State Fair Of West Virginia Begins Thursday

The state fair is set to start in Lewisburg later this week. 

Originally celebrated as the Greenbrier Valley Fair in the 1920s, the State Fair of West Virginia will kick off its 99th season Thursday.

The fair runs for 10 days through Saturday, Aug. 17 with concerts, food, fair rides, and livestock shows.

“We are a state fair because of agriculture. We’d like to stay true to those roots,” said Kelly Collins, chief executive officer of the state fair. “You can see a livestock show and animal show of some sort every single day of the fair.”

Collins said she grew up showing livestock at the fair.

“It’s always an honor for me to watch the kids get the same opportunities I did as a kid,” she said. “This is their state championship, so we hope folks come out and support those kids.”  

Collins said the fair employs around 150 people each season, with a payroll of $250,000. An economic impact study commissioned by the fair in 2023 estimated the fair generates close to $17 million for the state of West Virginia. 

“As a nonprofit, to have that much of an impact on the state is really important for us,” Collins said. “We want to be good stewards of the community, and to make sure that we’re supporting where we can. I hope people know that when they’re coming to support the fair, and you’re coming to enjoy the fair, they’re also really supporting the state and the local community.”