Wayne County Fair

Name

Wayne County Fair

Legal name

Wayne County Fair

Website

https://waynecountyfairohio.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1849

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Fair & Event Venue Services

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (711310)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Fairgrounds & Expo Parks (THAHAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Local Community & Multi-Category Fairs (MPAGAFAO)

Keywords

• Agricultural fair
• Event venue rental
• Livestock exhibition
• Community festival
• Fundraising gala

Headquarters

HQ city

Wooster

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Event Admission: Revenue from paid admission to the annual Wayne County Fair and special events.
2. Sponsorship and Marketing Packages: Corporate sponsorship opportunities for fair events, grandstand entertainment, and marketing visibility.
3. Event Center Facility Rentals: Rental income from the climate-controlled 26,100 sq ft Event Center for conventions, trade shows, weddings, auctions, concerts, and other events year-round.
4. Vendor Fees: Fees collected from food vendors, exhibitors, and commercial operators at the fairgrounds.
5. Special Event Fundraising: Golf Outing, Ribfest, and Bourbon Gala events that raise funds for the Buckeye Agricultural Museum & Education Center, with ticket sales and sponsorship revenue.
6. Jr Fair and Premium Book Entries: Entry fees for competitive exhibitions including open class and junior fair livestock and agricultural competitions.
7. Camping and Storage Fees: Fees for on-grounds camping facilities and storage during fair events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Wayne County Fair operates a 177-year-old agricultural fair organization and event venue in Wooster, Ohio. It runs an annual county fair featuring livestock shows, grandstand entertainment, carnival rides, and agricultural competitions, and rents out its 26,100 sq ft climate-controlled Event Center year-round for conventions, weddings, trade shows, and corporate events. Supplementary programming includes seasonal fundraising events (Music & Ribfest, Bourbon Gala, Gun Bash, Golf Outing), Junior Fair youth programming, vendor concessions, camping/storage, and marketing/sponsorship packages.

