The Norfolk County Fair and Horse Show is an annual agricultural fair that takes place in the town of Simcoe, Ontario, Canada beginning the Tuesday before Thanksgiving and ending on the Canadian Thanksgiving Monday. The fair has been active in Norfolk County since 1840 on the 48 acre complex. There is also a horse track where Paramutuel Betting is offered on the Saturday and Monday. Inside one of the buildings, students from all over Norfolk County submit their artwork and they are evaluated by the judges. The top prize winners receive a small monetary cash prize. Larger prizes are offered for professional art, riding, horse, cattle and poultry shows. Other buildings feature commercial inventions and computer fortune telling done by a travelling fortune teller. Also, large vegetable competitions are held, such as the heaviest pumpkin.
During the fair foods are abundant, and at night the demolition derbies, tractor pulls and first line stage acts take place. Traditionally, the local schools are given opening Tuesday off from school to enjoy Young Canada Day at the fair where they receive a free admission. And while the festivities of the fair are occurring, the Simcoe Recreation Center is used to provide exhibition space for local items, student art, displays and more entertainment on stage. During the nighttime, various music bands (usually dealing in country music) would perform and the crowd is usually full. Notable bands to perform during the festivities include Emerson Drive, Doc Walker, Colin James, Blue Rodeo, Tom Cochrane and Ronnie Hawkins.
