There’s no better crash course in Virginia living than a county fair: blue-ribbon goats and giant pumpkins, a Ferris wheel lit up against the Blue Ridge, 4-H kids walking calves they raised themselves, funnel cake at dusk. It’s the kind of unhurried and hands-on experience we love to help families find.
If your summer is already filling up with camps and trail days, be sure to build a few fairs into the calendar, too. They’re affordable, can be found throughout the state, and they give kids a real taste of agriculture, animals, and small-town community that pairs perfectly with a summer spent outdoors. Below is your region-by-region guide to the 2026 season.
A quick note on dates: Fair dates can shift, and a handful of fairs list slightly different dates across their own channels. We’ve used the Virginia Association of Fairs official 2026 schedule, but always click through to the fair’s website to confirm before you load up the car.
Fair season runs from late spring through October, but the heart of it takes place in July and August when nearly every region has at least one fair going. Things kick off in central Virginia in June, build to a statewide peak in mid-August, and finish with the giant State Fair of Virginia in the fall.
The Valley is fair country, with a deep agricultural tradition and some of the oldest fairs in the state.
Closer to the D.C. suburbs, these fairs prove you don’t have to drive far to find livestock barns and a midway.
Our home region opens the season and keeps it going all summer.
The mountains down I-81 host some of the state’s most spirited — and most affordable — fairs.
If you miss the summer window, the season keeps going. Look for the Washington County Fair in Abingdon (September), the Isle of Wight County Fair (September), the Suffolk Peanut Fest (October), and the grand finale — the State Fair of Virginia at Meadow Event Park in Doswell, September 25–October 4, 2026, the largest fair in the Commonwealth.
A little planning makes a hot fair day a great one:
Here’s the thing about county fairs: they spark exactly the kind of curiosity that a great summer camp grows. The kid who can’t leave the goat barn might love a farm or animal-science camp. The one glued to the 4-H robotics table is ready for a STEM program. The whole reason those 4-H exhibits exist is youth programming — much of it tied directly to summer camps.
If the fair gets your family dreaming about a more outdoorsy summer, that’s what we’re here for. Browse Virginia summer camps near you → to find farm, nature, outdoor-adventure, and STEM camps across the Commonwealth and the Mid-Atlantic.
When is county fair season in Virginia? Most county fairs run from June through August, with the busiest stretch in mid-July through late August. A second wave of fairs runs in September and October, ending with the State Fair of Virginia.
What is the biggest county fair in Virginia? The Prince William County Fair in Manassas bills itself as the state’s largest county fair, while the Salem Fair near Roanoke is among the largest by attendance and offers free admission. The State Fair of Virginia in Doswell is the largest fair overall, though it’s a statewide fair rather than a county one.
Are Virginia county fairs free? It varies. Many fairs charge a modest gate admission (rides are usually extra), but some — like the Arlington County Fair, the Fairfax County 4-H Fair, and the Salem Fair — offer free admission. Always check the fair’s website for current pricing and discount days.
What is there to do at a fair for little kids? Petting zoos, kiddie rides, baby-animal barns, agricultural exhibits, and 4-H displays are all toddler- and preschool-friendly, and many are free with admission.
Which fair is closest to me? Use the regional sections above to find the fair nearest your part of Virginia, then click through to its official site for the 2026 schedule, hours, and ticket details.
Source: 2026 fair dates compiled from the Virginia Association of Fairs. Last updated June 2026. Planning your family’s summer? Pair fair days with camps, trails, and orchards across Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic — and check our camp directory to build a summer your kids will remember.
Suzannah Russ Spaar is an experienced educator, poet, and mother based in the foothills of the Virginia Blue Ridge, with deep roots in the camp and literary communities. She brings a thoughtful editorial lens to her work, interviewing camps for VirginiaSummerCamp.com and shaping trusted, parent-focused content across our platforms.
Suzannah earned her MFA from the University of Pittsburgh and is the co-author of the chapbook Undone in Scarlet (Tammy, 2018), written with Lucia LoTempio. Her background in poetry and education informs a clear, engaging storytelling style that resonates with both parents and partners.
In addition to her editorial work for VirginiaSummerCamp.com, Suzannah serves as editor of TheBiblioParent.com and CharlottesvilleFamily’s Bloom Magazine, where she helps ensure content is both meaningful and accessible—grounded in expertise, curiosity, and a genuine understanding of family life.
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