The Cape Fear Fair & Expo’s old Wilmington dates shouldn’t be used to plan a 2026 visit. For a confirmed county fair near Wilmington, the Brunswick County Agricultural Fair & Expo runs October 21-25 at Stump Hill Farms, 2030 Ash Little River Road NW in Ash. Columbus County’s fair is another option the week before; Raleigh’s State Fair overlaps both.
Choose by your available day and what you want to pay for rides. Brunswick’s gate admission and ride tickets are separate, and the midway operator now publishes 2026 prices, so you can build a budget before leaving Wilmington.
What happened to the Cape Fear Fair?
WWAY’s August 2023 report says 2021 was the Cape Fear Fair’s last edition. Fair Manager Skip Watkins attributed the subsequent cancellations to the airport land lease ending and the cost and timing of finding another site. That explains the old fair’s interruption; it doesn’t establish a future revival date.
The October 21-25 dates on the Brunswick organizer’s site belong to the fair in Ash. Keep that event name and address together when navigating or buying tickets. Don’t use the old Cape Fear domain as a ticket source.
Choose your October fair
| Fair | Confirmed 2026 dates | Destination | Why choose it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus County Agriculture Fair | October 13-18 | Whiteville | An earlier October trip, with a midway, agricultural exhibits and shows |
| Brunswick County Agricultural Fair & Expo | October 21-25 | Stump Hill Farms, Ash | County-fair admission with a separately priced midway |
| N.C. State Fair | October 15-25 | Raleigh | A larger state-level event if you’re willing to make a longer trip |
Use your actual lodging address and the fair entrance for the driving estimate. Starting downtown, at Wrightsville Beach or on Pleasure Island changes the trip; check the return as well as the outbound journey before choosing an evening visit.
Brunswick hours and admission
The midway operator’s dated schedule lists Wednesday through Friday, October 21-23, from 4 to 11 p.m.; Saturday, October 24, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; and Sunday, October 25, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Closing can change with weather or attendance. Sunday offers a daytime visit; that’s a planning advantage for families who want to avoid a late drive, rather than a guarantee about ride suitability.
The fair’s admission page lists $7 cash or $8 card per paying guest, free entry for people 36 inches and under, and free parking. It prohibits entry after 10 p.m. All bags are checked, and guests under 18 must attend with a parent or adult guardian age 21 or older. Dreamland additionally limits entry to four minors per adult and asks adults to be ready to show photo ID.
Check the fair’s prohibited-items policy before packing. Outside food and drinks, alcohol and pets are prohibited. For a disability-related animal or access question, contact the organizer directly rather than interpreting a short website label as the complete applicable rule.
Budget for admission and rides separately
Dreamland’s October 5 listing shows advance ride wristbands at $21.25 for one or $76.75 for four, including the listed fees. That sale ends October 21 at 4 p.m.; the wristbands are usable on one event day, and the four-person package must be redeemed together. On-site unlimited-ride wristbands are listed at $32, or $30 with the cash discount.
For two paying adults and two paying children who all want wristbands, the four-pack plus cash gate admission totals $104.75: $76.75 + (4 × $7). Card gate admission makes that $108.75. At the listed on-site cash prices, the same four people would pay $148: (4 × $30) + (4 × $7). These are admission-and-wristband examples, not the full outing cost; food, games and transport are extra. A non-riding adult doesn’t need a wristband simply to attend.
Free gate admission doesn’t mean a child can use every ride. Wristbands require a rider to be at least 36 inches tall; individual ride limits vary and some require an adult rider. Check the actual ride requirements before choosing a ticket package. Wear closed-toe shoes for rides and bring a physical payment card if using Dreamland’s ticket boxes, which don’t accept tap-to-pay.
Before you leave Wilmington
Check organizer updates on the day of the trip. Dreamland states online sales are final and there are no weather rain checks, so an unsettled forecast matters before you buy. Its schedule can also change.
For an outing that doesn’t involve a midway ticket, compare free and low-cost Wilmington activities. Riverfest was canceled for 2026 and shouldn’t be treated as an alternative taking place that weekend. Fire in the Pines and the Cape Fear Kite Festival are separate events with their own dates and operating terms.
Pick the fair that fits the day you actually have, check the entrance in your map app, and leave enough of the budget for the food and rides your group wants.
