The residents of Olds held their first Bench Show in the summer of 1894, arranging their products on and about the platform of the CPR railway station. They secured samples of wheat, oats and barley, potatoes and Indian corn. Growth in the district led to an amalgamation with the Trotting Horse Association (known as the "Turf Society") and Olds Agricultural Society was finally incorporated in 1899. This was a time when the rich farming lands were undeveloped, and before Alberta became a province. The local settlers were exuberant and challenged by the new life ahead of them.

From the very beginnings of settlement, the local fair supplied stimulating competition, healthy exchanges of ideas, and simple fun. Fair time was fun time, and provided an opportunity to enjoy community spirit and initiative.

The first Bench Shows were held in October, after haying and harvesting were done. Products displayed consisted of fruits, vegetables, butter, seeds and sheaves of grain, home canning and handicrafts, and home building materials hewn from nearby forests. There was a popular class for the Best Set of Horseshoes, as there were several blacksmiths in the area. Holding the exhibits on the CPR Station Platform was a master stroke, for travellers on the newly built rail line were very interested in the variety and hardiness of area products.

The first secretary of Olds Agricultural Society was O.S. Moore, owner of the weekly newspaper, The Oracle. He was followed by Fred Shackleton, A.J. Samis, and J.P. Strong. Land was purchased for fairgrounds, and Society members removed trees and stumps, did the plowing, discing, and harrowing, and planted grasses and grain crops themselves. This land, just north of Olds where the Silverthorn development is now, was often used as experimental plots for oat and wheat varieties. Members also donated a granary shed and willow posts for fencing five of the 60 acres owned by the Agricultural Society.