Front Porch Conversations: Reader needs cost-saving tips for attending the State Fair

“I know the State Fair is still almost two months away, but I’ve been told it’s really expensive, and we’re a family of six so we need to plan and budget early. Are there any cost saving tips that you can suggest? Maybe discounted tickets? Also, is there a better day/time to go with four kids?”

Welcome to our front porch!

West Virginia truly has an epic state fair. And with this being the 100th year, it’s sure to be bigger and better than ever!

But, and it is a BIG but, it can get pretty expensive – especially for a large family. Between parking, entry tickets, concerts, rides, funnel cakes, and inflatable mothmen, you can drop a mortgage payment faster than you could say “come one, come all.”

Let’s start with the easy one: is there a better day/time to go?

Absolutely. Saturday is by far the busiest day at the fair, with Sunday being a close second. Try to plan your trip for the middle of the week – somewhere between Tuesday and Thursday is probably best. As far as the best time, well, there’s a few things to consider.

The earlier you get there, the more time you’ll have to spend. However, the more time you spend, the more money you’re likely to spend also. Plus, you’ll have the afternoon heat to contend with, and we all know our summers are no joke. My suggestion would be shoot for sometime around five or six in the evening. Yes, you’ll only have a few hours, but it’ll be sightly cooler, and tickets are usually discounted when it gets late in the day.

So, how can you save some cash with a family of six?

Well, there’s the few things I’ve already mentioned. In addition to that, the fair typically offers one free-admission day every year. That hasn’t been scheduled yet for this year, so you’ll want to keep a close eye on their website. Beyond that, if you don’t mind walking a little further – which you probably shouldn’t since you’ll be walking all day anyway – you can make use of the designated free parking areas.

I know we have quite a few readers out there with a ton of fair experience. So let’s hear those cost-saving suggestions!

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