Come see the best of Virginia county fairs with animals and agriculture, exhibits and displays, lively music, excellent arts and crafts, blue ribbon competitions, and more at these popular summer festivals! Many Central VA communities hold wonderful annual county fairs so read on for the highlights you can expect to enjoy. And don’t miss the annual State Fair of Virginia, which has been one of Virginia’s most important annual traditions since 1854.
A good old county fair is the epitome of Americana. The smell of popcorn, the nighttime Ferris wheel lights, the sighting of the newly crowned fair queen, and the taste of freshly fried funnel cakes. According to the International Association of Fairs and Expositions, North America hosts roughly 3,200 county and state fairs per year.
County fairs are often larger in size than most family summer festivals making them perfect for kids. Decide as a family what you want to see, hear, and taste. There are numerous activities available, like watching shows, eating rich fair food, riding roller coasters, seeing the animal barn, and simply soaking in the sights (and smells) of the area.
Celebrate agricultural heritage and country life at fairs across the Commonwealth, where you can see tractors pull, pigs race, and poultry march, as well as eat local cuisine and browse local artists. Our CharlottesvilleFamily Guide to County Fairs will help you find the perfect country fair event for your family.
Albemarle County Fair
James Monroe’s Highland Fairgrounds, Charlottesville
July 31-August 2, 2025
This fun and festive “Old-Time Country Fair” will be a three-day agricultural celebration, complete with exhibits, baked goods, crafts, family entertainment, events, livestock, and grand old-time country fun. Fair goers will also enjoy a number of demonstrations of historic and cultural significance, including wool spinners and a blacksmith. Each year the Albemarle County Fair is proud to showcase livestock from Charlottesville, Albemarle and surrounding counties. Bring your little ones and meet cows, bunnies, goats, and more. The Albemarle County Fair Horticulture Giant Sunflower Competition, presented by Piedmont Master Gardeners Albemarle-Charlottesville is new to the fair. The Albemarle County Fair is the perfect festival to share and celebrate the best of our rich and lively Virginia agricultural community! We hope you enjoy this year’s fair at James Monroe’s Highland.
Augusta County Fair
Augusta Expo, Fishersville
July 22-26, 2025
Agriculture and 4-H are integral to county fairs. If you’re a city kid who hasn’t grown up around barnyards, seeing a young goat may be a real thrill. Farm kids who wake up every day to the sights and sounds of animals look forward to attending the fair to compete with others. Every year, the Augusta County Fair brings the community together to celebrate the Shenandoah Valley’s agriculture. From cattle judging to acrobats, illusions, laser tag, tractor pulls and horse shows, everyone gets a bird’s-eye view making this a perfect event for the whole family! Carnival rides and terrific music acts as well as fair food make the Augusta County Fair fun for all. Country fairs provide hands-on activities for children of all ages. There is something new for everyone to do, from learning to milk a cow to competing in big wheel races. The fair offers an opportunity to try new things, discover new ideas, and widen your horizons beyond your normal routine
Fluvanna County Fair
Pleasant Grove Park, Palmyra
August 14-16, 2025
One of the state’s smaller fairs it is still big family fun. Tractor pulls, kids fun zone and classic fair food like hot dogs and elephant ears make sure everyone has a good time. There are also livestock exhibits, music, horse show, animal sounds content, balloon rides, a 4-H animal show and a home arts show. A favorite annual tradition at the Fluvanna County Fair is the pie eating contest. Be sure to check the county fair schedule before you go so you don’t miss it!
Greene Farm & Livestock Show
Greene County, Route 33 across from Ruckersville Elementary
July 21-26, 2025
The popular annual Greene Farm & Livestock Show hosts shows and demonstrations throughout the day for family-friendly fun. You can enjoy all the classics like a livestock show and sale, petting zoo, 4-H poultry and rabbit show, car show, pony rides, equestrian demonstrations, music, food, an artisan market & more.
The Louisa County Fair
Walton Park, Mineral
July 21-26, 2025
Officially begun in 1891, Louisa County Agricultural Fair is a 3-day fair featuring agricultural and educational events, competitions and fun for the whole family. The fair opens with the horse show on the first day followed by traditional fair fun on the weekend that includes the fair queen pageant, tractor show and carnival rides. Especially fun for the kids is the popular petting zoo and an agricultural magician while fair-goers of all ages will appreciate the live music on the bandstand throughout the day and evening.
CharlottesvilleFamily is proud to sponsor this event!
From a 4-H dairy cattle showing and monster trucks to line dancing and carnival rides, this charming fair packs a lot of fun into a weekend. Have you ever played Chicken Squat Bingo? Now is your chance!
