West Oxford Agricultural Society

What West Oxford Agricultural Society does

West Oxford Agricultural Society is a Maine 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1851 that operates the Fryeburg Fair, an eight-day agricultural fair held annually in early October on a 185-acre fairground in Fryeburg, Maine. The organization serves as a regional agricultural education and exhibition platform, hosting over 3,000 animals, 225,000-260,000 annual attendees, and competitive events spanning livestock exhibitions, harness racing, Woodsmen's Field Day (27+ events), tractor pulls, and traditional skillet and anvil throws. The fair runs multiple specialized exhibition venues including the Agricultural Discovery Center, Specialty Foods Pavilion (launched 2012), Craft Center, Fiber Center, Farm Museum, and Natural Resource Center, and supports youth development through 4-H programs and an annual scholarship program awarding $4,000 to graduating high school seniors pursuing agriculture, forestry, or earth sciences education across 22 member WOAS towns.

Revenue is generated through five primary streams: daily admission tickets at $15 per day (children under 12 free), weekly bracelets at $100, RV/camper camping at $34-$49 per night across 3,000 sites, commercial vendor booth rentals across multiple venue categories, amusement ride tickets operated by partner Dreamland Amusements, and year-round facilities rental of eight venue types for weddings, corporate events, and private functions. The organization employs over 600 staff during fair operations, many representing multi-generational family involvement, and is governed by elected officers (President David Hastings III, 1st VP Jack Wadsworth, 2nd VP George Weston, Treasurer Norman Huntress, Secretary Barbara Gushee) under a General Superintendent (Steve Goldsmith).

The technology stack consists entirely of third-party SaaS platforms with no proprietary technology: Saffire/SaffireTix powers the website, ticketing, and vendor applications; FairWire handles livestock exhibitor entries; Innovative Ticketing manages ride ticket sales through Dreamland Amusements. The organization has no disclosed AI/ML capabilities, no external investors, no funding rounds, and no M&A activity, operating independently as a community-based organization funded through admissions, rentals, sponsorships, and charitable donations.

Name

West Oxford Agricultural Society

Legal name

West Oxford Agricultural Society

Website

https://fryeburgfair.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1851

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

West Oxford Agricultural Society is a Maine 501(c)(3) non-profit that operates the Fryeburg Fair, an eight-day annual agricultural fair attracting 225,000-260,000 visitors to a 185-acre fairground featuring livestock exhibitions, competitive events, vendor midway, camping, and youth agricultural education programs across 22 member towns.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Fair and Event Services

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAHAAAH

Fairgrounds & Expo Parks

Travel & Hospitality/MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions)/Conference & Convention Venues (Convention Centers, Civic Centers)

SECONDARYTHAFAHAI

Festival, Fair & Event Mobile Concessions

Travel & Hospitality/Foodservice & Beverage (Restaurants, Cafes, Bars)/Food Trucks, Street Food & Mobile Vendors

Keywords

• Agricultural fair operations
• Livestock exhibitions
• Event venue management
• Vendor booth rentals
• Community festival hosting

Headquarters

HQ city

Fryeburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Admission Ticket Sales: Primary revenue stream from daily admission tickets, weekly bracelets, and ride tickets. General admission at $15 per day (plus $2 fee), weekly bracelet at $100. Children under 12 admitted free.
2. Vendor Booth and Space Rental: Revenue from commercial exhibitors, craft center vendors, specialty foods vendors, expo building vendors, independent midway vendors, and energy row vendors. Vendors pay rental fees to participate in the eight-day fair.
3. Camping Fees: Revenue from on-site RV and camper camping with varying rates based on amperage (20 Amp at $34/night, 30 Amp at $39/night, 50 Amp at $49/night). Minimum 2-night reservation required. Approximately 3,000 camping sites available.
4. Amusement Ride Tickets: Revenue from Dreamland Amusements mechanical rides, with ride tickets sold separately from admission.
5. Facilities Rental: Revenue from renting fair facilities (Expo Center, Specialty Food Pavilion, Fiber Center, Natural Resource Building, Agricultural Building, Craft Center) for weddings, corporate events, meetings, and other private functions year-round.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The West Oxford Agricultural Society operates Fryeburg Fair, Maine's largest agricultural fair held annually for eight days in early October on a 185-acre fairground with over 100 buildings. The society sells admission tickets, weekly bracelets, ride tickets, RV/camper camping sites, vendor booth rentals, and year-round facilities rentals for weddings and corporate events, while hosting livestock exhibitions, agricultural competitions, and entertainment programming.

