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.