When is poultry show season?

The US show season runs mostly **fall through winter — roughly September through January** — with the heaviest concentration of shows in late fall and early winter, when birds are in fresh feather after the molt.

What's the biggest poultry show in the US?

The **Ohio National** in Columbus, OH is widely regarded as the largest poultry show in the country, typically held in **November**. The exact weekend is set each year, so confirm the current date on the official listing.

What are the exact 2027 show dates?

Specific 2027 dates and venues are set annually by the host clubs and are not fixed year to year. **Check Poultry Show Central and the APA/ABA sanctioned-show lists** for the current dates, and confirm directly with each organizer before planning travel.

Where can I find shows near me?

Use **Poultry Show Central**, which lets you filter shows by state, region, and month, and cross-check the **APA events map** and the **ABA sanctioned-show list** — a show may be sanctioned by one, the other, or both.

How far ahead do entries close?

Entries usually close **weeks in advance**, and often a month or more for the largest shows. Find your target show's date first, then lock in its entry deadline and plan conditioning backward from there.

Poultry Show Calendar 2027: When Shows Happen & How to Find Dates

Verified September 2026

The short version

The US poultry show season runs mostly fall through winter (roughly September–January), anchored by the Ohio National (typically November, in Columbus, OH — the largest show in the country) and the Northeastern Poultry Congress (typically January, in Springfield, MA). Exact 2027 dates and venues change every year, so confirm them against the live listings on Poultry Show Central and the APA/ABA sanctioned-show lists before you plan travel or entries.

How the poultry show season works (fall–winter)

US exhibition poultry is a cool-weather sport. The bulk of sanctioned shows run from about September through January, with the heaviest concentration in late fall and early winter. There are a few reasons for the timing: birds have finished the summer molt and are in full, fresh feather by autumn, cooler halls are safer and more comfortable for penned birds than summer heat, and the season lines up with fairs winding down and breeders having grown out their young stock.

Because the calendar shifts each year — shows are scheduled by the host club and sanctioned by the APA and/or ABA — there is no fixed permanent date for most events. A show that fell on the second weekend of November one year may move by a week or more the next. That is exactly why the sections below point you to the live listings rather than reprinting dates that will be stale by the time you read them.

The major shows to know

Ohio National Poultry Show (Columbus, OH — typically November). Widely regarded as the largest poultry show in the United States, routinely drawing many thousands of birds across every recognized class. If you only travel to one big show a year, this is the one exhibitors circle. It is held in the fall, generally in November, but the exact weekend is set annually — check the official listing for the current year.

Northeastern Poultry Congress (Springfield, MA — typically January). One of the biggest and most prestigious shows in the Northeast, held in the depth of winter, generally in January. It is a major early-year destination for East Coast breeders and a strong national draw.

These two anchor the season's bookends — a huge fall show and a huge winter show — but they are described here generally on purpose: treat the months as approximate and always verify the specific 2027 dates and venue details with the organizers or the official listings.

Regional shows and how to find them

Beyond the national anchors, most of the calendar is made up of regional and local club shows — state association meets, breed-club national meets, and county-level open shows — spread across the fall and winter. These are where most exhibitors actually earn the bulk of their wins and points, and there is very likely one within driving distance of you during the season.

The practical way to find them is to browse a live listing filtered by state, region, and month, then click through to each show's catalog and entry form. Regional shows fill and close entries earlier than newcomers expect, so scan the listings a couple of months ahead rather than the week before.

Where to get CURRENT 2027 dates

Poultry Show Central (poultryshowcentral.com) is the most widely used centralized calendar — it lists show dates searchable by state, region, and month, along with swap meets, catalogs, and entry forms for chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, guineas, and more. Start here for a season-wide view.

The American Poultry Association (amerpoultryassn.com) publishes its sanctioned-show list and an events map of APA shows, and the American Bantam Association (bantamclub.com) publishes its ABA sanctioned-show list. Because a show can be APA-sanctioned, ABA-sanctioned, or both, cross-checking all three is the reliable way to see everything happening near you.

Whichever source you use, confirm the exact date, venue, and entry deadline directly with the host club or the official listing for 2027 before booking travel — sanctioning and scheduling are finalized each year and can change.

Planning your season

Work backwards from the show date. Entries typically close weeks in advance (sometimes a month or more for the big shows), so once you have a confirmed date you should lock in the entry deadline first. Conditioning — washing, pen-training, and getting birds settled and clean — also takes lead time, so most exhibitors start prepping their string well before the entry closes.

A simple approach: pick your target shows off the live listings early in the fall, note each entry deadline, then build your conditioning and travel plan around the earliest of those deadlines. For a step-by-step run-through of what to bring and do, see the first-show checklist linked below.

Frequently asked questions

When is poultry show season?: The US show season runs mostly fall through winter — roughly September through January — with the heaviest concentration of shows in late fall and early winter, when birds are in fresh feather after the molt.
What's the biggest poultry show in the US?: The Ohio National in Columbus, OH is widely regarded as the largest poultry show in the country, typically held in November. The exact weekend is set each year, so confirm the current date on the official listing.
What are the exact 2027 show dates?: Specific 2027 dates and venues are set annually by the host clubs and are not fixed year to year. Check Poultry Show Central and the APA/ABA sanctioned-show lists for the current dates, and confirm directly with each organizer before planning travel.
Where can I find shows near me?: Use Poultry Show Central, which lets you filter shows by state, region, and month, and cross-check the APA events map and the ABA sanctioned-show list — a show may be sanctioned by one, the other, or both.
How far ahead do entries close?: Entries usually close weeks in advance, and often a month or more for the largest shows. Find your target show's date first, then lock in its entry deadline and plan conditioning backward from there.

Sources

Poultry Show Central — show dates by state, region, and month — Poultry Show Central (Reference)
Find an Event / APA sanctioned shows & events map — American Poultry Association (APA)
Show Info — ABA sanctioned show list — American Bantam Association (Reference)