County Fair Guide

The Oldest Fairs in Virginia

Virginia's fair tradition is anchored by the State Fair of Virginia, which has operated continuously since 1854. Here are the Virginia fairs with the longest recorded histories — from a 19th-century state institution to the community fairs that followed.

  1. 1
    State Fair of VirginiaDoswell, Virginia
    Est. 1854September

    The State Fair of Virginia in Doswell is the Commonwealth's premier annual agricultural event, a ten-day September celebration drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors from across Virginia and the mid-Atlantic region each year. Dating to 1854, it is one of Virginia's oldest and most enduring agricultural fair traditions.

  2. 2
    Chesterfield County FairChesterfield, Virginia
    Est. 1911August

    The Chesterfield County Fair is a nine-day late-August through Labor Day celebration in suburban Richmond, one of Virginia's largest county fairs drawing visitors from across the Richmond metropolitan area to one of the state's fastest-growing counties. First held in 1911, it has been a Virginia agricultural tradition for over a century.

  3. 3
    Loudoun County FairLeesburg, Virginia
    Est. 1936July

    The Loudoun County Fair in Leesburg is one of Northern Virginia's largest county fairs, celebrating the agricultural roots of a county that has become one of the wealthiest and fastest-growing in the nation while maintaining a vibrant farming community in its western reaches. Established in 1936, the fair has brought Virginia communities together for generations.

  4. 4
    Prince William County FairManassas, Virginia
    Est. 1949August

    The Prince William County Fair in Manassas is one of Northern Virginia's largest county fairs, a nine-day August celebration drawing visitors from the rapidly growing communities of one of Virginia's most dynamic and historically rich counties. Established in 1949, the fair has brought Virginia communities together for generations.

  5. 5
    Salem FairSalem, Virginia
    Est. 1988July

    The Salem Fair is Virginia's largest outdoor fair and one of the largest outdoor fairs in the country, a twelve-day July celebration in the independent city of Salem that draws nearly half a million visitors to its massive midway and entertainment lineup each year. The fair has been running since 1988, building a following across the surrounding area.

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