Organized in 1912, the Maine Association of Agricultural Fairs has had over 75 Presidents serve the organization since its inception! Not only do local agricultural fairs provide an opportunity for school gardens to visit and learn, they also participate in MSGN’s School Garden Grown! Program and offer 2 scholarships for high school students annually.
Agricultural fairs in Maine are held around the state during the summer and into the fall. You can search for fairs by location or date on their website using the link below. Many fairs participate in MSGN’s School Garden Grown! program, an opportunity for local schools to promote awareness of their great work and show off their school garden’s bounty. MSGN encourages schools to enter their produce in agricultural fairs, and we work with volunteers and fair personnel to display stickers on their produce once exhibition hall judging takes place.
Their Annual Conference is always held the last weekend in January and in 2026, is scheduled for January 23-25 in Bangor at the Cross Center, a change in location from their previous conferences held in Portland. Geared to fair personnel, it brings fairs, entertainers, carnivals, vendors, State & National organizations, livestock departments, pulling superintendents and more together to plan the best fairs possible!
The MAAF Foundation is organized to establish and support educational, charitable and literacy activities in the advancement and improvement of agriculture science, fairs, expositions and shows and was created in 2023 to continue the scholarship program previously run by the Maine Association of Agricultural Fairs. MAAF Foundation grants at least two (2) $2000.00 scholarships to graduating high school seniors pursuing postsecondary education in an agricultural-related field. The deadline to apply is April 15th.
Want to know more?!
- Email them at mainefairs@gmail.com
- Check out their website at https://mainefairs.net
- Attend a fair in your area: https://mainefairs.net/fairs/fair-calendar/
- Follow them on Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/MaineAgriculturalFairs
- Apply for a scholarship here: https://maaffound.com/service-pages/scholarship/
- Donate to the Scholarship Fund here: https://maaffound.com/inner-pages/donate-now/
- MSGN School Garden Grown! https://msgn.org/events/school-garden-grown/
