New Jersey State Fair® Records a Successful Fair - Mark Your Calendars for 2027 8/6-14

 

New Jersey State Fair® Records a Successful Fair with Great Attendance, Community Impact, and $59,500 in Local Donations and Scholarships.   Frankford, NJ — September 3, 2026 — The New Jersey State Fair®/Sussex County Farm & Horse Show Association is proud to announce that this year’s Fair was a great success – while patriotically celebrating both the 250th Anniversary of the USA and the 50th year since the Fair moved from Branchville to our current location in Frankford Township. The event continues to stand as New Jersey’s largest and most celebrated agricultural fair.

Major Contributions to Local Charities via our “Non-Profit Spotlights” Through generous donations from attendees and the efforts of admission staff, combined with an additional contribution from the Fair, we raised $9,000 for three of our featured charities: •     OSCAR – One Step Closer Animal Rescue: OSCAR is a no-kill dog rescue based in Sparta, NJ. They rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome dogs who need a loving forever family.  Earlier this year, their shelter suffered a significant fire that caused catastrophic damage to their kennel. •     Veteran’s Salute - Lt. Col. Ernest M. Kosa Memorial Scholarship:  This fund is administered by the Ogdensburg VFW and each year during Sussex County’s Annual Salute to Military Veterans scholarships are awarded to county students from grades 6 through 8 who write a patriotic essay on the topic, “Why are we saluting Sussex County military Veterans?”  Essays show their support and appreciation of Veterans while gaining an understanding and knowledge of what our Veterans have contributed and sacrificed.  Rev. Kosa served for 20 years in the United States Army as a Chaplain during wars in Korea and Vietnam.  He was also a long-time volunteer at the Sussex County Fair where the County Building was named in his honor. •     Ginnie’s House Child Advocacy Center: Ginnie's House provides a child-friendly environment where children are helped through coordinated efforts of child protection, law enforcement and prosecution, healthcare and mental health agencies when child abuse is suspected, disclosed or reported. Victims will find Ginnie's House to be a child-friendly place that reduces further trauma by hosting a legally defensible forensic interview and coordinating services each family may need. Each organization received a $3,000 donation. In addition, the Fair spotlighted several other nonprofits by providing free commercial space and daily recognition during the Fair: •             Sussex County Food Pantry •             Benny’s Bodega •             Habitat for Humanity •             Family Promise •             Maverick’s Legacy •             Center for Prevention and Counseling/CLEAR Program

Support for Schools and First Responders Local school groups assisting with parking and other volunteer activities received donations, including: •             Newton HS Future Farmers of America (FFA) •             High Point Regional HS Softball & Baseball •             Vernon Football •             Sussex Tech Football •             Vernon HS Cheerleading Annual contributions were also made to the Blue Ridge Rescue Squad and Branchville Fire Department with sincere appreciation for their volunteer services during the Fair.

$305,000+ Raised by Local Nonprofits In addition to direct donations, several community organizations collectively raised over $305,000 through concession booths and raffles sold at the Fairgrounds. These included: •             Frankford Fire Department – beer tents •             Knights of Columbus – food concession •             Branchville Rotary – food concession •             Montague Grange – food concession •             4-H Teen Council – food concession •             Holy Spirit Orthodox Church – food concession •             Blue Ridge Rescue Squad – raffle sales •             Sussex Fire Department – raffle sales

Blood Donations - 110 pints collected – Helping to Save 330 Lives We partnered with the Kittatinny Masonic Lodge once again this year whose members were on hand near our Gate 3 entrance to offer free fair admission for anyone who donates blood.  Blood donations are commonly used for patients in need of surgery, cancer treatment and transfusions for blood loss from traumatic injuries.  Those who donated could enter for free or get a free ticket to come back another day.  Thank you to the Kittatinny Masonic Lodge and to everyone who donated.

Livestock Shows/exhibits and Equestrian Events Well Attended There were hundreds of cows, sheep, goats, poultry, alpacas, swine and rabbits exhibited or shown throughout the duration of the fair.  Similarly, hundreds of riders took part in the horse show which brought in extra tents for horse stalls to accommodate them.  In all, there were nearly 1700 animals that took part in the fair, about 1100 being livestock animals and about 600 horses.  Approximately a third of all animals were exhibited by 4H members from across Sussex County. Additionally, the Agriculture Division of the Fair awarded six $500 scholarships to area students in an agricultural course of study.  Sussex County Agricultural Society also awarded $12,000 in scholarships to six students pursuing an education in or are enrolled in a program in agriculture. The Ag Society operates the Snook Agricultural Museum at the fairgrounds.

