Preserving the History of the Venango County Fair
For generations, the Venango County Fair has brought people together around agriculture, education, competition, and community traditions. A new effort is helping make sure the history created along the way is preserved and shared for years to come.
Established in July 2026, the Venango County Fair Alumni Fund is a fiscally sponsored project of Bridge Builders Community Foundations. The project was created to preserve, protect, and celebrate the history and traditions of the fair and the people who have been part of it.
More Than a Week at the Fair
For many people, the Venango County Fair brings to mind a familiar week each summer. But the fair’s role in the community extends well beyond those few days.
The Venango County Fair supports youth and families, 4-H, agricultural and educational activities, and the continued maintenance and development of the fairgrounds. The grounds also serve as a community resource throughout the year for programs, events, agricultural activities, and other uses.
Over the years, all of that activity has created a history worth preserving.
Photographs capture exhibitors with their projects and animals. Awards recognize years of hard work and achievement. Programs, records, memorabilia, and other artifacts document how the fair has changed while many of its traditions have continued.
Together, these pieces tell the story of generations of local families, exhibitors, volunteers, agricultural leaders, and community members who have helped make the Venango County Fair what it is today.
The Venango County Fair Alumni Fund is creating a way to preserve those pieces of history and make them more accessible to the community.
A Permanent Home for Fair History
The group is currently raising funds toward the construction of a new building on the Venango County Fairgrounds.
The proposed building would provide a permanent home for the fair’s archives along with dedicated space to display photographs, awards, memorabilia, records, and other historical items.
Having a central location would allow these materials to be better protected, organized, and shared with visitors. It would also create new opportunities to tell the story of the fair, recognize the people who have contributed to it over the years, and introduce future generations to Venango County’s agricultural and cultural heritage.
The larger purpose of the project goes beyond collecting artifacts. It is about preserving the stories and traditions connected to them and providing a place where those stories can continue to be shared.
An Opportunity to Double Your Gift
There is currently an added opportunity for community members who would like to support the project.
An anonymous donor has offered to match donations to the Venango County Fair Alumni Fund up to $10,000.
Contributions made by December 1, 2026 will support the current fundraising effort to establish the permanent archive and display space on the Venango County Fairgrounds.
That means gifts made during the matching period can go twice as far toward creating a permanent place for the photographs, records, awards, and memories that tell the fair’s story.
Keeping Local History Local
Projects like this are one example of why community foundations exist.
Bridge Builders Community Foundations works to connect people who care about their communities with opportunities to make a lasting difference. Sometimes that means supporting immediate community needs. Other times, it means helping preserve something that has been meaningful to a community for generations.
The Venango County Fair has a long history of bringing people together, supporting agriculture, and creating opportunities for young people and families. BBCF is proud to serve as the fiscal sponsor for an effort that will help preserve that history and keep it connected to the community where it was made.
Supporting the Venango County Fair Alumni Fund helps ensure that the fair’s photographs, stories, accomplishments, and traditions are not only remembered, but available for future generations to see and experience for themselves.
Support the Venango County Fair Alumni Fund
Donations made by December 1, 2026 will count toward the current matching opportunity, with gifts matched up to a total of $10,000.
Make a gift to the Venango County Fair Alumni Fund.
- Click here to donate online now.
- Mail a check to Bridge Builders Community Foundations with Venango County Fair Alumni Fund in the memo line.
The Venango County Fair Alumni Fund is a fiscally sponsored project of Bridge Builders Community Foundations.
