The October 2026 fair dates below have passed. The Brunswick County Agricultural Fair & Expo in Ash was scheduled for October 21-25, Columbus County’s fair for October 13-18, and Raleigh’s State Fair for October 15-25. These were separate events from Wilmington’s former Cape Fear Fair & Expo.
This guide keeps their published 2026 schedules and Brunswick’s admission-and-ride budget examples for reference. Dreamland’s Brunswick page now says to look for the fair in 2027, with midway hours marked TBA. That notice supplies no exact dates for the next edition, and the 2026 ticket deals below have expired.
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. The published location was Stump Hill Farms, 2030 Ash Little River Road NW in Ash. Keep that event name separate from the old Wilmington fair when looking for a future announcement. Don’t use the old Cape Fear domain as a ticket source.
The published October 2026 fair schedules
| Fair | Scheduled 2026 dates, now past | Destination | Published features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus County Agriculture Fair | October 13-18 | Whiteville | 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 requiring a longer trip from Wilmington |
For a future visit, use your actual lodging address and the newly confirmed 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’s published 2026 hours and admission
The 2026 schedule previously published by the midway operator listed 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. Those hours describe the past edition. They are not operating hours for a future fair; the operator currently lists midway hours as TBA.
The fair’s admission page, checked Oct. 26 and still headed with the 2026 dates, 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’s general parental policy also limits entry to four minors per adult and asks adults to be ready to show photo ID. These terms need a fresh check when another edition is announced.
The fair’s prohibited-items policy prohibits outside food and drinks, alcohol and pets. For a disability-related animal or access question, contact the organizer directly rather than interpreting a short website label as the complete applicable rule.
Archived 2026 admission and ride budget
Dreamland’s listing recorded on Oct. 5, 2026, showed advance ride wristbands at $21.25 for one or $76.75 for four, including the listed fees. That advance sale ended Oct. 21 at 4 p.m. The wristbands were for one event day, and the four-person package had to be redeemed together. Listed on-site unlimited-ride wristbands were $32, or $30 with the cash discount. The operator’s current page no longer lists those prices; the figures below preserve that expired listing.
For two paying adults and two paying children who all wanted wristbands, the published four-pack plus cash gate admission totaled $104.75: $76.75 + (4 Ă— $7). Card gate admission made that $108.75. At the listed on-site cash prices, the same four people would have paid $148: (4 Ă— $30) + (4 Ă— $7). These are historical admission-and-wristband examples. Food, games and transport were extra; the fair listed free parking. A non-riding adult did not need a ride wristband simply to attend.
Archived 2026 costs for four paying riders
Shared scale: 0 to $148
For future planning, free gate admission doesn’t mean a child can use every ride. Dreamland’s general policy requires riders to be at least 36 inches tall for an unlimited-ride wristband; 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.
Planning a future fair visit
Start with the organizer’s next dated announcement before arranging a drive or buying tickets. Match the event name, entrance and edition, then check ride-height requirements, the adult-to-minor policy and weather terms. Dreamland’s current general policy says online sales are final and there are no weather rain checks; a new ticket listing still needs its own review.
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.
If your trip is before another fair is announced, use the Wilmington activities guide to plan the day you have. Save the fair budget comparison for a future edition with published dates and tickets.
