RICHMOND, Va. -- Despite a tropical storm moving into the region, the Virginia State Fair cut the ribbon on the 2023 opening day as planned Friday.
“We've worked all year to make this happen. A little bit of rain and a storm that flows through can't really dampen spirits,” Marlene Joliff, VP of Operations at the Meadow Event Park, said.
The fair runs for 10 days from September 22 to October 1 in Doswell, Virginia.
An estimated 400 employees will staff the event which boasts roughly 300,000 square feet of covered space.
“Like farming, (weather) is part of what we do. We adapt. And we have excellent infrastructure here,” said Joliff.
The staff looks at multiple factors when deciding to shift the fair’s schedule, including the volume of rain, lightning, and wind.
If sustained winds are less than 20 miles per hour, it’s unlikely to close the fairgrounds.
“We have a safety team in place. All of our major law enforcement agencies, emergency services, and we make that joint decision if we feel it’s not safe.”
Gates are open at 10 a.m. daily. Any changes to the schedule will be published on the fair’s social media pages, including Facebook and Instagram.
For more information or to buy tickets, visit statefairva.org.
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