Harvest Ridge Event Center Offers 70,000-Square-Foot Climate-Controlled Venue in Millersburg

Harvest Ridge Event Center, the Holmes County Fairgrounds at 8880 State Route 39, is Millersburg’s primary events campus, offering more than 70,000 square feet of climate-controlled exhibition and meeting space on a 90-acre site west of town. Built to move the fair away from a flood-prone former site, the complex cost between $10 million and $12 million and now hosts fairs, concerts, weddings, trade shows and community programs.

The largest indoor footprint is the Expo/Arena building, with 34,048 square feet of open space. Built in 2017 and completely climate controlled, the Expo hosts auctions, commercial vendors, college fairs, furniture shows and trade shows. The Tom, Eva & Sterling Humrichouser Agricultural Building provides 29,574 square feet of open space; built in 2016 and named for a family “known for their love of agriculture,” it has housed livestock events such as beef shows and hog auctions as well as trade gatherings including the Ohio State Trappers conference and Hardwood Furniture Market. The William T. Baker Building, opened in 2012, adds 7,200 square feet and “is an ideal space for wedding receptions, corporate meetings, board meetings, and smaller trade shows.” The Canton Repository notes that “the two meeting rooms are capable of holding 30 people, with the open space capable of holding 300.” Those three indoor spaces sum to 70,822 square feet of open exhibition area, consistent with the venue’s description of “more than 70,000” square feet.

Outdoor and ancillary facilities broaden the site’s uses. A Millersburg Tire Service Grandstand built in 2017 seats more than 2,000 and has hosted truck and tractor pulls, demolition derbies and concerts. The Midway Space includes two tented areas measuring 50,760 and 96,750 square feet and parking for 1,000 vehicles, accommodating carnivals, rides and large outdoor exhibits. Harvest Ridge also maintains 40 campsite hook-ups for year-round camping and a variety of smaller amenities, from the Eli & Gloria Yoder Family Pavilion to the restored Shreiner Barn, which was built in the 1800s and restored in 2013.

Local organizations already make use of Harvest Ridge for seasonal and charitable work: the Baker Building serves as home to Holmes County Share-a-Christmas, and the campus is identified formally as “Home of the Holmes County Fair.” The Holmes County Chamber of Commerce describes the site this way: “Harvest Ridge is an event venue featuring over 70,000 square feet of climate-controlled space. With multiple buildings, meeting spaces exhibition areas, full hookup camping sites, and onsite parking, the venue is perfect for any occasion, big or small. Home of the Holmes County Fair.”

Beyond entertainment and commerce, the campus’ size, climate control and large parking areas have public health and emergency planning implications for Holmes County. Large fairs and concerts bring visitors and seasonal demand on local health services and emergency response; the climate-controlled halls, grandstand seating and campsite hook-ups could also provide capacity for mass public events or staging in extreme weather, should county planners or public health officials choose to use the site for those purposes. Planners and community organizations will need to balance event-driven economic benefits with traffic, noise and the need for equitable access so that county residents across income levels can participate in and benefit from Harvest Ridge programming.

For practical information, Harvest Ridge is located at 8880 State Route 39, Millersburg, and can be reached by phone at 330-674-0869. As Harvest Ridge continues to host the Holmes County Fair and year-round events, its role as a regional gathering place and community resource will shape local calendars, public services and opportunities for residents and organizations across Holmes County.