ZUMBROTA, MN – August 04, 2026 – PRESSADVANTAGE –
The Goodhue County Fair will take place August 11 through 15, 2026, at its fairgrounds north of Zumbrota, continuing a tradition that dates to 1859. Organizers have confirmed a full program of grandstand events, free entertainment included with gate admission, and fireworks on Saturday night at dusk.
Daily gate admission is set at $8, with a season gate pass available for $25. Children under 12 years of age receive free admission. Grandstand seating is unreserved, and tickets for grandstand events are sold separately from general admission. Service animals are permitted on the grounds; other animals not part of exhibits are not allowed.
Grandstand programming opens Tuesday, August 11, at 7:00 p.m. with bull riding and barrel racing presented by Extreme Events. Wednesday, August 12, features autocross at 7:00 p.m. Thursday, August 13, brings the smoke-blowing tractor pull beginning at 6:30 p.m. Friday, August 14, returns to autocross at 7:00 p.m. The fair concludes Saturday, August 15, with the demolition derby at 5:00 p.m. Gates for grandstand events open one hour prior to show time.
Free entertainment runs throughout the five days and is included with fair admission. Featured acts include Dangerous Feats of Comedy, which incorporates juggling and fire skills; Doc’s Fun Time Variety Show, a combination of magic, balloon work, and comedy with audience participation; and No Harm on the Farm / Kids Jumpin’ Jamboree. Additional daily attractions include Polka Dot Entertainment with strolling performers and So Hot Glass demonstrations of glass blowing. Schedules place these acts at multiple times each day from Tuesday through Saturday.
The Beer Garden operates Tuesday through Saturday with live music and a free jukebox. Scheduled performers include In The Fields on Tuesday, Category 5 on Wednesday, Ryan Sullivan and Old County Boys on Thursday, George’s Concertina Band and Old County Boys on Friday, and the Universal Music Center Show followed by Foster Grand on Saturday.
Open class competitions, 4-H livestock and static exhibits, and daily agricultural programming remain central to the fair. Special theme days include Day Care Day on Wednesday, Goodhue County Ag Day on Thursday with antique tractor displays and grain bin safety demonstrations, and Senior Citizen Day on Friday, when visitors 65 and older receive free gate admission. Saturday features the 4-H livestock auction and final shows.
Facility improvements continue. In 2026, the historical Old Commercial Building received a new roof, new siding, and new windows through work by Chandler Roofing & Construction. Recent years have seen construction of the Goodhue County Community Goat Barn, the Goodhue Lions Club Poultry Barn, the Lowell Broin Cattle Barn, and the Red Wing Shoe Company Foundation Swine Barn.
Roger Sievers, a board member of the Goodhue County Fair, noted the importance of maintaining both traditional elements and practical updates. “The combination of grandstand events, free stage acts, and the Saturday fireworks gives families a full schedule across the five days,” Sievers said. “Work on the commercial building and the newer livestock barns helps keep the grounds functional for exhibitors and visitors.”
Sievers added that the board focuses on reliable programming. “Visitors can plan around the published times for bull riding, the tractor pull, autocross, and the demolition derby, knowing the free entertainment runs on a steady schedule each day,” he said.
The fair traces its origins to 1859, when local pioneers organized the first events. Early fairs rotated among Red Wing, Hader, and Zumbrota before settling on the current 16.37-acre site north of Zumbrota in 1915. The grounds now also preserve the Zumbrota Covered Bridge and the Belvidere Schoolhouse. The organization operates as a stock corporation governed by a volunteer board and continues to emphasize agriculture, 4-H youth programs, open class exhibits, and community gatherings.
Attendance has historically reached the tens of thousands over the five-day period. The 2026 edition incorporates the confirmed grandstand roster, the free entertainment lineup, fireworks at dusk on Saturday, and the completed upgrades to the commercial building alongside the newer livestock facilities.
Exhibit buildings follow set hours: the 4-H Building is open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; commercial buildings open later on Tuesday and from midday Wednesday through Saturday; open class exhibit buildings follow similar patterns. Entry for many open class and 4-H exhibits occurs in the days immediately preceding the public opening.
The overall program balances competitive livestock and open class judging with paid grandstand attractions and free daytime performances. Fireworks on the final evening provide a closing visual element after the demolition derby. Board members, including Sievers, have coordinated the schedule to ensure continuous activity from the public gate opening on Tuesday afternoon through the final events on Saturday.
The Goodhue County Fair remains a volunteer-supported agricultural society event centered on education, exhibition, and local participation. Its 2026 presentation reflects both the historical continuity established since 1859 and the practical facility work completed in recent years, including the 2026 commercial building improvements.
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For more information about Goodhue County Fair, contact the company here:
Goodhue County Fair
Roger Sievers
(507) 732-5001
gcfair214@gmail.com
44279 County Rd 6, Zumbrota, MN, United States, 55992
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