Product overview

Wayne County Fair is a traditional agricultural fair organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of event-based products and services centered around its 177+ year-old fair and modern event facilities in Wooster, Ohio. The core offerings include the annual county fair itself featuring grandstand entertainment, agricultural exhibitions, and livestock shows managed through the Premium Book system; the climate-controlled Event Center with over 26,000 sq. feet of flexible venue space for conventions, trade shows, and weddings; and year-round seasonal events including the Music & Ribfest, Bourbon Gala, and Golf Outing fundraisers benefiting the Buckeye Agricultural Museum. Additional services encompass Junior Fair youth programming, marketing/sponsorship packages, vendor participation opportunities, and on-grounds camping facilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wayne County Annual Fair Annual multi-day agricultural fair featuring livestock shows, grandstand entertainment, carnival rides, vendor concessions, and community programming for families and visitors in Wayne County, Ohio.
• Event Center & Facility Rentals Year-round rental of a 26,100 sq ft climate-controlled Event Center with 17,088 sq ft clear span, retractable bleachers seating 800, mezzanine balcony seating 300, banquet capacity of 1,110, and 450+ secure parking spots. Serves conventions, trade shows, weddings, auctions, concerts, proms, and corporate events.
• Premium Book & Online Entries Online registration system and competition guide for Senior Fair (Open Class) and Junior Fair livestock, agricultural, and creative arts exhibition entries, including livestock shows, produce, and crafts.
• Music & Ribfest Annual community event hosted by Friends of Wayne County Fair featuring live music, BBQ vendors, cornhole tournament, kiddie pedal tractor pull, and goldfish races, with all proceeds benefiting the Buckeye Agricultural Museum & Education Center.
• Bourbon Gala Annual fundraising gala featuring bourbon tastings (six tastings with souvenir glass), bourbon bottle gift bag, live and silent auctions, casino games, and distillery demonstrations at the Wayne County Fair Event Center. General admission $100; entry-only $25.
• Gun Bash Seasonal fundraising event held at the Wayne County Fairgrounds.
• Golf Outing Annual golf fundraiser held at The Pines Golf Club (Orrville, Ohio), organized by Friends of Wayne County Fair. $100 per player includes food, soft drinks, and prizes (1st Place $400, 2nd Place $200, 3rd Place $100). Proceeds benefit the Buckeye Agricultural Museum and Education Center.
• Jr Fair Program Youth agricultural education program including show books, livestock exhibitions, livestock auctions, and livestream events for young participants. Includes Jr Fair Book, Jr Fair Show Books & Auction Programs, and Show Results.
• Marketing & Sponsorship Opportunities Business partnership and advertising packages allowing companies to promote their brand through sponsorship tiers, vendor spots, event naming opportunities, banners, signage, and booth space at the fair and seasonal events.
• Camping & Storage Facilities On-grounds camping and storage facilities available to fair attendees and vendors during the annual fair and special events.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Pines Golf ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 June 2026The Pines Golf Club (1319 N Millborne Road, Orrville, Ohio) hosts the annual Friends of Wayne County Fair Golf Outing, a fundraising event for the Buckeye Agricultural Museum & Education Center.
• Maibach TractorminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 30 May 2026Maibach Tractor sponsors the Buckeye State Pedal Tractor Pull event at the Music & Ribfest, providing support for this youth competition.
• Farmers National BankminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 30 May 2026Farmers National Bank sponsors the Goldfish Races event at the Music & Ribfest.
• River RadiocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 May 2026River Radio partners with Friends of Wayne County Fair to co-host the annual Music & Rib Fest event. This is a 13-year ongoing partnership for the free community event at the Wayne County Fairgrounds.
• Buckeye Agricultural Museum & Education CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Buckeye Agricultural Museum & Education Center is the primary beneficiary of fundraising events organized by Friends of the Wayne County Fair, including the annual Golf Outing and Music & Ribfest. The museum preserves agricultural heritage in Wayne County.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Delaware State Fair: Mid-size state-level agricultural fair with multi-day grandstand entertainment, livestock exhibitions, and a year-round event center facility. Comparable business model combining annual fair with off-season venue rentals.
• National Western Stock Show: Long-running agricultural exhibition featuring livestock shows, rodeos, and educational programming on a multi-day annual format with year-round event-hosting on grounds. Directly comparable in agricultural-heritage positioning and venue model.
• Medina County Fair: Ohio county fair with annual agricultural exhibition, livestock competitions, grandstand entertainment, and seasonal events on a comparable scale to Wayne County Fair. Useful benchmark for revenue mix and community engagement approach.
• Lorain County Fair: Another Ohio county fair with comparable annual format including agricultural exhibitions, livestock competitions, and community entertainment. Highly relevant given overlapping geographic and demographic profile.
• Erie County Fair (Hamburg, NY): One of the largest county fairs in the United States, operating the Hamburg Fairgrounds with year-round event center utilization, agricultural exhibitions, and a multi-event calendar. Directly comparable in business model, though at significantly larger scale.
• Geauga County Fair: Ohio-based county agricultural fair operating on a similar model of annual exhibitions, livestock shows, grandstand entertainment, and seasonal events. Directly comparable in scale, customer base, and programming mix within the same regional market.

Broad incumbents

• Ohio State Fair: Statewide agricultural fair in the same Ohio market with broader programming, larger attendance, and a wider portfolio of entertainment. Larger and more established but operates on the same agricultural-fair + venue-hybrid model.
• Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo: Major agricultural exhibition and rodeo with extensive year-round event programming, large sponsorship base, and significant facility infrastructure. Comparable business model at a much larger scale and budget.
• Minnesota State Fair: One of the largest state fairs in the U.S., with an extensive year-round event center and highly developed sponsorship model. Comparable venue-and-event business structure at significantly larger scale.

Others

• International Association of Fairs and Expositions (IAFE): Industry trade association representing fairs, exhibitions, and expositions globally. Useful as an ecosystem/peer-organization reference point for industry benchmarking, networking, and best-practice adoption relevant to Wayne County Fair.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/FriendsOfTheWayneCountyFairOhio
• Xx.com/WayneCoFairOH
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wayne-county-fair-board

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Wayne County Fair