Ohio County Fairs

Almost each of the 88 counties in Ohio have a County Fair. County fairs reflect the ever-changing agriculture industry, bringing state-of-the-art technology to farmers through lectures, exhibitions and show-ring competitions.

Much of the success of early fairs reflects the emphasis of providing something for the entire family. Fairs were, and still are, major celebrations, bringing nuggets of knowledge, friendly competition, entertainment and a sense of community to town in a once a year gala event! Over the history of county fairs, people have steadily moved away from farms and into factory and office jobs. Fairs reflect this change.

Today’s county fairs are agriculture and much more. While striving to hold on to their agriculture roots they also work to reflect the changing atmosphere among participating youth and adults. Fairs are still used as a venue for farm families to showcase their finest, but are also full of non-traditional exhibits.

Here is a list of Ohio's county and independent fairs in alphabetical order:

• Adams (West Union), July 15-21
  Named for President John Adams, during whose administration the county was organized.

• Albany Independent (Athens County), Sept. 5-9
  Site of the first institution of higher learning west of the Allegheny Mountains and named for Athens, Greece.

• Allen (Lima), Aug. 17-25
  Named for Ethan Allen, Revolutionary War hero.

• Ashland (Ashland), Sept. 16-22
  Named for "Ashland," home of Henry Clay near Lexington, KY

• Ashtabula (Jefferson), Aug. 7-12
  Named for the Ashtabula River. "Ashtabula" is an American Indian word meaning "Fish River".

• Athens (Athens), Aug. 3-11
  Site of the first institution of higher learning west of the Allegheny Mountains and named for Athens, Greece.

• Attica Independent (Seneca County), Aug. 8-12

• Auglaize (Wapakoneta), July 30-Aug. 4
  Named for the Auglaize River. "Auglaize" is an American Indian word meaning "fallen timbers."

• Barlow Independent (Washington County), Sept. 28-30

• Bellville Independent (Richland County), Sept. 12-15

• Belmont (St. Clairsville), Sept. 5-9
  Comes from the French words "belle monte," meaning beautiful mountain. It is descriptive of the high, rugged hills.

• Brown (Georgetown), Sept. 24-29
  Named for General Jacob Brown, who defeated the British in the Battle of Lundy's Lane.

• Butler (Hamilton), July 22-28
  Named in honor of General Richard Butler, who was killed when forces led by Gen. St. Clair were massacred by Indians.

• Carroll (Carrollton), July 16-22
  Named for Charles Carroll, last surviving signer of the Declaration of Independence.

• Champaign (Urbana), Aug. 3-10
  Comes from the French word meaning "a plain," and so called because of the level terrain.

• Clark (Springfield), July 20-27
  Named for General George Rogers Clark., who defeated the Indians near Springfield, the county seat.

• Clermont (Owensville), July 22-28
  Comes from the French words meaning "clear mountain."

• Clinton (Wilmington), July 7-14
  Named for George Clinton, who was vice president of the United States when it was organized.

• Columbiana (Lisbon), July 30-Aug. 5
  Named for Christopher Columbus and the Santa Anna.

• Coshocton (Coshocton), Sept. 28-Oct. 4
  Is an American Indian word meaning "Black Bear Town."

• Crawford (Bucyrus), July 14-21
  Named in honor of Colonel William Crawford, who was burned at the stake by the Indians.

• Cuyahoga (Berea), Aug. 6-12
  Named for the Cuyahoga River. Cuyahoga is an Indian word meaning "crooked."

• Darke (Greenville), Aug. 17-25
  Named for Gen. William Darke, Revolutionary War hero.

• Defiance (Hicksville), Aug. 18-25
  Named for Fort Defiance, built by General Anthony Wayne

• Delaware (Delaware), Sept. 15-22
  Named after the Delaware Indians.

• Erie (Sandusky), Aug. 7-12
  Named for the Erie Indians who at one time inhabited the region.

• Fairfield (Lancaster), Oct. 7-13
  Was given this name because of the terrain of the county.