Madison County Fair
Madison Fairgrounds
July 16-19, 2025
County fairs bring out the best in everyone. County fairs usually attract a slower-moving crowd and individuals who like a leisurely pace. This is not a reference to quantitative speed and pace, but rather an attitude of little is more and taking time to appreciate the little things. When visiting a county fair, try to be present in the moment. Stop by to see the baby animals, talk to the food vendors about how long they’ve been making their distinctive dishes, watch the shows, and say hello to everyone you see. At the Madison County Fair there is an evening dedicated to old-fashioned games like tug of war, a cornhole tournament and a kids night filled with wacky fun like donkey races. The big draw events include a demolition derby, cowgirl circus and a bull riding rodeo.
Orange County Fair
Orange County Fairgrounds
June 25-28, 2024
From a 4-H dairy cattle showing and monster trucks to line dancing and carnival rides, this charming fair packs a lot of fun into a weekend. Have you ever played Chicken Squat Bingo? Now is your chance! Under an hour from Charlottesville, this is a great time to pull on a hat and jeans and go find out what makes Orange County Farmers so wonderful. There is a special Kids Korner, Cowboy Circus, petting zoo and more at the Orange County Fair that are especially family-friendly. In 2025 discover Jay Mattioli’s Electrifying Magic and the amazing dog tricks of Dog Dynamos & Pool Party Pooches.
Pageant of Steam & Gas Fair
Clarke County Ruritan Fairgrounds, Berryville
July 25-27, 2024
The Pageant of Steam Show is hosted by the Shenandoah Valley Steam & Gas Engine Association and features restored farm tractors and farm equipment, demonstrations of a steam-powered machinery, a huge flea market, parade of tractors, and a tractor pull featuring only vintage stock farm tractors. If someone in your family loves things on wheels, the Steam & Gas Fair is the country life event for them! Engineers and antique collectors too.
Rockingham County Fair
Harrisonburg Va Fairgrounds
August 11-16, 2025
The Rockingham County Fair is Virginia’s largest County Fair and is recognized as one of the leading agricultural fairs in the country! The International Association of Fairs and Expositions has awarded the Fair 1st place for approximately 20 years with the “Overall Program” for Competitive Agricultural Exhibitors. Back again by popular demand is the BLM Rodeo Company Show. Watch riders on bucking bulls, see barrel racing and more. Big name music acts, tractor pulls, carnival rides, food of all sorts, pig races, petting zoo and tents and tents of home arts, amazing vegetables and animals all grown in the Shenandoah Valley make the Rockingham Fair one not to be missed! There are plenty of entertaining activities to choose from, with the only challenge being fitting everything in during your visit to the fair.
Shenandoah County Fair
Shenandoah County Fairgrounds
August 24-30, 2025
For over a century, the week-long Shenandoah County Fair, held at the Shenandoah County Fairgrounds, has brought people together for summer fun. Expect agricultural exhibitions, thrilling amusement rides, live entertainment, tractor pulls, kids’ activities, and an assortment of mouthwatering fair food. The annual event provides a platform for showcasing local agricultural accomplishments and fosters a sense of community. From exciting shows to classic fair experiences, the Shenandoah County Fair delivers a memorable time for everyone.
State Fair of Virginia
The Meadow Event Park, Doswell
September 26-October 5, 2025
Fried Twinkies on a Stick. Red Velvet Funnel Cake. Mini Donuts. Do I need to continue to make your mouth water for more? Checking out new fair food is a highlight for many people.
You won’t meet a kid at a country fair who doesn’t want to indulge in roller coasters and the Tilt-a-Whirl. Check into the bracelets and ride discounts that help make the rides more family-affordable. The Ferris Wheel continues to be a popular ride, whether you head to the top as a family, on a date, or enjoy the ride with friends.Be sure to check out the stage shows too! From local dance teams excited to share their talent to Grammy Award Winning country musicians you’ll have lots of choices! Plan your visit with their daily State Fair thrill guide and food map. This is a really large event – physically – so plan for long walks and lots of tents. There will be a jam contest at all the county fairs but you can expect at the State Fair of Virginia there will also be categories for every type of fruit, special demos and tastings and perhaps even age brackets for the contest!
Attending a county fair, like watching the sun rise in the East or leaves change each fall, may be more than just a family outing. Many families make attending the fair a yearly tradition. This tradition is instilled in children at a young age and passed down from generation to generation. Some families visit from all over the country to share fair cuisine and laughs at their local fair. Others go above and above, transforming their local fair into a second home by incorporating camping into their stay. Making a fair visit a yearly occasion can be the start of a beautiful tradition.
Enjoy lots more family fun in Richmond and Central Virginia after you visit the county fair with these great day trip guides – Zoos & Aquariums, Historic Attractions, Interactive Kids Museums, Richmond’s Science Museum, swimming pool guide, County Fairs in Central Virginia, 4th of July events and more!