Fredericksburg Fair Opens Today for 274th Year

Courtesy of Robert Limerick

Monster trucks, flower shows and rides that will make you come running back for more can only mean one thing: the 274^th Fredericksburg Agricultural Fair is back for 10 straight days starting today.

This year’s fair open today at 5 p.m. with Corporate Sponsor GEICO having their GEICO Singers performing the National Anthem during fair opening ceremonies and culminating on Sunday, August 5. For directions to the fair at 2400 Airport Avenue, go here.

Fair attendance was down about 5 percent last year mostly because of the extreme heat. Fair Manager Travis Bullock said they were happy with the turnout even though the weather didn’t cooperate.  Fair admission is $7 this year with the exception of $2 Tuesday. Ride ticket pricing varies by day and all shows and motor sports are included with ticket purchase.

Fair workers have been working hard to the get the place ready for this year’s event and a lot of new changes will be noticed by fairgoers this year. 

The first thing that will stand out is the new parking system that’s being put into place to try and avoid some of the traffic problems at prior fairs. Fairgoers will now come through the gate, park their vehicles and then walk up to the ticket booths to purchase their admission tickets.

The Fair board of directors has added a new speaker system throughout the fairgrounds to announce show times and other pertinent information. An additional change you will notice is the removal of one of the older, outdated buildings up near the fairway stage; this is to give fairgoers more room to move around. A new roof was put on the J.E. Rowell Commercial Building and a lot of new businesses and organizations have signed on to take space in the building, which includes the Fredericksburg Rescue Squad’s Medical Center and booth.

Fairgoers will also notice some new signage along the fences at this year’s fair.  This is a new revenue generating opportunity for the fair in which local businesses can purchase one of these signs for $395 and it will be displayed for 10 months.

Monster Trucks and Motor Sports

Joey Sullivan of local towing company Sullivan’s Towing is bringing a new show to the fair with Monsters Invade the Midway. The monster trucks will take the Motor Sports Park by storm at 4 p.m. Sunday, and will compete in a freestyle competition, door-to-door racing and a wheelie competition. Come early to enjoy a pre-show pit party that will start at 12:30 p.m. and run till 3:30 p.m., fans can come meet the drivers, get their pictures taken, take a ride on the monster truck Stone Crusher and enjoy the music of Mid-Life Crisis. 

Other motor sports activities include the annual Stafford Ruritan Club Truck and Tractor Pull on both Friday and Saturday during the first weekend.  Come watch some of the best local “pullers” test their machinery against a sled to see who has the toughest truck or tractor.

Legal road rage and a mix of NASCAR retaliation will mix well on Wednesday, Aug. 1 and Friday, Aug. 3 when demolition derbies take over the Motor Sports Park. This year’s derbies will be run by locals Bo Cox and John Cooper. A grand prize of $1,000 will be presented to the winner of the main event.

On Saturday, Aug. 4, mudders from the area will come to compete in the annual Mud Bog sponsored by Po Folk Muddin. In years past this has been a popular, daylong event so get there early to get a seat. Muddin' starts at noon.

Animal Barns and Auctions

As in years past the Duvall Dickinson Cattle Barn will be filled with cows and calves ready to be petted and photographed. Stop by, get your picture taken and talk to a farmer about his or her prized cattle.  Virginia Livestock has purchased a new cattle scale and will be holding a live livestock auction on Wednesday, Aug 1.  On the other side of the fair will be the traditional animal barns with chickens, rabbits, pigs, turkeys, and other small animals.

New this year will be the Rock and Ranch Petting Zoo.

Agricadabra, an educational agricultural show, will teach children and adults about farming and agriculture from the state of Virginia while having a good time with magic, song, dance and crowd participation.

Dirt will be flying on the midway when the Hogway Speedway porkers return this year for nightly racing.  Come on out and see if your favorite porker is the first to reach the Oreo’s at the Finish Line.  While the porkers are in post race inspection stick around and see the baby goats hit the track.

Carnival Rides, Clowns and Games

Deggeller Attractions once again brings the latest and greatest carnival rides, games, and food to the midway. Slow, fast, sideways or upside down, there is ride for everyone’s fear level and need for speed.

NoJoe’s Clown Circus will make their third trip to the Fredericksburg Fair with all new routines, jokes, acrobatic thrills, family friendly humor and fun.  Hansen’s Spectacular Acrobatic Sensations debuts at the fair this year and promises to make crowds "ooh and ahh" with their tricks and stunts that include roller-skating on elevated platforms, juggling, performances by the youngest aerial performers in the world and an amazing Cloudswing performance at 30-feet above the ground. 

Flowers, Gardens, Contests and Other Events

Flower shows, canned food items and table decorations are just some of the things that will be in the Richard Limerick Homemaking Building this year. The Chancellor Garden Club, under the direction of Virginia Estes, will host a flower show on Aug. 1 to let everyone have a chance to see fresh flowers and to give the competitors a chance to show their best products. Estes has been putting on flower shows at the Fredericksburg Fair for more than 20 years and has judged national and state level shows in the past.

Food items such as cookies, cakes, pies, homemade jams and jellies and vegetables will be on display and judged on their attributes and characteristics. In addition, there will be crafts, needlepoint, Christmas decorations, photography and many other products on display. New this year, the Fredericksburg Train Association will be in the Homemaking Building displaying their model trains and scenery.

New contests added this year include producing the best child or adult milk mustache, watermelon-seed spitting, a cupcake bake off and who can dress the best potato. A fiddle contest will also be held again this year, “so rosin up that bow and play that fiddle hard“, because you never know what could break out at the Fredericksburg Fair.

The Fairway Stage has activities going on throughout the 10 days of the fair including pageants, music, a talent contest that could lead to a recording contract and MMA fighting.

The first four days of the fair will be all about glitz and glamour when contestants from newborns to adults take the stage to wow judges. Bob Williams will be the emcee of the pageants as he has held that title for a number of years. 

The band "Home Grown" will take the stage on Saturday with some southern rock and country music.  The Texaco Country Showdown returns on Wednesday, Aug. 1 to crown a local champion who will move on to the next round in the competition, which eventually concludes in Nashville, Tenn., with a chance at winning cash and a recording contract. 

On Thursday, Aug. 2, the Barbarian Fight Club returns for another spectacular showing.

On Saturday, Aug. 4, Steve Jarrell hits the stage with his classic beach music.

On Sunday, Aug. 5, the final day of the fair, there will be a trio of music with Bluegrass band "Black Jug Relic" kicking things off.  Followed by Michael Hoover as Elvis to shake things up and rounding out the evening will be "SonRise" to bring the 2012 fair to a close.

The Fredericksburg Fair is a proud supporter of the armed forces and will show this by having an Armed Forces Celebration on Saturday that will include a speech from keynote speaker and local resident Retired U.S. Army Col. Scott Lloyd. Military vehicles will be on display and there will be a flyover during the singing of the National Anthem.  In addition, Military Appreciation Day will be held on Sunday Aug. 5, and those in uniform or with a military ID get into the fair for free.