The 2026 Port Perry Fair drew about 21,000 visitors over the Labour Day weekend, according to the Port Perry Agricultural Society.
Organizers described the event as the most successful fair held at the Port Perry fairgrounds and said ticket sales exceeded expectations.
New Friday concert sells more than 3,000 tickets
More than 3,000 tickets were sold for a new Friday-night concert featuring country artists Robyn Ottolini and the James Barker Band.
The concert expanded the traditional fair schedule and helped launch a weekend that marked 140 years of fairs at the current grounds.
Agricultural society president Dr. Paul Puckrin credited community support for the attendance. He said the crowds showed the fair’s continuing importance as a place for neighbours, families and visitors to gather.
Attendance comes amid fairgrounds uncertainty
The turnout has added new context to the continuing debate about the future of the Port Perry fairgrounds.
Scugog council deferred a decision on the site’s long-term plan to the next council term. The agricultural society has warned that its ability to hold future fairs depends on its lease and role at the property.
No final change to the fairgrounds arrangement has been approved. Council’s deferral means the next group of elected officials is expected to consider the issue in 2027.
The September attendance figures do not resolve that land-use process, but they provide a current measure of how many people used the site for its signature annual event.
