Midway Directory · Associations and trade shows
What is BC Fairs, and which fairs belong to it?
BC Fairs, formally the BC Association of Agricultural Fairs and Exhibitions, is a provincial body for agricultural fairs, exhibitions and festivals in British Columbia. Its office is in Sechelt. It traces its start to a central fair convention held in 1910. It says it represents 48 fairs, and its 2026 event list includes the Pacific National Exhibition.
Active Facts checked on against 7 sources.
Quick facts
Every line comes from a source listed at the bottom of the page. The small numbers point to it.
| Official name | BC Association of Agricultural Fairs and Exhibitions12 |
|---|---|
| Also known as | |
| Listed as | Association or trade show |
| Based in | Sechelt, British Columbia, Canada12 |
| Founded | Grew out of a central convention of fair representatives held on January 31, 1910.1 |
| What it does | The association speaks for agricultural fairs, exhibitions and food festivals in British Columbia, and states its mission as giving its members leadership, resources and services.13 |
| Members | Members fall into four groups: fairs and exhibitions that meet its bylaws and run at least ten recognized agricultural categories, non-profit festivals, associate members such as government agencies, and commercial members such as midway operators, concessionaires and performers. Its About page puts the fair count at 48, while a 2019 provincial release counted 47 agricultural societies.315 |
| Official website | bcfairs.ca |
Some member fairs
- Chilliwack Fair, Chilliwack, BC23
- Salmon Arm Fair, Salmon Arm, BC23
- Dawson Creek Exhibition, Dawson Creek, BC23
- Saanich Fair, Saanichton, BC24
- Sooke Fall Fair, Sooke, BC23
- Summerland Fall Fair, Summerland, BC23
A sample of members named on the association's own pages, not the full list.
Conventions and trade shows
- 2026 BC Fairs Learning Exchange (October 16 to 17, 2026), Saanichton, BC: The two-day training gathering at the Saanich Fairgrounds includes workshops, keynotes and the association's annual general meeting, with Saanich Fair and West Coast Amusements as partners.41
- 109th Annual BC Fairs Conference (2019), Sun Peaks, BC: The province announced that the 2019 edition of the yearly conference took place in Sun Peaks, with provincial support for organizers and members attending.5
History
- Representatives of existing fairs met at a central convention on January 31, 1910, which the association treats as its beginning.1
- The provincial Department of Agriculture of that era wanted fairs grouped into district circuits and using matching prize lists.1
- In 2014 the province reported that the association and eighteen agricultural fairs together received community gaming grants.6
- The provincial agriculture ministry teamed up with the association on a summer Buy BC campaign that placed local-product exhibits at fifteen fairs.7
Where they operate
- British Columbia: Its member fairs are spread around the province, from Vancouver Island to the Peace region.12
Linked places have a page in the directory.
Linked in the directory
- Member: PNE Fair. The BC Fairs 2026 event schedule lists the Pacific National Exhibition, running from August 22 to September 7, among its member events.2
- Related: West Coast Amusements. West Coast Amusements is named as a partner of the 2026 Learning Exchange, alongside Saanich Fair.4
What we worked out
Not stated outright by any one source. This is our arithmetic or reading of the sources cited.
- A start in 1910 means the association marks 116 years in 2026.1
What we couldn't confirm
- No formal incorporation date or BC Societies registry number was confirmed; the 1910 date is the convention the association itself names as its start.
- Edition numbering does not line up neatly: a 2019 provincial release called that year's gathering the 109th annual conference, which would put the first one in 1911 if held every year, versus the 1910 convention named on the BC Fairs site.
- Member count differs by source and date: the BC Fairs About page says 48 fairs, a 2019 provincial release says 47 agricultural societies; the 2026 event schedule lists 40 events.
- The BC Fairs About page shows two postal codes for the Sechelt office, so no postal code is given here.
- Towns for the named members come from the fair names and the member logos and links, not from a written list of towns; Saanich Fair's town comes from the Saanichton fairgrounds address on the Learning Exchange page.
- The PNE is listed as a member event on the BC Fairs schedule; whether Playland has any separate tie to BC Fairs was not checked and no link is made.
- The Buy BC campaign page does not state its year; its link points to a 2019 provincial release, so it is likely 2019 but not confirmed.
The Midway Mailbag
New fairs, festivals, midways and attractions as we add them to the directory. About twice a month in fair season, less in winter.
Sources
Official sources first. We paraphrase; nothing is copied. We use no logos or photos.
- BC Fairs: BC Fairs home and About Us. Read on · official
- BC Fairs: Events: 2026 event schedule. Read on · official
- BC Fairs: Membership. Read on · official
- BC Fairs: 2026 BC Fairs Learning Exchange built for agriculture events. Read on · official
- BC Gov News: Celebrating a season of B.C. fairs and exhibitions. Read on · government
- BC Gov News: Gaming grants helped support B.C. agricultural fairs. Read on · government
- Buy BC (Government of British Columbia): Buy BC was a main attraction at B.C. fairs this past summer. Read on · government