The Oldest Fairs in Maryland

The Prince George's County Fair in Upper Marlboro celebrates Maryland's second-most populous county and one of the most affluent majority-Black counties in the United States — the county surrounds Washington DC on two sides and combines active farming communities in the rural Patuxent River watershed with suburban communities tied to the federal government. Dating to 1842, it is one of Maryland's oldest and most enduring agricultural fair traditions.

The Frederick County Fair celebrates one of Maryland's fastest-growing counties — Frederick is a beautifully preserved Civil War city in the Monocacy River valley where the Battle of Monocacy (1864) bought time for Washington's defenses, and the county's active farming communities in the Catoctin Mountains foothills come together at one of Maryland's premier agricultural fairs. First held in 1882, it has been a Maryland agricultural tradition for over a century.

The Montgomery County Agricultural Fair in Gaithersburg is a nine-day August celebration in the suburbs of Washington D.C., drawing enormous crowds from the nation's capital region for livestock competition and major entertainment. Established in 1949, the fair has brought Maryland communities together for generations.

The Baltimore City Fair celebrates Maryland's great independent city — Baltimore is one of America's oldest port cities and the birthplace of the Star-Spangled Banner, and the city's diverse neighborhoods from Fells Point to Hampden bring their agricultural and community fair traditions to an urban celebration of Maryland heritage. Founded in 1970, it has grown into a beloved annual event for the region.