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Photo courtesy of State Fair of Virginia
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Photo by Leslie McCrea
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Photo courtesy of State Fair of Virginia
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Photo courtesy of State Fair of Virginia
What’s New
Besides the annual favorites — dog agility shows, gourd weigh-ins, the demolition derby, and pig racing — there are more than 15 shows on the fairgrounds, many of which are making their state fair debut. Here are a couple of examples.
King BMX Stunt Show: X Games alumnus Keith King brings a high-intensity show complete with more ramps than any other stunt show in the world. Performances will be held daily.
Kachunga and the Alligator Show: Kachunga, an American Bushman from Florida, will wrestle a 9-foot, 300-pound alligator in front of the audience, bare-handed.
The Magic of Lance Gifford and Co.: Gifford offers magic tricks by day and hypnosis by night.
What’s Back
Masters of the Chainsaw: Master carver Ben Risney works each day to create art from an average log. He transforms wood into masterpieces using only a chainsaw, and his sculptures will be auctioned on Oct. 4. Proceeds will benefit the State Fair Scholarship Program, which raised more than $70,000 last year.
Professional Rodeo: For two nights, fair goers will be able to watch cowboys and cowgirls enter the rodeo ring for bull riding, calf roping and barrel racing.
Concerts and Music
The fair boasts two separate concert facilities this year, with acts ranging from nationally known stars to local talent. All concerts are included in the fair admission (one-day tickets range from $8 to $15 and children 4 years-old and younger are admitted free with an adult).
The Festival Stage will feature nine shows during the fair, including:
Permalee: Best known for its multi-week No. 1 smash “Carolina,” which was the longest climbing single by a duo or group in the 24-year history of the Billboard Country Airplay Chart, the group plays Friday, Sept. 26, at 8 p.m.
The Original Drifters: This doo-wop vocal group will grace the stage twice to bring back a few of their 13 chart hits such as “On Broadway” and “Under the Boardwalk,” on Wednesday, Oct. 1, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Brett Eldridge: The fair will culminate with this country music star, known for his No. 1 single, “Don’t Ya,” on Sunday, Oct. 5, at 7:30 p.m.
In addition to those concerts, fair-goers will be able to witness the 33rd Annual Country Showdown on Saturday, Oct. 4, at 7:30 p.m. The fair will host one of five regional semi-finals in this competition, which is known as the largest country music talent search in America.
The local music stage, the Triple Crown Amphitheatre, will hold events all week to represent every genre from the Richmond region. A popular event from previous years, the Fiddle and Banjo Competition, is being brought back to highlight some of the best pickin’ from around the state.
Competitions
Classic agriculture competitions are always popular and there are some additions this year:
Hay Bail Decorating Contest: The fair will provide the hay bails, and students who are part of Future Farmers of America and 4H are invited to decorate them in any way they would like, using farm tools or other natural goods. The decorated hay bails will be placed around the fair grounds for visitors to see, and winners will be awarded scholarship money.
Christmas Tree Decorating Contest: The Virginia Christmas Tree Growers Association is donating cut Christmas trees in stands. People are invited to decorate them, using as many natural ingredients as possible. Trees will be on display in the horticulture tent, and the top three winners will be asked to decorate trees at Illuminate The Meadow, an event in November.
Virginia Wine Contest: Wines from across the state have already been judged, and winning wineries will be at the fair, giving out samples and selling their wines.
Other Specialties
State Fair Beer: There has been an increase of Virginia famers growing hops for a niche market and this year's fair will have its very own variety of beer. It is named Virginia Midway and is produced in Rockville by Midnight Breweries, which will have it on tap all 10 days of the fair.
Equine Events: The Meadow is the birthplace of the famous racehorse Secretariat. In honor of his accomplishments, some of Secretariat’s descendants will be at the fair on the first and last weekends. There will also be a different breed of horse showcased in the paddock each day of the fair. These are in addition to the normal equine events that are held at the Equine and Livestock Complex.
Urban Gardening: Last year, the fair unveiled a field of crops grown on the grounds, providing a first-hand look at Virginia farming. This year, that same field will exist, but there will also be a section of raised beds, built by Caroline County 4H students. The beds include a variety of crops that can be grown in your own backyard to teach the benefits of urban gardening.
