market (Summer and Christmas Editions), and Creative Workshop Series. The organization also offers facility rentals of its 48-acre fairgrounds including the Junior Farmer's Building, CIBC Auditorium, Commercial Kitchen, and Board/Learning Commons spaces. Additional offerings include competition programs with over $100,000 in prizes, vendor opportunities, sponsorship packages, and community events such as the Great Garage Sale and Parent to Parent Bazaar. The portfolio ranges from major 7-day fair events to intimate workshop experiences, serving both public attendees and commercial/hospitality vendors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Norfolk County Fair & Horse Show Ontario's oldest agricultural fair, held annually in October at the Norfolk County Fairgrounds in Simcoe, Ontario. Features livestock competitions, horse shows, midway, concerts, and agricultural exhibitions across multiple buildings and grounds; recognized as one of the Top 100 Events in Ontario by Festivals & Events Ontario.
• Eat & Drink Norfolk Spring food and drink festival featuring local restaurants, wineries, breweries, distilleries, and live music. Recognized as one of Ontario's Top 100 Festivals & Events; uses a token-based sampling system ($1 per token) with VIP reserved seating ($120 per table for 6). Admission ranges $16–$20 depending on advance vs. at-door purchase.
• Norfolk Night Market - Summer Edition Outdoor artisan market with local makers, food vendors, alcoholic beverages, live music, and family activities held at the Norfolk County Fairgrounds in June, featuring creative workshops.
• Norfolk Night Market - Christmas Edition European-style winter holiday market featuring artisan vendors, handmade gifts, seasonal foods, warm beverages, horse-drawn carriage rides, Santa visits, and winter workshops.
• Creative Workshop Series Skill-building workshops led by local experts including stained glass, painting, and crafts, designed for various skill levels with all materials included.
• Great Garage Sale Community sale event at the fairgrounds featuring vendor tables ($20 outdoor / $30 indoor) for selling pre-loved items, pancake breakfast, bake sale, and BBQ, with proceeds supporting agricultural education programs.
• Parent to Parent Bazaar Community sale featuring gently used children's items, handmade goods, and family resources, hosted at the CIBC Auditorium with vendor ($75) and parent seller ($25–$30) tables.
• Facility Rentals Rental of the 48-acre Norfolk County Fairgrounds for weddings, corporate events, trade shows, fundraisers, and community gatherings. Buildings range from 900 to 23,000 square feet and include the CIBC Auditorium ($1,500 plus $500 deposit), Junior Farmer's Building (weekday $350 / weekend $600 plus $300 deposit), Commercial Kitchen ($200 plus $100 deposit), and Board/Learning Commons ($175 event / $75 hourly); PAL Insurance provides preferred liability coverage for renters.
• Fair Competitions Program Annual fair competition program awarding over $100,000 in prizes across categories including livestock, produce, quilting, baking, crafts, photography, and fine arts, with separate divisions for junior and general exhibitors.
• Sponsorship Programs Customizable event sponsorship packages ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 with benefits including logo placement, social media exposure, email blast mentions, and admission tickets; Platinum package includes naming rights.
• Vendor Opportunities Participation opportunities for commercial vendors, food concessions, and artisans to participate in fair events, including indoor/exterior exhibit spaces and lounge areas; vendor table fees range from $20 to $75 depending on space type.
• NCAS Annual Membership Annual membership program for supporters of the Norfolk County Agricultural Society, sold via Square checkout.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $100,000 in competition prizes awarded annually at the Norfolk County Fair & Horse Show
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, minor and core.

• CIBC Private WealthflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 9 April 2026Presenting sponsor for Eat & Drink Norfolk with naming rights for the CIBC Auditorium at Norfolk County Fairgrounds. Sponsorship includes brand visibility at one of Ontario's Top 100 Events.
• Reserve Champion SponsorsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Top-tier sponsors including Comfort Inn, Little Caesars, My Top Drawer, Peerless Cleaners, Premier Equipment, Regional Auto Glass, Speech Hens, Speedy Glass Simcoe, The Apple Place, Vittoria Foundation, VLG Insurance Group LTD., Waterford Appliances & More
• Gold Ribbon SponsorsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Sponsors including Aaron Martin Harness, Arnold Contracting, Blake Farm Equipment, Black's Horse Supplements, Brubacher's Harness Supplies, DeKoning Meats, Maizex, Norfolk 4-H Association, Pioneer Seeds, Pride Seeds, RONA Simcoe, and others
• PAL InsurancecoreOthersPreferred insurance partner providing access to preferred rates on event liability coverage for renters of NCAS facilities. Partnership offers Commercial General Liability and Tenant's Legal Liability coverage.
• Simcoe Parent to Parent BazaarcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCAS officially partnered with Simcoe Parent to Parent Bazaar to support and promote this long-running community sale event at the Fairgrounds. NCAS provides venue, parking, and accessibility.
• Canada HelpsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOnline donation platform partner allowing donors to contribute to Norfolk County Agricultural Society

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Canadian National Exhibition (CNE): Toronto's annual exhibition is the largest fair in Ontario and is explicitly benchmarked against Norfolk County Fair in NCAS's own competitive positioning. Both operate multi-day fairs on large urban/semi-urban fairgrounds with midway, agricultural competitions, concerts, and community programming.
• The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair: Held annually in Toronto, the Royal is a national-scale agricultural and equine fair that NCAS explicitly identifies as a peer. Both run livestock shows, horse shows, and agricultural competitions with significant prize purses, and compete for the same exhibitor and sponsor pools across Ontario.
• Western Fair District: London, Ontario-based multi-purpose fairground and event venue that operates a year-round venue rentals business, an annual agricultural fair, and a racing/gaming operation. Highly comparable to NCAS in its combination of fair programming and facility rental revenue mix.
• Ancaster Agricultural Society: Operates the Ancaster Fair, a regional Ontario agricultural fair with livestock, horse show, and homecraft competitions on a community fairground. Operates under the same Horticultural & Agricultural Act framework as NCAS and competes for similar exhibitor and volunteer pools.
• Paris Agricultural Society: Runs the Paris Fair, another long-standing Southwestern Ontario agricultural fair on a multi-acre fairground with livestock shows, midway, and community events. Operates as a comparable regional agricultural society under the same Ontario legislative framework.
• Glencoe & District Agricultural Society: A smaller Southwestern Ontario agricultural society running an annual fall fair with livestock, horse, and homecraft competitions. Closely comparable to NCAS in scale, volunteer-driven model, and event mix, though with a smaller venue footprint.
• Orangeville Agricultural Society: Operates the Orangeville Fair in Dufferin County, Ontario, with livestock shows, midway, and community events on a community fairground. Directly comparable regional agricultural society under the same Ontario framework.

Others

• Canadian Association of Fairs & Exhibitions (CAFE): National trade association of which NCAS is a member, representing Canadian fairs and exhibitions. Relevant as an industry body that benchmarks and connects NCAS with peer fairs across Canada, rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/norfolkcountyfair
• Instagraminstagram.com/norfolkagsociety
• TikToktiktok.com//@norfolk.ag.society
• Xx.com/norfolkfair

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Norfolk County Fair & Horse Show