HEATH — Family-friendly, agriculture-themed fun is on its way to the Heath Fairgrounds for the 108th annual Heath Fair.
This year’s iteration will include many past favorites, such as a sheep-shearing demonstration, and an antique tractor show and parade. Children’s activities, such as the youth sheep show, are also planned for the three-day event, to be held from Friday, Aug. 21, to Sunday, Aug. 23.
“What’s interesting about the Heath Fair is that we try to keep it the same as it always is so people know what to expect when they come,” said Jessica O’Neill, co-president of the Heath Agricultural Society, which organizes the event. “That said, we always have a new lineup of music and then we have live demonstrations. … It was new last year, but we’re bringing [the miniature horse pull] back this year.”
The Heath Fair aims to provide fun for the entire family, with there being something of interest to children, parents and grandparents. O’Neill pointed to the lineup of participating musicians, which include some local favorites such as The Whiskey Treaty Roadshow, but also newer bands that might be unfamiliar to longtime fair attendees.
“What I like about our music lineup is that we feature some young bands [who] are getting started in their careers, and then we have some real favorites,” O’Neill said. “For example, we’ve got The Cheese Priests on Friday, and they’re a youth band. … We’ve got a really great superintendent of music who’s in the field, so he’s able to attract these bands.”
In the lead-up to the Heath Fair, the Heath Agricultural Society had been raising money to restore the historic silo at the fairgrounds. The organization was successful in this effort, and fairgoers will see the silo standing upright instead of leaning like it had in fairs past.
“This is going to be the first time the greater public is seeing it upright and newly constructed,” O’Neill said. “We have a ribbon cutting at 5 p.m. on Friday … just to say thank you to everyone who helped us raise the funds to make that rehabilitation possible. The silo isn’t used as a functioning silo anymore, although it was at one point in its history. It’s designed in such a way where you can actually walk into the silo so you can see how it’s constructed … and we have a lot of historical information about [its] history.”
Connecting youth to agriculture is another goal of the Heath Fair, and one way this is happening is through presentations and demonstrations by 4-H club members, which start at 11 a.m. on Saturday.
“[4-H] is the youth that are engaged in these agricultural arts that are working to understand livestock … how to work with them, feed them, take care of them,” O’Neill said. “They’re the ones who are learning the skills to grow up and become the adults that continue to participate in agriculture.”
For older attendees, the beer garden will be open at 5 p.m. on Friday, noon on Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday, where a host of local beers and ciders will be available for purchase. Food options include the Kiwanis Community Dinner at 5 p.m. on Friday, a chicken barbecue at noon on Saturday, as well as regular food booths operating throughout all three days, opening when the Heath Fair itself becomes open to patrons.
Ticket prices have remained level from 2025, with O’Neill acknowledging the difficult financial situation that many residents find themselves in. One-day tickets are $14 for adults or $12 for seniors, and three-day passes are $30 for adults or $24 for seniors. Children ages 12 and under will be admitted for free.
Tickets are available to purchase at heathfair.yapsody.com. Parking is free.
Schedule of events
The fairgrounds will be open from 5 to 11 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 21. Activities include:
- 5:30 to 7 p.m. — Miniature horse pull.
- 5:30 p.m. — Antique tractor parade.
- 7 p.m. — Bingo.
- 7:30 to 11 p.m. — Square dance with caller Doug Wilkins.
On Saturday, Aug. 22, the fairgrounds will be open from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Activities include:
- 10 a.m. — Rabbit show.
- 11 a.m. — Horse draw.
- 2 p.m. — A scything and haymaking demonstration.
- 6 p.m. — Truck pull.
On Sunday, Aug. 23, the fairgrounds will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Activities include:
- 10 a.m. — Classic car cruise-in.
- 11 a.m. — Youth cattle show.
- 1 p.m. — Parade, celebrating “farmers and independence for 250 years.”
- 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. — Wagon rides.
For a full schedule of events, directions to the fairgrounds or to reserve tickets, visit heathfair.org.
