History of the Chautauqua County Fair at Fredonia Opera House
9 Church Street, Fredonia, NY 14063
The 1891 Fredonia Opera House Performing Arts Center will present the first program in its 2026 fall Here & There – Chautauqua County History, Travelers and Memories series on Thursday, Sept. 10, at 7 p.m. The program will explore the history of the Chautauqua County Fair and fairgrounds.
In 2027, the Chautauqua County Fair will celebrate its 110th birthday!
While the first recorded countywide fair was held in 1821, such events were held at irregular intervals until the 20th century. Beginning in 1917, the fair has been held every year except the three years of World War II, during which the grounds and buildings were used by the U.S. Government to house prisoners of war, and two years (2020 and 2021) during the global COVID-19 pandemic.
The annual event has grown over the decades into the summer event that many look forward to today.
Join Dave Wilson and representatives of the Chautauqua County Agricultural and Fair Association as they share the History of the Chautauqua County Fairgrounds.
Admission to the lecture is free, with donations gratefully accepted. Opera House programming is made possible, in part, by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, and by the United Arts Appeal of Chautauqua County.
The 1891 Fredonia Opera House Performing Arts Center is a member-supported not-for-profit performing arts center with a mission to “present the performing arts for the benefit of our community and region … providing access to artistic diversity … and high quality programming at an affordable price.” It is located in Village Hall in downtown Fredonia. For a complete schedule of events, visit www.fredopera.org.