Counting down to the State Fair of West Virginia

By Hannah Yost, RealWV

FAIRLEA, W.Va. — There is something about the middle of July that feels different in West Virginia.

The Fourth of July celebrations are behind us. The days are still long and warm, but the evenings begin to cool ever so slightly. School supply lists start making their way onto kitchen counters. Kids begin anticipating the start of a new school year. Football teams return to the practice field, band camps are underway, and summer suddenly feels like it’s moving a little too fast.

Before long, conversations begin to turn to one thing.

“The fair’s almost here.”

For many West Virginians, the State Fair of West Virginia isn’t just another event on the calendar. It’s a tradition that many of us have looked forward to for as long as we can remember. Some families haven’t missed a year in decades. People who once eagerly waited for fair week as children are now watching their own grandchildren experience it for the first time. Year after year, families return to the fairgrounds, making many of the same stops and creating new memories along the way.

It’s more than just a week in August. For many of us, it’s the tradition that marks the end of summer.

Then someone asks the question everyone has an answer for:

“So…what are you eating first?”

For some, it’s a funnel cake covered in powdered sugar. Others head straight for loaded ribbon fries, while plenty of people won’t start their day without an FFA Country Ham Sandwich. A cup of Zul’s lemonade is the perfect way to cool off on a hot August afternoon, and no trip to the fair feels complete without a buttery ear of fresh sweet corn. Every family seems to have a favorite pizza stand, and pickle pizza is always a topic of conversation. Those foods aren’t just something to eat — they’ve become part of the tradition.

The smell of kettle corn drifting across the Midway, or a warm bag of Ben Ellen donuts in your hands, has a way of bringing back memories before you’ve even taken the first bite.

Of course, the fair has never been just about the food.

For many young exhibitors, fair week is the payoff after months of early mornings, late nights, and countless hours spent caring for their animals. The barns become the backdrop as months of hard work finally pay off. The sounds inside the barns, exhibitors brushing one last speck of dust from an animal before stepping into the show ring, and the smell of fresh hay are all part of fair week. Just a short walk away, the West Virginia Building showcases another side of the Mountain State, with quilts, baked goods, artwork, photography, woodworking, canned goods, and handcrafted creations entered by people from communities across West Virginia. Every ribbon represents hours of dedication, patience, and pride.

As the day turns into evening, the fairgrounds take on a different kind of energy. Concertgoers make their way to the grandstand. Music carries across the fairgrounds as the Midway lights begin to glow against the August sky. Families squeeze in one more ride before heading home. Friends who haven’t seen each other in months stop to catch up somewhere along Midway. No matter where you’re from, chances are you’ll run into someone you know.

That’s part of what makes the State Fair feel different.

For one week, it becomes a gathering place for the entire state. Agriculture, music, competition, craftsmanship, and community all come together in one place, reminding us of the people and traditions that make West Virginia special.

Then, almost as quickly as it begins, fair week comes to an end.

Before long, school buses will be back on the roads, Friday night football will fill the evenings, and the hills will begin trading their deep summer green for the reds, oranges, and golds of fall.

That’s why so many of us keep coming back.

Not just for the food, the rides, or the concerts, but for the traditions we’ve grown up with and the memories we continue to make. For many West Virginians, summer doesn’t really feel complete until we’ve spent a day at the State Fair.

And somehow, as the last fireworks fade over Fairlea and the crowd begins making its way to the parking lots, we’re already looking forward to doing it all again next year.

The 2026 State Fair of West Virginia will be held Aug. 13 – 22 in Fairlea. For a complete schedule of events, concerts, tickets, and attractions, visit the State Fair of West Virginia’s website.