Economic Boost and Employment The Fair employed over 200 individuals this year, and local businesses benefited from the influx of visitors, reinforcing the Fair’s role as a driver of regional economic activity.  Please see this great article that describes the fairgrounds as “a venue that functions as a cultural anchor, an agricultural showcase, a nonprofit partner, and an economic driver—while continuously reinvesting in infrastructure, technology, and the visitor experience. In Sussex County, this is not just a Fair. It is a year-round engine for community life.”

Looking Ahead: 2027 Next year’s Fair will be held August 6th through – August 14th, 2027!!  We’re already hard at work planning next year’s fair and making improvements wherever we can.

Our Mission Showcase New Jersey’s agriculture Provide safe, family-friendly entertainment and engaging educational activities Promote youth development Provide support to charitable non-profit agencies The Sussex County Farm & Horse Show Association, Inc. is a private not-for-profit corporation recognized by the IRS as a 501 (c)(3) organization and is overseen by an all-volunteer Board of Directors. Contributions are tax-deductible in accordance with IRS regulations for Charitable Donations. Our sponsors help to underwrite the cost of development of the grounds and events during the Fair.

That's a Good Question - We're Glad You Asked...

 

Inevitably, every year someone poses the question about why there is an admission fee for the annual New Jersey State Fair®/Sussex County Farm & Horse Show.  Where does the money go?  What do you get in return for your admission to the Fair? 

We’re glad you asked.  If you’re interested in knowing, please read on.

It might be helpful to first look at our Mission Statement:

• Showcase New Jersey’s agriculture
• Provide safe, family-friendly entertainment and engaging educational activities
• Promote youth development
• Provide support to charitable non-profit agencies

How do we accomplish this mission?  Our annual Fair is an incredible mosaic of dedicated volunteers who work all year long in their area of interest.  From creative arts home and hobby exhibit volunteers to 4-H Cow Kids, and from barrel racing horses to demolition derby competitors, the annual Fair has something for everyone, and it means something to many of us and our neighbors. 

We are a private non-profit organization governed by a board of volunteer Directors.  We receive no government funding.  There is a very small staff of permanent employees who keep the fairgrounds running through the off-season, maintain the grounds and facilities.

Numerous other community non-profits, like our Fire Department, the Grange, the Knights of Columbus and the local Rotary Club, all look forward to the annual Fair as their major source of fundraising – which in turn benefits our communities.

As an agricultural Fair, we’re proud to serve as the annual showcase of New Jersey’s agriculture, from honeybees, flowers and vegetables to sheep, goats, pigs, cows and more.  For some fairgoers this may be the only opportunity to see farm animals up close and for our farmers, it’s an opportunity for their livestock to be professionally judged.  We have the Snook Agricultural Museum on the grounds and each year we offer agricultural education programs to area schools.

Putting all this together with a fun and safe atmosphere including a carnival and games and a grand assortment of Fair food isn’t easy and it certainly isn’t inexpensive.

Each fair we budget about $150,000 so that we can offer FREE entertainment every day of the Fair, from Diving Dogs to Pig Races, Fire Dancers to Chainsaw Wood Carvers all FREE with your admission.  In the Outdoor Entertainment Area – FREE with your admission - fairgoers can enjoy Tractor Pulls and Wood Chopping Contests.  There is always something happening at the fair.  Our Planet Networks Performing Arts Tent is also chock full of outstanding entertainers from the Annual Queen of the Fair contest, Battle of the Bands, community Talent Show and other outstanding entertainers, from rock bands to polka – all FREE with admission.

The cost of tent rental, security, law enforcement, traffic control, parking, equipment rental and electrical costs easily exceeds a million dollars.  We also pay for sanitation, and staff for admissions and helping fairgoers with information and offering scooters and wheelchairs for rent.  We look forward to seeing our loyal fair staff return to work during the fair each year, and we enjoy hearing about how our local businesses see a boost from visitors to the fair.

With the help of our generous sponsors, we’ve been able to keep the price of admission very low for all that’s offered, and it is even more affordable if you buy advance tickets.  We’re proud to have held this Sussex County tradition for over 80 years we look forward to it for many more generations to come.  Thank you for reading and we hope to see you and your family at the Fair!

For the 2026 Fair, we open Friday July 31st at 5pm and will be open 10 AM to 10 PM on weekends/ 12 NOON to 10 PM weekdays through Saturday August 8^th.