The very first Brown County Fair in New Ulm, MN took place in 1867 on the grounds of the historic Turner Hall.  The Brown County Fair was managed by the Brown County Agricultural Society and continues to be to this day. In early years the fair was always held in September, only lasting a weekend.  Influenced by crop production in the given year; the fair often was announced only ten days before its opening.

After the Agricultural Society merged with the New Ulm Breeders Association,  who had created a horse racing track on the north end of town in the height of the harness horse racing era, the fair was moved to its current site in 1896. Currently, the oldest building original to our grounds is the Exhibition Hall, now known as the FFA Building, was built in 1909. Our grounds now includes an original Brown County school house & cabin, which were relocated to the grounds from their original sites.