Plan for Fun at the 2026 Chatham County Spring Ag Fest!

— Written by Debbie Roos | December 15, 2025 (Updated: March 27, 2026, 11:47 a.m.)

Spring Ag Fest

Celebrating Chatham County Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resources

Saturday, March 28, 2026

10 a.m.–3 p.m.

This is a FREE Event!

Chatham County Agriculture & Conference Center

1192 US 64 W Business Pittsboro, NC 27312

Chatham County invites residents to join us for our 6th annual Spring Ag Fest at the Chatham County Agriculture & Conference Center (CCACC) on Saturday, March 28, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Spring Ag Fest is a celebration of Chatham County's agriculture, forestry, and natural resources.

This event is made possible by the collaborative efforts of the Chatham County Center of N.C. Cooperative Extension, Chatham County Agriculture & Conference Center, Chatham County Farm Bureau, Chatham County Government, Chatham Soil & Water Conservation District, Farm Service Agency, and the NC Forest Service.

The Spring Ag Fest is free and open to the public.

Get Up-to-Date Info on All Events While at Ag Fest!

On Saturday, the day of Ag Fest, there will be a lot going on all over the site from the 10 am opening until 3 pm closing. Some of these events and demonstrations are at scheduled times, and occasionally the schedule changes due to circumstances beyond our control. Sign up for text updates to get schedule changes, event reminders, and announcements on the day of Ag Fest.

All you have to do is text "agfest" to 833-471-1078. We recommend you do this before the day of the event. No spam, just fun!

Ag Fest Activities

The Spring Ag Fest will offer something for everyone:

Livestock Arena Events
4-H Kids' Zone
Petting Zoo
EMGV Demonstration Garden
Cooking Demonstrations
Video Screening
Antique Tractor Display
Exhibitors and Vendors
Food Trucks

Livestock Arena Events

Livestock Arena Events are scheduled in three areas:

Livestock Arena
Grass Arena
Small fenced parking lot behind (north of) the Ag Center

Events at the Livestock Arena are weather-dependent and subject to change.

Lots of fun events and activities are scheduled at or near the Livestock Arena for Ag Fest! Observe a cow milking demonstration by the NC State Animal Science Club and get your photo taken with a dairy cow from the Howling Cow Dairy at NC State! Kids can practice their roping skills by roping dummies and if they want a challenge, enter the roping contest in the arena.

Livestock Arena Schedule of Events:

10:00 am
Welcome and Flag Presentation

10:15 am
Parade of Breeds

10:30 am
Cow Milking Demonstration (Dairy Booth)

10:45 am
Roping Demo

11:00 am
Cow Milking Demonstration (Dairy Booth)

11:45 am
Roping Dummy Contest*

12:00 pm
Cow Milking Demonstration (Dairy Booth)

12:30 pm
Barrel Racing Demo & Stick Horse Race

1:00 pm
Making Magic Trick Riding

1:00 pm
Cow Milking Demonstration (Dairy Booth)

1:30 pm
Sheep Show

2:00 pm
Cow Milking Demonstration (Dairy Booth)

*Kids can practice roping dummies all day outside the Livestock Arena!

Grass Arena Schedule of Events:

11:30 am
Working Dog Demo featuring Claire Apple of Not Quite Right Farm

2:00 pm
Working Dog Demo featuring Claire Apple of Not Quite Right Farm

2:30 pm
Sheep Scramble

Small Fenced Parking Lot (behind the Ag Center) Schedule of Events:

11:15 am
Drone Demonstration by Chatham GIS

2:30 pm
Drone Demonstration by Chatham GIS

Drone demo video courtesy of M&P Aerial Application.

4-H Kids' Zone

Visitors will discover lots of fun activities to try in the 4-H Kids' Zone!

Pedal Tractor Pull Contest for Kids! Sign-up from 11:00 am-12:30 pm; pull starts at 1:00 pm
Kids' Farmers' Market
Bouncy Bunny & Horse Race
Face Painting by Splendorfarkle
Mural Painting
Meat Puzzle from the NC Cattlemen's Association
Sensory-friendly Area
4-H Exhibits

In the Kids' Zone, kids can enjoy the fun of bouncy animal racing, while artists and creative spirits can join in mural painting to help add vibrant artwork to the space. The sensory-friendly area provides a quiet retreat for those who need a more calming environment. For those seeking a challenge, there’s a meat puzzle to piece together, and a kids' pedal tractor race for some competitive fun. Also make sure and visit the 4-H exhibits!

Petting Zoo

Visit the Livestock Arena for a chance to interact with a variety of animals during Ag Fest! Petting Zoo hours will be from 10:30 am until 2:30 pm.

The Petting Zoo is possible thanks to the generous support of the Chatham County Farm Bureau.

Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Demonstration Garden

Have gardening questions? Ask an Extension Master Gardener℠ volunteer!

Join the NC State Extension Master Gardener℠ Volunteers of Chatham County and Horticulture Extension Agent Matt Jones in the Demo Garden to explore the world of home gardening and horticulture. Visit interactive booths featuring native plants, vegetable gardening, soil testing, grafted tomatoes, bluebirds, ergonomic gardening tools, and more.

Explore our demonstration areas, including a native plant garden, four vegetable beds, and a composting site, designed to inspire and support gardeners of all experience levels.

The Master Gardener Volunteers will be taking orders for grafter heirloom tomato plants in the Demo Garden during Ag Fest.

Order grafted heirloom tomato plants to set yourself up for success this summer in the garden!

Cooking Demonstrations

Family & Consumer Sciences Extension Agent Tara Gregory will conduct cooking demonstrations in the Teaching Kitchen inside the Ag Center.

Cooking Demo Schedule:

11:00 am
Sweet Potato Remix: New Recipes & Fast Cooking Tips

12:30 pm
Pressure Cooking 101: Shredded Beef Made Simple

1:45 pm
Sweet Potato Remix: New Recipes & Fast Cooking Tips

Video Screening

Come take a break and learn more about agriculture in Chatham County. We will have short videos running on continuous loop that highlight different aspects of the agriculture community in Chatham County, from what the county is doing to preserve farmland to family stories of two farm families. Watch these videos in Meeting Rooms A & B in the Conference Center.

Exhibitors & Vendors

Indoor and outdoor exhibitors and vendors will highlight local farms, farmers’ markets, sustainable agriculture, agricultural support and advocacy, agribusiness, beekeeping, livestock, forestry, green industry, wildlife, conservation, and much more. Visitors will get to meet Smokey Bear and chat with our local forest rangers.

AgSouth Farm Credit ACA
Arbor Landscape 2.0
B & L Landscape Supply
Barn Loft
Blessed Phillips Farm
Bound to Happen Publishing
Bree Essentials
Broley Homestead
Brush Creek Swiss Oxen Team
Cactus Cowgirl
CARE (Chatham Animal Rescue & Education)
Carolina Sunshine Alpaca
CCCC Sustainable Ag
Celebrity Dairy
Chatham Chatlist
Chatham County Beekeepers Association
Chatham County Farm Bureau
Chatham County Farm Bureau Women's Committee
Chatham County GIS
Chatham County Historical Association
Chatham County Public Libraries
Chatham County Sheriff’s Office – Animal Resource Center
Chatham County Solid Waste & Recycling
Chatham County Tax Office – PUV Program
Chatham County Watershed Protection
Chatham Farmland Preservation
Chatham Mills Farmers’ Market
Chatham SAFE Kids
Chatham Soil & Water
Clyde Jones
Confectious Creations
Country Farm & Home
Cumberland Road Woodturning
Deep River Folk School
Diamond I Productions
Farm Friends Rescue
Fidelis Fields Farms
First Leaf Microgreens
Flying C Farm
Friends of the Lower Haw River
Grand Trees of Chatham
Green Beagle Lodge
Haw River Assembly
J&M Livestock and Land Services
James River Equipment
Jordan Lake Farms
Land Loss Prevention Project
Liberty Acres Animal Haven & Equine Rescue
Making Magic Trick Riding
Mary Mel Family Farm
Mary Mel Farms
Nature on Your Doorstep
Nature's Light Candles LLC
NC Cattlemen's Association
North Carolina Conservation Outreach Project
NC Dept. of Agriculture & Consumer Services: Farmland Preservation
NC Farm Bureau Insurance
NC Forest Service
NC Native Plant Society
NC Purple Martin Society
NC State Extension Forestry
NCSU Animal Science Club, NCSU Dairy
NCSU Cooperative Extension - Poultry
NCSU Dairy - Milk Booth
NCSU Extension Master Gardeners
New Hope Bird Alliance
Not Quite Right Farm
NRCS Natural Resources Conservation
Pedal Tractor Pull
Piedmont Fibershed
Pilkington Farms
Pittsboro Farmers' Market
Pittsboro Landscape Supply
Pittsboro Police Department
Quality Equipment - Pittsboro
Rabbit Patch Baskets
Rachels Native Plants
Rocky River Hemp
Rural Heritage Council
Scouts of America
Seaforth FFA
Siler City Growers and Makers Market
Society of St. Andrew
Splendorfarkle
Triangle Land Conservancy
US Army Corps of Engineers
Woodland Farms
Wright's Brothers Tree Service
Zoomies Funny Farm

Food Trucks

50 Kitchen
BareBakedPizza
Carolina Sugar Clouds
Duck Donuts (Duck Truck)
Food by H & V
Henry's Hot Chicken
Lil Reggie's Cookies
Mapleview Farms
Sunset Slush of Dunn
Tacos Paraiso 1
Theo's Pig & Cow

Site Map

Ag Center site with designated Ag Fest activities

Parking

Parking is available on-site at the Chatham County Agricultural & Conference Center but it does fill up during big events like Ag Fest. We have arranged for free shuttles from Chatham Transit starting at 9:30 am and ending at 3:30 pm. Look for the yellow Ag Center Shuttle signs!

