DOSWELL – As you get ready to enjoy this year’s State Fair of Virginia Sept. 27 through Oct. 6, fair organizers urge you to plan ahead.
Purchasing tickets online guarantees savings and convenience – both before and during the fair. Online tickets are discounted from the gate admission price, and buying advance tickets by Sept. 26 saves you even more.
Held at The Meadow Event Park in Caroline County, the fair will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. each day. The following tips can ensure a relaxed and memorable State Fair experience.
“We want our guests to enjoy their visit, so we recommend planning ahead to help them save time and money and know what to expect,” said Marlene Jolliffe, the fair’s executive director. “We have so many entertaining attractions and concerts that are all included with the cost of admission!”
Tickets & Discounts
Buy tickets in advance to cash in on savings. Advance tickets are on sale through Sept. 26 at StateFairVa.org at $12 for 5 years of age and older. They can be used any day during the fair. Children 4 and younger will be admitted free with a paid adult admission.
To save at the gate, participate in the State Fair Cares program. Between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Sept. 27 and Sept. 30-Oct. 4, donate two school supplies, two canned food items or a pair of new winter gloves and get admission for just $9. During the same days and times, you can purchase an unlimited ride wristband for $20, and it’s good until 4 p.m.
Rides are not included in fair admission. Unlimited ride wristbands are $25.50 when purchased in advance, and $31.50 online once the fair opens. Those purchased on site are $31.50 during the week and $34 on the weekends. Ride tickets and single-day unlimited ride wristbands will be available for purchase at ride ticket booths in the Midway and the Virginia 529 Kidway areas.
General admission includes access to all concerts, performances, competitions, exhibits and demonstrations.
Military admission is $13.50 at the gate. That’s a $3 savings off the $16.50 regular gate admission. The military discount is for active-duty service members, National Guard, Reserve and retirees with a current military ID or a Virginia DMV veteran's credentialed license or ID card. The discount applies to the service member plus one guest. It does not extend to any other members of their party, and is available at the gate only.
Parking
General parking is free. Parking lot trams can help visitors get to and from their vehicles in parking Lots A and C. Look for “Tram Stops” designated with small tents and flags. Fair officials advise fairgoers to note the numbered sign nearest their vehicles so they can find them easily.
When parking, look at the nearest pole number, drop a pin on your phone for your location, and note if you are parked in the Love Clicks Parking area with red flags or in the Blue Ribbon Lot with blue flags. Finally, if you walk through two tunnels to enter the fair, you are parked in the Blue Lot!
Premium parking, accessible from Gate 2, is available behind the Farm Bureau Center at a cost of $22.50 per day and must be purchased in advance online.
Security
Guest safety is fair organizers’ No. 1 priority. That is why the State Fair is staffed by licensed security professionals, Virginia State Police and local law enforcement.
Bag checks will be conducted at the main ticket plaza, and guests must pass through security scanners as well. Additionally, walk-through scanners will be placed at an entry point near Harvest Landing and by the premium parking lot.
Getting there
The Meadow is located at 13191 Dawn Blvd. in Doswell. From I-95, take exit 98, and travel 1½ miles east on state Route 30.
During peak times, consider using alternate routes – U.S. Route 301 to state Route 30, and travel about 3 miles west on Route 30; or take U.S. Route 1 to state Route 30, and travel about 2 miles east on Route 30.
The State Fair of Virginia is partnering with DRIVE SMART Virginia to remind you to buckle up to make it home to your loved ones – not just as you head to the State Fair, but always!
Hours, rides and amenities
Ticket Plaza and building/exhibit hours will be 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Guests who wish to leave the fair for a short time before returning need to get a same-day hand stamp at the Ticket Plaza before exiting.
Amusement rides open at 11 a.m. and will operate for at least one hour after the Ticket Plaza closes at 9 p.m. Requirements for rides and some attractions include height, weight and whether a child must be accompanied by an adult. Those requirements will be displayed at each ride, at the Midway customer service booth and online at StateFairVa.org.
Private areas for nursing mothers are available in the Farm Bureau Center and in the Kidway by Virginia College Savings Plan area.
Guests can rent wheelchairs, motorized scooters and single and double strollers outside the Ticket Plaza on a first-come, first-served basis.
“We want to be make sure the fair is accessible to all our guests so that everyone can enjoy their experience,” Jolliffe said.
For details on more State Fair amenities, visit the FAQ page on StateFairVa.org.
The State Fair of Virginia is held each fall at its permanent home at The Meadow Event Park in Caroline County. The event celebrates the best of Virginia’s past, present and future through scholarship initiatives, creative programming and a focus on the commonwealth’s agriculture and natural resources industries. Virginia Farm Bureau Holding Corp. operates the fair and is a subsidiary of the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation.
