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

— Written by Debbie Roos | December 15, 2025 (Updated: March 9, 2026, 1:41 p.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.

The Spring Ag Fest will offer something for everyone:

Livestock Arena Events
4-H Kids' Zone
Petting Zoo
Gardening Demonstrations
Cooking Demonstrations
Antique Tractor Display
Exhibitors and Vendors
Food Trucks

Livestock Arena Events

Note there are events scheduled in two areas, the Livestock Arena and the Grass Arena.

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

Livestock Arena Schedule of Events:

10:00 am
Welcome and Flag Presentation

10:15 am
Horse Parade of Breeds

10:30 am
Cow Milking Demonstration

10:45 am
Roping Demo

11:00 am
Cow Milking Demonstration

11:30 am – Diamond 1 Booth
Roping Dummy Contest

11:30 am
Drone Demonstration

12:00 pm
Cow Milking Demonstration

12:30 pm
Barrel Racing Demo & Stick Horse Race

1:00 pm
Making Magic Trick Riding

1:30 pm
Sheep Show

2:30 pm
Drone Demonstration

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

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
Mural Painting
Wildflower Seed Bomb Making
Observation Honey Bee Hive & Pollinator Planting Activity with Master Beekeepers
Meat Puzzle from the NC Cattlemen's Association
Sensory-friendly Area
4-H Exhibits

In the Kids' Zone, youth of all ages can engage in a variety of exciting activities, including an observation bee hive and pollinator planting with a Master Beekeeper, where they’ll learn about caring for bees and other pollinators in our environment. For a hands-on experience, there will be wildflower seed bomb making, where participants can create their own little patches of nature to take on the go. 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.

Petting Zoo

Visit the Livestock Arena for a chance to interact with a variety of animals during Ag Fest!

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

Gardening Demonstrations

The Chatham County Extension Master Gardener Volunteers will share their knowledge, experience, and enthusiasm on a variety of topics at the Demonstration Garden.

Demonstration Schedule:

10:30 am
Winter Garden Clean-up

11:15 am
How to a Buy Healthy Plant

12:00 pm
How to Transplant

12:45 pm
How to Divide a Rootbound Potted Plant

1:30 pm
How to Divide an Established Plant

2:15 pm
Why & How to Mulch Plants

Cooking Demonstrations

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

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

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 Enterprises
Avillion Farm
B & L Landscape Supply
Blessed Phillips Farm
Bound to Happen Publishing
Bree Essentials
Broley Homestead
Brush Creek Swiss Farms
Cactus Cowgirl
CARE (Chatham Animal Rescue & Education)
Carolina Sunshine Alpaca
CCCC Sustainable Ag
Chatham County Sheriff’s Office – Animal Resource Center
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 Solid Waste & Recycling
Chatham County Tax Office – PUV Program
Chatham County Watershed Protection
Chatham Farmland Preservation
Chatham Mills Farmers’ Market
Chatham Soil & Water
Confectious Creations
Country Farm & Home
Cumberland Road Woodturning
Deep River Folk School
Diamond 1 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
M&P Aerial Application
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
Pittsboro Farmers Market
Pittsboro Landscape Supply
Pittsboro Police Department
Quality Equipment - Pittsboro
Rabbit Patch Baskets
Rachels Native Plants
Rocky River Hemp
Rural Heritage Council
Seaforth FFA
Siler City Growers and Makers Market
Society of St. Andrew
Spangler Horses and Mules
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
CNJ Smack Your Lips Food Truck
Duck Donuts (Duck Truck)
Food by H & V
Henry's Hot Chicken
Jeremiah’s Ice
Lil Reggie's Cookies
Mapleview Farms
Sunset Slush of Dunn
Tacos Paraiso 1
Theo's Pig & Cow

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

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.