• Fayette (Washington Court House), July 23-28
  Was named in honor of Gen. La Fayette

• Franklin (Hilliard), July 14-21
  Named for Benjamin Franklin

• Fulton (Wauseon), Aug. 31-Sept. 6
  Was named for the inventor of the steamboat, Robert Fulton.

• Gallia (Gallipolis), July 30-Aug. 4
  Was settled by the French and go its name from Gaul, the early name of what is now France.

• Geauga (Burton), Aug. 30-Sept. 3
  Geauga is the native word for racoon.

• Greene (Xenia), July 29-Aug. 4
  Named for General Nathaniel Greene, Revolutionary War hero.

• Guernsey (Old Washington), Sept. 10-16
  Named for the Isle of Guernsey by early settlers who came from there.

• Hamilton (Carthage), Aug. 1-5
  Named for Alexander Hamilton, who was Secretary of the Treasury when the county was organized.

• Hancock (Findlay), Aug. 29-Sept. 3
  Named for John Hancock, signer of the Declaration of Independence and president of the Continental Congress.

• Hardin (Kenton), Sept. 4-9
  Named for General John Hardin, an officer in the Revolutionary War, who was killed there by Indians while on a peace mission.

• Harrison (Cadiz), July 9-14
  Named in honor of General William Henry Harrison, hero of the War of 1812.

• Hartford Independent (Licking County), Aug. 5-11
  Got its name from the early salt licks in the county.

• Henry (Napoleon), Aug. 10-16
  Named for Patrick Henry, statesman of the Revolutionary War period.

• Highland (Hillsboro), Sept. 2-8
  Gets its name from the county's terrain.

• Hocking (Logan), Sept. 10-15
  Is a short form of Hockhocking, meaning bottle river, a name given by American Indians to the river which flows through the county.

• Holmes (Millersburg), Aug. 13-18
  Named for Major Holmes, who was killed while attacking the British at Mackinac during the War of 1812.

• Huron (Norwalk), Aug. 13-18
  Named for the Huron Indians who lived in that region.

• Jackson (Wellston), July 13-21
  Named for General Andrew Jackson, who won a great victory over the British at New Orleans the year before the county was organized.

• Jefferson (Smithfield), Aug. 14-19
  Named in honor of Thomas Jefferson, who was president when the county was formed.

• Knox (Mount Vernon), July 22-28
  Named for General Henry Knox, Secretary of War under President George Washington.

• Lake (Painesville), Aug. 14-19
  Named Lake because of its location on Lake Erie.

• Lawrence (Proctorville), July 7-14
  Named for Captain James Lawrence, a U.S. Naval hero.

• Logan (Bellefontaine), July 10-15
  Named for General Benjamin Logan, famous Indian fighter.

• Lorain (Wellington), Aug. 20-26
  Named after the Province of Lorraine, France.

• Loudonville Independent (Ashland County), Oct. 2-6

• Lucas (Maumee), July 24-29
  Named for Governor Robert Lucas, who was in office during the Ohio-Michigan boundary dispute. He sent the militia there to support Ohio's claims.

• Madison (London), July 7-14
  Named for President James Madison, who was in office when the county was organized.

• Mahoning (Canfield), Aug. 29-Sept. 3
  Is an American Indian word meaning "at the licks."

• Marion (Marion), July 1-7
  Named in honor of General Francis Marion, the "Swamp Fox," of Revolutionary War fame.

• Medina (Medina), July 29-Aug. 5
  Named for Medina in Arabia, the town to which Mohammed fled from Mecca.

• Meigs (Pomeroy), Aug. 13-18
  Named for a two-term governor from neighboring Washington county, Return Jonathan Meigs (1810-1814). He was Postmaster General when the county was organized.

• Mercer (Celina), Aug. 7-13
  Named for General Hugh Mercer who was killed during the Battle of Princeton in 1777.

• Miami (Troy), Aug. 10-16
  Is the name of an early American Indian tribe.

• Monroe (Woodsfield), Aug. 20-25
  Is the name of an early American Indian tribe.

• Montgomery (Dayton), Aug. 29-Sept. 3
  Named for General Richard Montgomery who lost his life in the attack on Quebec during the Revolutionary War.

• Morgan (McConnelsville), Sept. 4-8
  Named in honor of General Daniel Morgan of Revolutionary War fame.