Shuttle Stops:

Central Carolina Community College - two pick-up locations:

First shuttle stop in front of Building 1 at the stop sign
Second shuttle stop in front of Chatham Community Library

Department of Social Services

Shuttle stop at front door of DSS, 102 Camp Dr.

Chatham County Sheriff’s Office

Shuttle stop on McClenahan St., in between Sheriff’s Office Main and Annex buildings

map showing four parking shuttle locations

For More Information

For general questions about the Spring Ag Fest, email Tiffany Hancock.

View a slideshow featuring photos from the 2025 Spring Ag Fest. (Click on the first photo then click on the icon in the bottom right of the screen if you want to enlarge the photo.) Below are a few photo highlights from the 2025 Ag Fest.

Teamster Allison Sturgill with Gabe and Liam from Brush Creek Swiss Oxen in the Parade of Breeds event at the Livestock Arena. Photo by Debbie Roos.

Teamster Alliston Sturgill took Gabe and Liam all around the Conference Center property and they drew crowds whereever they went. They are very gentle and have been a popular attraction at Ag Fest for years. — Teamster Alliston Sturgill drove Gabe and Liam all around the Conference Center property and they drew crowds everywhere they went. They are very gentle and have been a popular attraction at Ag Fest for years. Photo by Debbie Roos.

Horseback riders demonstrated their roping skills for the crowd at the Livestock Arena. Photo by Debbie Roos.

After everyone watched the horseback roping demonstration, the kids got a chance to practice their roping skills! Photo by Debbie Roos.

The smiles, giggles, and encouragement were abundant during the kids' roping practice. A few adults tried it out too! Photo by Debbie Roos.

Dog trainer Claire Apple of Not Quite Right Farm did a fun, entertaining, and educational dog herding demonstration with her Shetland sheepdogs and heritage breed turkeys. Photo by Debbie Roos.

Peep looks towards Claire for guidance on her next move. Photo by Debbie Roos.

Parade of Breeds. — Levi Blackwood shows a Brown Swiss heifer in the Parade of Dairy Breeds. Photo by Debbie Roos.

Barrel racing — Kaci Isley demonstrates barrel racing. Photo by Debbie Roos.

Extension Master Gardener demonstration — The Chatham Extension Master Gardener Volunteers had interactive activities in their demonstration garden. Photo by Sheri Chandler.

Diane May of Jordan Lake Farm was one of the outdoor exhibitors. — Diana May of Jordan Lake Farms was one of the outdoor exhibitors. Photo by Debbie Roos.

The food trucks were a popular gathering spot! — The food trucks were a popular gathering spot for hungry Ag Fest visitors! Photo by Debbie Roos.

Everybody had great fun at the 4-H Kids' Zone! Photo by Debbie Roos.

The bouncy critters proved to be a popular addition to the 4-H Kids' Zone. Photo by Debbie Roos.

Master Beekeeper Lori Hawkins with the Chatham County Beekeepers' Association brought a honey bee observation hive and some pollinator plants for the kids to plant. — Master Beekeeper Lori Hawkins (left) with the Chatham County Beekeepers' Association brought a honey bee observation hive and some pollinator plants for the kids to plant and take home. Photo by Debbie Roos.

The kids had fun at the pedal tractor pull. Photo by Debbie Roos.

The Exhibit Hall was packed with vendors and interesting and educational exhibits. Photo by Debbie Roos.

The Exhibit Hall was a great place to learn and network and buy cool stuff! Melinda from Country Farm & Home talks to a visitor about organic farm and gardening supplies. Photo by Debbie Roos.

The Twin Birch & Teasel booth had really cool fiber art tools to demonstrate (and sell) for folks of all ages. Photo by Debbie Roos.

Rocky River Hemp educated folks about the hemp and CBD products they grow and sell in Chatham County. Photo by Debbie Roos.

NC State is an equal opportunity provider. Persons with disabilities and persons with limited English proficiency may request accommodations to participate by contacting Tiffany Hancock, Marketing & Media Support Specialist, at 919.545-8304, tiffany_hancock@ncsu.edu, or in person at the County Extension Office at least 30 days prior to the event.