FAIRLEA- Another summer tradition has come and gone in Greenbrier County as the 101st State Fair of West Virginia wrapped up Saturday night, bringing an end to 10 days filled with music, agriculture, carnival rides, addicting food, and entertainment.
Running from Aug. 13-22, the fair once again brought thousands of visitors through the gates in Fairlea and offered a little something for nearly everyone. From the sounds of the midway and the smell of longtime fair-food favorites to livestock barns and nightly entertainment, the event continued a tradition that has brought generations of West Virginians together each summer.
A power outage on opening night and some spotty storms kept things interesting at the start of the week, but as it kept going, only the sun and the heat it provided would be the worst thing that happened.
For me personally, the fair has become a getaway during a busy workday, and a place I want my children to experience. Seeing the pure excitement on their faces when they saw a light flash, an animal, an ice cream cone, and of course, the rides, made all the money spent and the tiring hours all worth it. It’s become quite a tradition for many local families now.
Music was once again one of the biggest attractions. The Grandstand lineup covered another wide range of genres, with country veterans Trace Adkins and Aaron Tippin, West Virginia native Sierra Ferrell, Christian artists CAIN and Leanna Crawford, country group Shenandoah, hip-hop stars Paul Wall and the Ying Yang Twins, country superstar Dierks Bentley, and rising country artist Gavin Adcock all taking the stage during the fair. The concert series concluded Saturday night when rock band Stone Temple Pilots helped put an exclamation point on the final evening of the 2026 fair.
Music wasn’t limited to the Grandstand, however. Center Stage provided free performances throughout the 10-day run, showcasing a variety of regional and local talent. The lineup included Caden Glover, Zoe Jean Fowler, Philip Bowen, The Goodson Boys, the Gospel Harmony Boys, Glen Shelton, Corduroy Brown, Caleb Carpenter, Chad Nickell and the Loose Change, and Brett Mahon. Many of those performers have ties to West Virginia and Appalachia–with Glover and Mahon from 25 minutes down the road– giving fairgoers another opportunity to hear homegrown talent alongside the nationally known acts appearing at the Grandstand.
Away from the music, agriculture remained at the heart of the State Fair.
The barns were filled throughout the event with cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, horses, rabbits, llamas and other animals, while exhibitors competed for ribbons and recognition. Youth involved in 4-H and FFA programs were once again an important part of the fair, continuing the agricultural traditions that have helped define the event for more than a century.
The popular Draft Horse Pull also returned, giving spectators a chance to see teams of powerful horses compete in one of the fair’s longstanding attractions and did so with the sun not bearing down on everyone like it did for much of the week.
Educational opportunities were mixed with entertainment throughout the grounds. The Farm Credit Dairy Birthing Center gave visitors a chance to learn about dairy farming and potentially witness the birth of a calf, while Heritage Corner and the Farm to Food Pavilion helped introduce younger visitors to agriculture. Llama and alpaca competitions were also among the events held during the closing days of the fair.
There was no shortage of entertainment between stops at the barns. The Flores Circus Thrill Show, DockDogs, Granpa Crachet, the Oregon Trail Display, Hot Glass Academy and the Moogician were among the attractions available throughout the fair. Reithoffer Shows once again filled the midway with everything from children’s rides and games to thrill rides such as the Zipper, Tornado, and Ring of Fire. Can we just go ahead and add the Wild Mouse to that list as well? Yes.
And, of course, a trip to the State Fair would not be complete without the food.
Longtime staples joined newer creations as vendors served everything from sweets and ice cream to the deep-fried foods that have become synonymous with a day at the fair. Some vendors have been part of the tradition for decades, including Ben Ellen Donuts, which dates its fair presence to 1952, and Trudy’s Dairy World, known for homemade ice cream. The annual New Fair Food Contest also gave vendors another opportunity to get creative and visitors something new to try.
For 10 days, the fairgrounds became one of West Virginia’s busiest gathering places — a combination of concerts, competition, agriculture, food, rides, shopping and family entertainment. More importantly, the 101st State Fair demonstrated that even after passing the century mark, many of the traditions that built the event remain very much alive.
Attendance numbers have not been announced at the time of this writing, but they will most likely be on par with other years. This year, however, there did seem to be shorter lines for the rides no matter day or night, weeknight or weekend.
Still, as the midway lights went dark and the final concert came to an end Saturday night, another chapter in the history of the State Fair of West Virginia officially closed. After 10 days of activity in Fairlea, organizers, vendors, exhibitors and visitors can now begin looking ahead to year No. 102.
