CoCo hosts one of the oldest county fairs, home to presidential nominees and a demolition derby

Dating back to 1841, the Columbia County Fair once hosted the Rockefellers as its guest, and the 25th Governor of New York, Samuel J. Tilden of New Lebanon – who lost the 1876 nomination for U.S. President by one electoral vote in a disputed election – was once a vice president of the fair’s board.

In 2024, the 183rd Columbia County Fair will return with two nights of “crashin’, smashin’ action at the Demolition Derby,” a monster tractor pull, reality TV contestant “The Bachelor Chris” and his show: The Dashing Escape Artist, barrel racing, a hypnotist, chainsaw sculptors, a scarecrow competition, an ice cream eating competition, a county-wide talent show, and more.

2024 Columbia County Fair:

Dates: August 28 - September 2, 2024

Hours: Wednesday, noon to close
Thursday - Monday 10am to close

GPS Address: 182 Hudson Avenue, Chatham – Use Route 66/Hudson Avenue vehicular gate
Walk-in gate: Use the Route 203/Church Street entrance

Admission: $15, $13 advance online and at the Bank of Greene County branch offices through August 27; free for children under 12 and active military. $25 ride wristbands. Wednesday only: $5 admission, free for 18 and under (no advanced tickets for Wednesday)

Parking is free

No pets are allowed unless service dogs with documentation.

More info + tickets: https://columbiafair.com