Agriculture
Showing the work
Livestock, produce and field crop classes give farmers a place to measure their work against their neighbours' and to pass on what they know.
Est. 1863 · Carp, Ontario
A society, not a showground
Carp Agricultural Society has organised the Carp Fair since 1863. We are a registered Canadian charity and not-for-profit organisation, run by volunteers, and we own and maintain the Carp Fairgrounds.
What the Society does
An agricultural society exists to keep farming knowledge in circulation — by showing it, judging it, and handing it to the next person who wants to learn. That is what the fair has done here for over a century and a half: a place where a first-time exhibitor's jar of preserves is judged by the same standards as the herd that has been shown for four generations.
Between fairs the work does not stop. The grounds need maintaining, the classes need organising, the Drive-In Bingo runs through the season, and the fundraising that pays for all of it — including our licensed 50/50 draw — has to be run properly and accounted for.
What we run
- The annual Carp Fair each September
- Drive-In Bingo
- Agricultural exhibitions and competitions
- Livestock, produce and homecraft classes
- Educational and community programmes
- Operation of the Carp Fairgrounds
- Charitable fundraising
The Society at a glance
| Legal name | Carp Agricultural Society |
|---|---|
| Status | Registered Charity / Not-for-Profit Organization |
| Charity number | 118839505RR0001 |
| Founded | 1863 |
| Location | 3790 Carp Road, Carp, ON |
| Lottery licence | RAF1560186 (AGCO) |
Why a fair still matters
Three things the Society is for, and has been for since 1863.
Education
Teaching the next lot
The junior department, school entries and community programmes bring young people onto the grounds and into the barns.
Community
Keeping the grounds
The fairgrounds belong to the Society and serve the village all year — for bingo, events and the fair itself.
How the Society is run
The Society is governed by a volunteer board of directors, supported by a General Manager and by the committees that organise each department of the fair — livestock, homecraft, produce, the junior department, grounds and events.
Directors are drawn from the community and serve without payment. Committee members are volunteers who take on a department for the year. Members of the board, the General Manager and associated persons are subject to participation restrictions in the 50/50 draw, set out in the Rules of Play.
We publish the structure rather than personal contact details. To reach a specific committee, use the contact form and your message is passed on.
Where the money comes from
- Admission and event tickets during the fair
- Drive-In Bingo through the season
- The licensed charitable 50/50 draw
- Donations from individuals and local businesses
- Sponsorship of classes, trophies and events
Get involved
Volunteers and sponsors
The fair is put on by people who take time off to do it. There is room for more — whether you have a weekend or a season to give.
Volunteer
During the fair
Gate duty, ring stewarding, hall setup, parking, judging support and the hundred small jobs that make four days work. Shifts are short and you are never left on your own.
Volunteer
Through the year
Grounds maintenance, Drive-In Bingo, committee work and preparing the prize book. This is where most of the real work happens.
Sponsor
Businesses and families
Sponsor a class, a trophy or an event. Sponsorship goes directly into exhibitor prizes and the running of the department you support.
Get in touch about volunteering
Volunteering does not require membership or a fee. Note that volunteers and their family members are subject to the participation conditions set out in the 50/50 Rules of Play.