In this hands-on, full-day school field trip experience, students of all ages explore animals, exhibits, and the heart of community at the Stephenson County Fair.
Reservation requests are required in advance and subject to availability.
The Stephenson County Fair is pleased to offer Discover the Fair, a full-day, immersive field trip experience designed to introduce students to agriculture, animals, community partners, and hands-on learning in a fun and memorable way.
This program was piloted last year with Hope Wins, welcoming 50 students and 15 staff members for a complete day at the fairgrounds. The experience ran from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and combined animal barns, interactive exhibits, educational stations, and classic fair fun, with the help of Junior Fair volunteers guiding students through the Fairgrounds.
Any group can schedule a visit
- Elementary & middle school groups
- Homeschool co-ops
- Youth organizations
How the Program Works
Groups may choose between:
- Self-guided tours, following a provided itinerary at their own pace
- Guided tours for groups of 30 or more students, where Junior Fair volunteers help direct groups between stations.
(Guided tours require the school or organization to provide at least two adult leaders per small group.)
To ensure a quality experience, only one guided tour is available per day, and guided tour availability is limited to Tuesday through Friday, as animals begin leaving the fairgrounds on Saturday. Groups interested in a guided experience are encouraged to sign up early.
Meals, Admission & Added Value
- For groups of 15 or more, fair admission fees are waived for participating students and staff.
- The Hog House has graciously offered $5 lunch meals for field trip groups.
- Each student will receive a free ride ticket to encourage families to come back together later in the week.
Extend the Learning
Groups interested in creating a theme week around agriculture are welcome to do so. We can help connect educators with Ag in the Classroom materials to prepare students ahead of time, and classes may also explore the barns in advance through our virtual tour videos, including this short introduction:
https://youtube.com/shorts/ZMDjGFoef4M?feature=share
2025 Discover the Fair – Student Learning Experience
Below is a sample itinerary from our pilot program, included to show how the day may flow and what students can expect during their visit. 2026 will be similar, the details of the stations will be finalized early July.
- 9 am arrive at the Fairgrounds
- 9:15am Meet at the Community Tent, explain the Ag tour
- 9:30-10:15 Tour the Barns – broken into groups per barn (8 barns)
- 10:30am Racing Pigs(All together)
- 11:00 AM – Split up as small groups exploring:
- Heritage Hall Museum & Activity Center
- Vendors & Commercial Exhibits
- Military Appreciation
- Fire Department Course
- Pretty Bird Paradise
- Farm Fun Zone Tent
- 11:30 AM – Giant Foam Party (All together)
- 12pm Lunch from the Hog House (All together)
- 1:00 PM–3pm Split up as small groups exploring:
- Face Painting
- Balloon Creations
- Kids Inflatable Area
- Ford Adventure Track
- Tour the 4-H Building and activities
- Milk a Cow at Heritage Hall
- 3:00 PM – Wrap-Up & Group Check-In (All together)
- Meet near entrance or assigned bus location
- Final headcount and departure prep
- 3:30 PM – Departure