2026
Walkerton • Bruce County • BruceGreySimcoe
The International Plowing Match & Rural Expo 2026 is one of Ontario’s largest agricultural and rural events, celebrating farming, rural living, agricultural innovation, food production, and community spirit through a multi-day gathering in Walkerton, Ontario.
Visitor Information
📍 Location: Walkerton, Ontario
🎪 Event Type: Agricultural Expo, Plowing Match & Rural Celebration
👨👩👧👦 Best For: Families, farmers, rural explorers, agricultural enthusiasts, food lovers, and visitors interested in Ontario agriculture
🗓 2026 Dates: September 22–26, 2026
Plan Your Visit
⏱ Time Needed: Plan a full day or multiple days to experience the many exhibits, demonstrations, competitions, vendors, and activities across the extensive grounds.
🚜 Event Highlights: Competitive plowing matches, farm machinery demonstrations, agricultural exhibits, local food experiences, entertainment, and rural lifestyle showcases.
🌾 Agricultural Experiences: Crop demonstrations, livestock exhibits, farm equipment displays, agricultural education, and rural innovation exhibits.
🛍 Vendor Areas: Hundreds of exhibitors featuring agriculture, rural services, crafts, local foods, home products, and farming technology.
🎠 Family Activities: Entertainment, educational exhibits, children’s activities, demonstrations, and interactive rural experiences.
📅 Annual Timing: Late September
🌐 Official Website: International Plowing Match & Rural Expo
Celebrating Ontario Agriculture in Bruce County
The International Plowing Match & Rural Expo (IPM) is one of Ontario’s most important agricultural traditions, bringing together rural communities, farm organizations, exhibitors, and visitors to celebrate agriculture and country life.
Hosted in Walkerton for 2026, the event showcases the strength of Bruce County’s agricultural sector while welcoming visitors from across Ontario and beyond. Organized by the Ontario Plowmen’s Association, the IPM combines traditional plowing competitions with modern agricultural innovation, education, entertainment, and rural culture.
Visitors can experience competitive plowing events, livestock displays, educational exhibits, local food vendors, rural crafts, and agricultural demonstrations while learning more about Ontario’s farming industry and rural communities.
The event also highlights the importance of agriculture within Ontario’s economy and culture, offering visitors a unique opportunity to connect directly with farmers, producers, and rural organizations from across the province.
Did You Know?
The International Plowing Match dates back more than a century and is considered one of the largest outdoor agricultural events in Canada.
Each year, farmland is transformed into a temporary rural community featuring roads, exhibit halls, entertainment areas, camping facilities, and extensive agricultural demonstration spaces.
Bruce County is one of Ontario’s strongest agricultural regions, known for livestock farming, crop production, and vibrant rural communities.
About the Match
A Celebrated Ontario Tradition Showcasing Agriculture, Innovation & Rural Community Spirit Since 1913
The International Plowing Match & Rural Expo (IPM) is one of Ontario’s most iconic agricultural traditions—an event that has united farmers, rural residents, exhibitors, and visitors since 1913. Organized by the Ontario Plowmen’s Association, the IPM is far more than a competition; it is a full-scale celebration of agricultural heritage, rural innovation, and community collaboration. Each year, a different Ontario municipality proudly hosts the event, transforming open farmland into a thriving temporary town.
A Tradition Rooted in Farming Excellence & Rural Cooperation
The IPM began in the early 20th century when Ontario’s agricultural leaders sought an event where farmers could compete, learn, educate the public, and share new ideas. Plowing, an essential skill and symbol of agricultural craftsmanship—became the centrepiece competition.
The earliest matches showcased:
- Horse-drawn plowing
- Teamwork, precision & soil knowledge
- Field crop demonstrations
- Machinery advancements of the era
Over time, the event expanded to include modern mechanized plowing, heritage techniques, and agricultural education programs for all ages.
Agriculture at the Heart of the IPM
While the IPM has grown into one of the province’s largest outdoor events, agriculture remains at its core:
- Conventional, reversible, antique & horse-drawn plowing divisions
- Soil management and land stewardship demonstrations
- Field crop displays and research plots
- Modern farm machinery showcases
- Educational programs promoting rural literacy
- Agricultural exhibitors representing every sector of Ontario farming
These elements highlight the innovation, heritage, and skill that define Ontario’s agricultural landscape.
Exhibitions, Learning & Rural Showcase Programming
The IPM includes a wide variety of exhibits and activities designed to inform, entertain, and inspire:
- Homecraft, quilting, baking & textile exhibits
- Rural artisans, woodworkers & demonstrators
- Livestock showcases
- 4-H exhibits & youth learning zones
- Heritage reenactments and cultural presentations
- Agri-food education hubs
- Vendor marketplaces and local culinary artisans
This combination brings together the very best of rural Ontario creativity.
Youth Participation & Agricultural Literacy
The IPM places major emphasis on youth involvement, delivering programs that help young people:
- Understand modern agriculture
- Build leadership and teamwork skills
- Participate in competitions and displays
- Explore careers in agri-food
- Contribute to their communities through 4-H and school projects
Generational traditions, families competing or volunteering together—remain a defining element of the IPM experience.
Powered by Volunteers, Municipal Partners & Local Pride
One of the IPM’s most remarkable strengths is its volunteer foundation. Each host community forms a Local Organizing Committee supported by hundreds of volunteers who help build, operate, and host the event. Their work includes:
- Preparing fields and infrastructure
- Coordinating vendors and exhibitors
- Supporting competitors
- Providing hospitality and services
- Showcasing their community at a provincial scale
Their dedication ensures that the IPM remains both successful and deeply rooted in regional identity.
A Celebration of Rural Identity Across Ontario
Each year, the IPM reflects Ontario’s most enduring agricultural values:
- Excellence in farming skills
- Innovation and technological progress
- Heritage preservation
- Youth leadership
- Volunteer commitment
- Community collaboration
A Tradition That Travels — And Thrives
More than 100 years after its founding, the International Plowing Match & Rural Expo continues to stand as one of Ontario’s greatest agricultural celebrations, honouring farming tradition, advancing rural innovation, and uniting communities across the province.