Product overview

Fryeburg Fair, operated by the West Oxford Agricultural Society, is a single-product agricultural fair event that operates as a platform with multiple integrated sub-products and facilities. The core offering is an eight-day agricultural fair (October 4-11 annually) featuring livestock exhibitions (3,000+ animals), harness racing, Woodsmen's Field Day competitions, and nightly entertainment. The fair operates multiple exhibition venues including the Agricultural Discovery Center, Agricultural Exhibition Center, Specialty Foods Pavilion (launched 2012), Craft Center, Fiber Center, Farm Museum, and Natural Resource Center. Additional offerings include camping facilities (3,000 sites), vendor midway spaces, facilities rental for weddings/events, and a scholarship program for agricultural education. The organization uses third-party platforms (Saffire for ticketing, FairWire for livestock entries, Innovative Ticketing for ride tickets) to manage operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fryeburg Fair Maine's Blue Ribbon Classic - an eight-day agricultural fair held annually in October, featuring livestock exhibitions, horse racing, woodsmen's competitions, entertainment, vendor midway, and agricultural education across 185 acres with over 100 buildings.
• Specialty Foods Pavilion A juried venue with over 6,800 square feet dedicated to local specialty products derived from agriculture, hosting more than 25 vendors selling gourmet and artisan food products.
• Facilities Rental Year-round event venue rentals including the Expo Center (9,000 sq ft, 800 guests), Specialty Food Pavilion (6,300 sq ft, 540 guests), Fiber Center (150 guests), Natural Resource Building (11,900 sq ft, 750 guests), Agricultural Building, Craft Center, Beano Building, and 4-H Livestock Barn, available for weddings, corporate events, meetings, and private functions.
• Camping Facilities Approximately 3,000 RV and camper sites across Fairview and Trackside campgrounds offering 20/30/50 Amp electrical hookups and water, with rates from $34-$49 per night plus tax.
• Mechanical Rides and Amusements Carnival rides operated by partner Dreamland Amusements, with ride tickets sold separately from admission through Innovativeticketing.com.
• Livestock Exhibitions and Competitions Exhibitions and competitions for over 3,000 animals including draft horses, ponies, racing horses, oxen, dairy and beef cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, poultry, rabbits, and llamas, with multiple departments and pulling events.
• Entertainment and Night Shows Daily entertainment including park performers, daytime shows, and nightly concerts at the Grandstand, included with daily admission.
• Harness Racing Standardbred harness racing runs Tuesday through Sunday during the fair week, with grandstand seating for nearly 3,000 patrons and free general admission seating.
• Vendor Exhibition Spaces Multiple vendor areas including Commercial Exhibits along Commercial Road (farm equipment, tractors, pools, hot tubs, trailers, trucks), Energy Row for energy efficiency products (established 2009), and Expo buildings for wholesalers, retailers, and service providers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Attracts over 225,000 visitors annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Dreamland AmusementscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDreamland Amusements serves as the mechanical ride vendor partner for Fryeburg Fair. They provide all carnival rides including midway attractions. The fair partners with Dreamland Amusements for ride operations, with separate ride tickets sold through Dreamland's ticketing platform.
• ScootaroundminorOthersScootaround provides wheelchair, scooter, wagon, stroller, and double stroller rentals for fair visitors. They serve as the exclusive rental vendor for mobility equipment during the fair event.
• Night Show PerformerscoreOthersAnnual night show performers including artists like Peter Allen & Hurricane Mountain, Craig Morgan, Recycled Percussion, The Castellows, and Motor Booty Affair. Night shows are included with admission and serve as major entertainment draw.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Deerfield Fair: New Hampshire agricultural fair with livestock exhibitions, 4-H participation, harness racing, and similar rural community fair model — directly comparable as a regional New England agricultural exposition serving a similar demographic.
• Tunbridge World's Fair: Vermont's heritage agricultural fair held annually in September with livestock exhibitions, draft horse pulling, agricultural exhibits, and entertainment — closely mirroring Fryeburg's structure, multi-generational community ownership, and small-town New England identity.
• Eastern States Exposition (The Big E): The largest agricultural fair in New England, operating a multi-state exposition in West Springfield, MA. Directly comparable as a regional agricultural fair with livestock exhibitions, entertainment midway, and similar vendor/camping revenue model — and is explicitly cited as the only New England fair larger than Fryeburg.
• Cornish Fair: Long-running Maine agricultural fair located just minutes from Fryeburg; directly comparable in scale, livestock exhibitions, family entertainment focus, and rural community ownership structure.
• Windsor Fair: Maine agricultural fair with harness racing, livestock exhibitions, agricultural exhibits, and midway entertainment — comparable annual-fair model targeting a similar regional family audience.
• Cumberland Fair: Maine agricultural fair held annually in Cumberland, ME, featuring livestock shows, agricultural exhibits, midway entertainment, and harness racing — a direct in-state peer with comparable scale, programming, and target audience.
• Topsfield Fair: Massachusetts's largest agricultural fair, featuring livestock shows, 4-H programming, harness racing, and a fall exposition format nearly identical to Fryeburg Fair. Comparable in scale, programming mix, and New England regional audience.
• Blue Hill Fair: Maine agricultural fair featuring livestock shows, 4-H programming, agricultural exhibits, and family entertainment — operates with the same annual event format and serves a similar rural New England demographic.
• Skowhegan State Fair: Maine state fair in Skowhegan with livestock exhibitions, agricultural competitions, harness racing, and midway entertainment — operates the same annual-fair format and serves a similar New England audience.

Others

• Maine Association of Agricultural Fairs: Industry association coordinating Maine's network of agricultural fairs; WOAS/Fryeburg Fair is a member. Not a direct competitor but a relevant ecosystem participant that shapes marketing, advocacy, and shared resources across the state's fair community.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCLn8aDb85tYvY-yelSfEP4Q/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/fryeburgfairmaine
• Instagraminstagram.com/fryeburgfairmaine
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fryeburg-fair

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 West Oxford Agricultural Society