• Morrow (Mount Gilead), Aug. 27-Sept. 3
  cNamed in honor of General Daniel Morgan of Revolutionary War fame.

• Muskingum (Zanesville), Aug. 12-18
  Named in honor of General Daniel Morgan of Revolutionary War fame.

• Noble (Caldwell), Aug. 27-Sept. 1
  Last county to be organized and named for Warren P. Noble, chairman of the legislative committee on new counties.

• Ottawa (Oak Harbor), July 16-22
  Named for the Ottawa tribe of Indians.

• Paulding (Paulding), July 10-14
  Named for John Paulding, one of the captors of Major John Andre, British spy in the Revolutionary War.

• Perry (New Lexington), July 16-21
  Named for Commodore Perry, who defeated the British in the naval Battle of Lake Erie.

• Pickaway (Circleville), June 24-30
  Is a variation in spelling of the Indian word "Piqua."

• Pike (Piketon), July 29-Aug. 4
  Named in honor of Brig. General Zebulon Montgiomery Pike, who discovered and explored Pike's Peak. He was killed in the War of 1812.

• Portage (Randolph), Aug. 21-26
  Named because of the Indian portage in the area.

• Preble (Eaton), July 28-Aug. 4
  Named for Captain Edward Preble, naval commander in the Revolutionary War and the War with Tripoli.

• Putnam (Ottawa), June 19-24
  Named for General Israel Putnam, who fought at the Battle of Bunker Hill and served in the French and Indian War and the Revolutionary War.

• Richland (Mansfield), Aug. 5-11
  So called because of its rich soil.

• Richwood Independent (Union County), Aug. 29-Sept. 3

• Ross (Chillicothe), Aug. 4-11
  Named for James Ross of Pennsylvania, who was a candidate for governor of that state in the year Ross county was formed.

• Sandusky (Fremont), Aug. 21-26
  Sandusky is a derivative of an Indian word meaning "cold water." In Wyandot and Huron languages it is "Sa-un-dos-tee" meaning "water within water pools."

• Scioto (Lucasville), Aug. 6-11
  Named for the Scioto River which flows through it. Scioto came from an Indian word, meaning deer.

• Seneca (Tiffin), July 23-30
  Named for the Seneca Indians, who had a reservation there at one time.

• Shelby (Sidney), July 23-29
  Named for Isaac Shelby, an officer in the Revolutionary War, who later became the first governor of Kentucky.

• Stark (Canton), Aug. 28-Sept. 3
  Named for General John Stark of Revolutionary War fame.

• Summit (Tallmadge), July 24-29
  Got its name from the fact that it was the highest point on the old Ohio Canal.

• Trumbull (Cortland), July 10-15
  Part of the old Connecticut Western Reserve, was named for Jonathan Trumbull, who was governor of Connecticut when the county was organized.

• Tuscarawas (Dover), Sept. 17-23
  Got its name from the Tuscarawas River. This is an American Indian name meaning "open mouth."

• Union (Marysville) July 23-29
  So called because parts of four other counties were united to form it.

• Van Wert (Van Wert), Aug. 29-Sept. 5
  Named for Isaac Van Wert, one of the captors of the British spy, Major John Andre.

• Vinton (McArthur), July 22-28
  Named for S. F. Vinton, Whig candidate for governor of Ohio at the time the county was formed.

• Warren (Lebanon), July 16-21
  Named for General Joseph Warren, who was killed in the Battle of Bunker Hill.

• Washington (Marietta), Sept. 1-4
  Ohio's first county, named for George Washington, who was president of the Constitutional Convention when the county was organized.

• Wayne (Wooster), Sept. 8-13
  Named for General Anthony Wayne, a hero of the Revolutionary War and campaigns against the Indians in Ohio.

• Williams (Montpelier), Sept. 8-15
  Named for David Williams, one of the captors of Major Andre, a British spy.

• Wood (Bowling Green), July 31-Aug. 6
  Named for Captain Wood, the engineer who built Fort Meigs in that county.

• Wyandot (Upper Sandusky), Sept. 11-16
  Is named for the Wyandot Indians who lived there.