FAIRLEA, W.Va. — Despite devastating flooding in parts of Greenbrier County, the State Fair of West Virginia will begin, as scheduled, in August in Fairlea.
“We had a lot of friends, family and neighbors that weren’t so lucky, but here at the State Fair, we only suffered minor (flood) damage,” Kelly Tuckwiller Collins, State Fair of West Virginia CEO, reported Friday.
The State Fair of West Virginia runs from Aug. 12 through Aug. 21.
Scheduled performers include Jake Owen, Alabama, For King & Country, Collin Raye, Kane Brown, Dailey & Vincent, Vince Neil of Motley Crue with special guests Great White & KIX, Travis Tritt & the Charlie Daniels Band and Tracy Lawrence.
Support for flood relief efforts, she said, will be part of the 2016 State Fair.
“We have some plans in the works to make sure that the efforts continue on throughout the rest of the year,” Tuckwiller Collins said on Friday’s MetroNews “Talkline.”
“There’s so much going on right now and we just want to make sure that these people are taken care of throughout the rest of the year.”
Accommodations were being made for those who would be delayed in entering agricultural items for State Fair consideration because of flooding.
Some past entrants, though, will likely not be participating at all with farm animals and crops lost in floodwaters.
“We represent the entire state of West Virginia and feel that it’s important to continue this tradition,” Tuckwiller Collins said.
“West Virginia’s going to prove to the world that we’re strong and resilient and this is a chance for us to prove that we’re going to go on.”
For a full fair schedule, click here.