The Montgomery County Agricultural Fair is almost here.
The annual event, which runs Aug. 14-22 at Gaithersburg’s Montgomery County Fairgrounds, this year celebrates the U.S.’s 250th anniversary (and the county’s 250th in September) with a punny theme: “Barn in the USA.”
Guests can enjoy carnival rides, check out livestock barns, watch monster truck rallies and other shows, enter contests and try a wide variety of food options.
“It’s my favorite nine days of the year,” said Tommy Russo, vice president of the Montgomery County Agricultural Center. “Nothing beats it.”
Here’s everything new, returning and noteworthy at the 2026 Montgomery County Agricultural Fair: one of the largest, if not the largest, county fairs in Maryland.
When is the Montgomery County Fair open?
The nine-day fair spans two weekends in August with varying opening times depending on the day.
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Tickets are $17.15 online until Aug. 10, $20.24 from Aug. 11-22 and $18 at the gate. Children 11 and under get free admission. On-site parking is $20 per vehicle, and free parking with shuttle bus service will be available at Montgomery College’s Rockville and Germantown campuses, about a 15- or 10-minute drive, respectively.
New this year: From 10 a.m.-1 p.m. on Monday the 17th, the fair will offer a sensory-friendly experience, including rides, games and vendors without lights or music.
“That is absolutely one of my favorite things,” Russo said. “I have a nephew who’s autistic, who couldn’t come and ride the rides because of the lights and noise. The flashing really bothered him. So we’re having a whole morning of no sound or lights, so anyone that has sensory issues can come ride the rides and enjoy the fair.”
These are the fair hours each day:
Friday, Aug. 14: 3 p.m.-midnight
Saturday, Aug. 15: 10 a.m.-midnight
Sunday, Aug. 16: 10 a.m.-11 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 17: 10 a.m.-11 p.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 18: 10 a.m.-11 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 19: 10 a.m.-11 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 20: 10 a.m.-11 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 21: 10 a.m.-midnight
Saturday, Aug. 22: 10 a.m.-midnight
This year’s menu: Krispy Kreme burgers, ice cream and an ode to New Orleans
New Orleans-style food, crabby fries, chicken souvlaki and Krispy Kreme burgers (also known as Luther Burgers) are among the new food offerings this year.
For the first time in a decade, the fair is bringing back its New Orleans-style food booth along with New Orleans snowballs: snow cones made with fluffy shaved ice, chopped more finely than a regular shaved ice or snow cone.
A “Wok and Roll” event on Saturday the 15th will also offer chicken stir-fry made in a large hot tub-sized wok, served until it sells out.
Usual fair staples, including barbecue, sweet corn, funnel cakes, kettle corn, grilled cheese and fresh ice cream will also return.
Carnival rides and entertainment
Due to high demand last year, the fair will have two monster truck shows and two rodeo shows, as well as a demolition derby, Russo said. Each event requires separate tickets, all $17.65 online for every attendee over the age of 2.
Free shows include the Cowboy Circus, an interactive “World’s Smallest Rodeo” and the educational Agricultural Magic Show.
More than 50 rides and games will be set up in the carnival section. But know before you go: While the fair opens at 10 a.m. every day except opening day, the carnival won’t open until noon on those days. One-day wristbands for carnival rides vary in price from $25 to $33.75.
Agriculture: Putting the ‘barn’ in ‘Barn in the USA’
This year’s theme aims to celebrate the “heart of American agriculture.” Guests can come face to face with cows, sheep, goats and horses raised on local farms, learn from gardening experts and watch the always-popular pig races.
“We have a lot of new animals coming in — not new species, but the numbers have increased," Russo said. “Which is a great thing to see in a county [where] not too much agriculture is left.”
Toilet decorating, cheese carving and more special contests
The fair hosts a slew of contests that invite Marylanders (and, often, residents of surrounding states) to enter their best home-grown produce, cakes, quilts, photographs, flower arrangements, cheese carvings and even decorated toilets.
The entries and winners will be on display throughout the fairgrounds, including the 4-H Building Exhibit Room (cheese carving), the Heritage Building (flower arranging) and Building #3 (toilets).
“It doesn’t get enough press,” Russo joked about the toilet decorating contest. “Some of the things these guys have come up with in the past just make me belly laugh.”
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