The first Agricultural Society existed in Bathurst District in the early 1830′s. An Agricultural Society was formed in McNab township in 1854, which was the first in Renfrew County.

The Agricultural Society was first called the Balmer Island Fair, and later the Stewartville Fair. On September 25th, 1867 the McNab Agricultural Society held an annual exhibition in Arnprior.

Between 1896 and 1910 the McNab Agricultural Society did not receive any goverment grants and may have been dormant. In 1910 the fair was moved to Stewarton and the McNab Agricultural Society was re-organized as the Arnprior Agricultural Society with 120 members. After World War II, Stewarton was annexed by Arnprior, and the annual event continues today as the Arnprior Fair.