FAIRLEA, W.Va. – They’re putting the final touches on the midway and the grand stage at the State Fair of West Virginia. The 89th edition opens Friday.
Executive Director Marlene Pierson Joliffe said the goal is a family-friendly 9-days of fun.
“What we see a lot of here that I just love is we have grandparents bringing their grandchildren and passing the tradition of the fair on,” explained Pierson Joliffe.
And there’s plenty to see from the horse shows to the livestock competitions, the 52 rides on the midway and the food.
“That’s one thing we’ve always been very proud of is filling the fair up enough so that you can’t see all we have here in one day,” said Joliffe. “You need to come more than one day.”
It takes about 250 full-time and more than 300 independent vendors to put on the fair. That’s because people from across West Virginia and the rest of the country will flock to the fair grounds.
“We have averaged the last five years anywhere from 175,000 up to 190,000 people. That’s our target. Hopefully the weather will cooperate,” stressed Pierson Joliffe.
A new challenge the fair is facing is the trend towards an earlier start date for county school systems.
“We’ve been watching the school calendar changes for the past couple of years,” according to Pierson Joliffe. “Obviously, it’s a concern, one that’s a little challenging to work with.”
But Pierson Joliffe said the 4-H and FAA components of the fair are some of the oldest and most beneficial. That’s why she and the fair staff have been working with school systems in surrounding counties to make sure students who have livestock projects get to show them off at the fair. She said it’s educational for the students and those who visit the livestock barns.
As for performances this year, the fair has booked some big talent from Josh Turner to X-Factor winner Tate Stevens, Casting Crowns to Thompson Square.
For a look at all the events taking place at the fair, log on to www.statefairofwv.com.