The 2026 Crawford County Fair runs July 20-25.
General admission is $10. Children shorter than 36 inches are free.
That entry fee covers all rides, according to David Staats, the fair’s manager.
“When you pay to get in, you get all the rides for free,” Staats said. “You have to be 36 inches or above to ride the rides.”
A season pass for the fair is $45.
The theme for the county’s 169th fair is: “Where Great Things Happen.”
“There’s a handful of new food vendors coming,” Staats said. “There’s a Mediterranean stand coming with some Greek food.”
Grandstand events for 2026 Crawford County Fair
The Crawford County Fair, in addition to youth events throughout the day, offers grandstand entertainment every evening.
The fair’s calf scramble begins 7 p.m. July 20 and is free to watch.
“Little kids can chase some chickens and get some free ice cream,” Staats said. “The middle-aged kids can catch a sheep and they can win cash prizes. And then the older kids wrangle a calf and win some money as well.”
Adults are welcome to compete, too.
“A few years ago, we had a fair board member do it,” Staats said.
Motocross begins 7 p.m. July 21 and is $10 to attend. Pit passes are $15.
Wiener dog races start 4 p.m. July 22 and are free.
“It was a big hit last year, so that’s why we moved it to Wednesday,” Staats said.
After the dog races, harness racing begins 6 p.m. July 22 with pari-mutuel wagering. The event is free.
“We have a thing called Lucky Loser,” Staats said. “If you bet and your ticket’s a losing ticket, you can take it down and put your name on it and they draw for gift cards throughout the night.”
Harness racing returns 6 p.m. July 23, again with pari-mutuel wagering. The second night also is free to see.
“If you buy a race program, one race program each night has some sort of indicator in it that you’ve won a 50-inch TV,” Staats said. “We’ve done that the last couple of years.”
A truck and tractor pull sanctioned by the Ohio State Tractor Pullers Association begins 7 p.m. July 24. Regular seating is $10 and pit passes are $15.
A demolition derby begins 7 p.m. July 25 and is free to watch.
What special days are at the fair this year?
Kid’s day at the fair runs 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 23.
“They have activities planned all throughout the day,” Staats said.
Children can compete in a ponytail contest, egg toss, straw bale throwing, football punting and more. There will also be trucks and reptiles on display. Face painting will be available.
That day also will be special for veterans and older adults.
Senior citizens will get into the fair for $5 July 23, half-price.
“Veterans get in free on Thursday with military ID,” Staats said. “The local veteran organizations are having a ham and bean dinner for them in our youth building.”
Contact Zach Tuggle at 419-564-3508. Follow him on X at @zachtuggle.
This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Guide to the 2026 Crawford County Fair events
Reporting by Zach Tuggle, Mansfield News Journal / Mansfield News Journal
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By Zach Tuggle, Mansfield News Journal | USA TODAY Network
