The Virginia State Fair

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The Virginia State Fair has been operating for more than 160 years, since it opened in 1854, with only a few interruptions. In 2009, the fair moved from what is now called Monroe Park, where the Richmond International Raceway, a NASCAR facility, is now located to a rural setting in Caroline County, several miles north of Richmond. The Virginia State Fair was closed during the American Civil War and reopened in 1869. In 1896, debt caused another shut down for the fair, and then it reopened in 1906, at what is now the Diamond. In 1949, one of the first televisions went on display at the Virginia State Fair. In 1963, a double Ferris wheel, called The Sky Wheel, was added. The current location of the fairgrounds has an outstanding history. The Meadow Event Park used to be the home of Secretariat, a Triple Crown winner in horse racing. I look forward to going to the Virginia State Fair every year. I don’t ride many of the rides but I love to walk around and EAT. Italian Sausage sandwiches with peppers and onions, cotton candy, elephant ears, and funnel cakes covered with powdered sugar. The last time I went they also had blooming onions, and Fried Snicker bars and buffalo wings. Then there is the Fun House with mirrors to mix up your brain and all sorts of rides that the grandkids love to ride. And being a STATE fair, there are always farm animals and tractors on display. The grandkids love to see all the animals, too. In September the Virginia State Fair will be returning. This fair has survived two World Wars and many other ups and downs but it continues to entertain all who attend. President Rutherford B. Hayes attended Virginia’s State Fair in 1877. Does your state have a state fair? OR Do you have FAIRS in your country? Picture by Pixabay