Fredericksburg’s annual Agricultural Fair kicks off Friday, July 26 and runs until Sunday, Aug. 4. The Miss Fredericksburg Fair Pageant will be held Thursday, July 25.
The Fredericksburg Agricultural Fair’s website says it was established in 1738 and is the oldest fair in both Virginia and the United States. The range of entertainment has varied over the years, from Williamsburg comedians in 1752 to horse racing by the Fredericksburg Jockey Club in 1774, then hot air balloons in the 1880s. The fair has weathered interruptions with no events from 1881-1886 and during the Great Depression in the mid-1920s. It was revived in 1948 by a group of local farmers and the Jaycees, a non-profit community organization.
The fair has hosted a variety of entertainment over the years, including circuses, hot air balloons, and performances by notable artists like Tammy Wynette and George Jones in the 1960s. The fair moved to its current location on Routes 2 and 17 in 1949.
Gene Rowell played a pivotal role in the fair’s revival and management for 47 years, earning the title “Granddaddy of the Fredericksburg Agricultural Fair.” The fair has seen many dedicated volunteers and continues to host popular events like the Miss Fredericksburg Fair beauty pageant, which produced Miss America 2010, Caressa Cameron.
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The fair is open from 1 to 10 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, and 5 to 10 p.m. on Monday through Thursday. The full catalog lists Student, Teacher, Military and First Responder appreciation dates.