Carlton County Fair

August 13-16th, 2026

The Carlton County Historical Society operates three buildings on the fairgrounds: our large agricultural history (AKA machinery) building, where we have merchandise for sale, displays of early farming equipment, transportation, tools, and more.

You will also want to visit our living history farmhouse and barn to watch costumed interpreters demonstrate quilting, cooking on a wood stove, and daily life in the early 1900s.

Volunteer!

What is the Agricultural History building?

The Agricultural History building is located near the entrance to the grandstands. It houses a variety of farming equipment, horse-drawn carriages, and tools.

This is where we sell our barn calendars, memberships, and books. In this building, we would like volunteers to sell these items, and encourage visitors to look around. If you have knowledge of farming equipment, your knowledge would be priceless to us and to our visitors!

What is the Log Cabin?

The log cabin and barn is located near the entrance to the rides and games. The cabin is decorated like a 1910 farmhouse. Volunteers have the opportunity to dress up in costume and tell stories to visitors, play music on the front porch, or show visitors a craft such as woodcarving, knitting, weaving, sewing, spinning wool, etc. If you have any of these talents, we would love to have you there!

Interested?

Have some fun in one of our buildings this year! There is a variety of things to do and positions to fill. We need volunteers to help in both buildings.

To sign up to volunteer at the Carlton County Fair in one of the Historical Society buildings, visit volunteersignup.org/AWFJW

or call the museum at 218-879-1938.

Timeless Fair Fun!

1892

Peggy Denton 1965

1920

Past Fairs

The Barn Photo Committee also held a Barn Quilt Square Class in the Farm Machinery Building. Participants created their own designs, choose the colors to use and painted the wood squares to take home and put on their barns.

Just look at some of the beautiful designs created during the class at the fair!

And one of the creative participants worked on her first Barn Quilt Square.

Betty Carlson in the log cabin 1990

The Barn 1990

Volunteers enjoying the log cabin and barn!

Fair Volunteers!

Nancy Hanson signs her book on Carlton County Schools

The memorial bench dedicated in memory of Milo Rasmussen, our long time Board President and long time supporter of our Fair activities.

Nancy Hanson visits Cynthia Johnson at Fair

Rachel Johnson & friend play violins in agricultural history building.

2012 CARLTON COUNTY FAIR

In June 2012, Barnum and much of Carlton County suffered the consequences of a devastating flood. The three Carlton County Historical Society buildings were damaged, needing clean-up and repair before the Fair opened in August.

The Farm Machinery building had 2 feet of water inside. The Log cabin & Barn had 4 feet of water