The State Fair of Virginia is held annually in Doswell, Virginia. The fair was held in Richmond, Virginia until 2008 at the Richmond Raceway Complex. The Virginia Farm Bureau Federation has owned and operated the farm for over 100 years.
Virginians enjoyed cotton candy, funnel cakes, barbecue chicken, and peanuts at the fair, as well as rides, carnival games, and concerts. The fair also features exhibitions and competitions related to technology, agriculture, history, and livestock, including pig races.
Scholarships are awarded through various competitions. Besides pig races, chain saws, stilt-walking, and log-rolling, there are magicians, snake handlers, and log-rolling. A variety of novelty items are sold by vendors, including clothing, belt buckles, and other items
In addition to “Virginia World,” which showcases Virginia agricultural products, “The Better Living Center” features arts and crafts competition displays, the Tech Expo, which showcases Virginia’s technology industry, and “Young McDonald’s Farm,” where visitors were able to view A variety of young animals. There is also a “Heritage Village” that showcases Native American, African American, and Euro-American history.
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History of The State Fair of Virginia :
78 years have passed since the Declaration of Independence when the first recorded fair was held in the Greenbrier Valley. As early as 1854, the Greenbrier Agricultural Society held an annual fair to showcase agricultural achievements. In this popular event, livestock, produce, and household items were entered from farms all over the area.
Caroline County’s Meadow Event Park became the new venue for the fair in 2009. 360 acres of multi-use space with an exposition hall of 75,000 square feet (7,000 m2), a multipurpose pavilion of 10,000 square feet (930 m2), 143 horse stalls, four show rings with an equestrian facility and a horse barn with 143 stalls. In 1972 and 1973, Riva Ridge and Secretariat won five of six Triple Crown races at Meadow Farm, a thoroughbred horse owned by Christopher Chenery.
1861–64, 1917–18, 1942–45, and 2020 all held no fairs during this period.
A sale was made to the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation that resulted in the continuation of the fair:
The Virginia Farm Bureau Federation recently won the bid for the remaining stake in the Virginia State Fair from a Tennessee fair operator who purchased it at a bargain price during a foreclosure sale in 2016.
In July 2017, the farming advocacy organization partnered with Universal Fair LLC of Cordova, Tenn., to own a 50 percent stake in the fair. Due to that partnership, the company owned 50 percent of the fair.
Due to the Chapter 7 bankruptcy of the fair’s parent company in March 2012, the fair was suspended for the first time in its history. The bankruptcy of Meadow Event Park was due to the high cost of converting Meadow Farm. All company events were canceled except for the race at Colonial Downs.
Almost ten years ago, on May 22, 2012, Universal Fairs, a private company based in suburban Memphis, acquired the assets of the State Fair of Virginia. The Virginia Farm Bureau Federation purchased a majority ownership interest in the fair in July 2012 and has partnered with Universal Fair to continue the fair. The remaining shares were bought by Farm Bureau in 2013.
State Fair of Virginia 2022
Located in Doswell, Caroline County, the State Fair of Virginia runs from late September through early October. Play, ride, see, and listen to concerts and shows at Meadow Park.
Magic tricks, log rolling, snake handling, chainsaws, stilt walking, and snake handling are just a few of the incredible events that take place every day at the fair. It is part of the educational program to provide exhibits related to agriculture, technology, and history, such as livestock shows and competitions involved in the race of the pigs, which are part of the educational program.
We’ve got funnel cakes, cotton candy, and barbecue chicken at the Virginia State Fair. Clothing, belt buckles, souvenirs, and oddities can be found there.
Virginia’s State Fair circa 1854. For many years it was held in Richmond, Virginia, at the Richmond Raceway Complex. It has been an exposition hall since 2009 With 140 horse stalls and four show rings, Meadow Event Park has a 1.5-square-kilometer property.
Agriculture, arts and crafts, technology, and agricultural products are featured every year. Young McDonald’s Farm is a petting zoo for children. As part of the Heritage Village, you’ll be able to see exhibits about Native American history. In merry-go-rounds and slow-motion plane rides, children of different ages can enjoy special rides designed especially for them.
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