There will be “Mountain Streams and Barnyard Dreams” at the Madison County Fair next week.
The annual fair will be held Wednesday through Saturday, July 16-19 with entertainment, animals and more.
The fair features 68 4-Hers showing off 193 animals, live music, professional wrestling, jack russell races, bull riding and the demolition derby. Brinkley Entertainment will have its midway packed with games and rides. Odyssey Axe Throwing will be available, as well the VA 250 Mobile Museum and 4-H Mobile Learning Lab, both of which are new to the fair this year. Birds of Prey will be present and Agricadabra will perform its magic show. Strong man and strong woman weight lifting will also occur daily.
Fair foodies will enjoy eating their way through the grounds with steak sandwiches, hot dogs, wings, barbecue, hamburgers, fries, pizza, blooming onions and ice cream. Tiki Tea will be on-site as well as Mad Pepper.
The exhibit hall will feature entries from locals in everything from produce and food preparation and preservation to sewing, home furnishings, arts and crafts, flowers and photography. Entries are split into age divisions–5-8, 9-13, 14-19, over 19, 65 and up and special citizens–those with a significant physical or intellectual impairment. Pre-registration into the exhibit hall competitions is not required; completed forms and goods can be dropped off Tuesday, July 15, 4-7 p.m. For complete rules and the entry form, visit https://www.madisoncountyfairva.com/hfg-exhibits.
Also on Tuesday will be the Madison County Fair Pageant. The pageant will start at 7 p.m. and is open to Madison County residents from newborn to age 20. Paperwork is due by Sunday, July 13 and is available online at https://form.jotform.com/251676879802169. Questions should be directed to Emillee Daniel at madisonvapageant@gmail.com.
The fair will unofficially kick off with the annual fireman’s parade Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. The parade will make its way along Main Street to the fairgrounds.
The grounds open Wednesday at 4 p.m., but the dairy show will take place earlier at 11 a.m. The strong man/strong woman weight lifting will be held at 6 p.m. followed by the Dark Hollow Band and swine show at 7 p.m. The MCHS Band and the American Legion Post 157 will present the opening ceremony at 7:30 p.m. followed by the pie eating contest. The main event, pro wrestling, will take place at 8 p.m. at the track. This is a new event.
Thursday is Kid’s Night at the fair. The sheep show will take place at 11 a.m. followed by the beef show at 3 p.m. The grounds will open at 4 p.m. The pedal tractor pull will be held at 6:30 p.m. along with the goat show and Mountain Side Stompers. The Unsuitables will perform at 7 p.m. with jack russell races at 8 p.m. The races are a new event this year.
On Friday, the dairy beef show will be held at 10 a.m. with the grounds once again opening at 4 p.m. The Rivanna Band will play at 6 p.m. with the corn hole tournament at the same time. The 4-H auction will be held at 7 p.m. with the BLM Bull Riding and Rodeo at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday is the longest day of the fair with grounds opening at 9 a.m. A corn hole tournament will begin at 10 a.m. along with the Cloverbud Bucket Baby Show. The carnival will open at 1 p.m. Austin Bogg’s will perform at 1 p.m. with Karen’s Line Dancing occurring at the same time. The Hi-Horse Cloggers will perform at 3 p.m. with James Tamelcoff at 4 p.m. Third Dimension Skydivers will drop in at 7:45 p.m. with the demolition derby at 8 p.m.
Grounds close at 11 p.m. nightly.
Admission to the fair is $5 Wednesday and Thursday, $10 Friday and $12 Saturday. All children 10 and under are free. A weekly pass is available for $25. Carnival armbands, purchased in addition to admission, are $25 Wednesday and Thursday, $30 Friday and $35 Saturday. Pets and coolers are prohibited; the fair is rain or shine.
For more information, visit https://www.madisoncountyfairva.com/ or follow https://www.facebook.com/madcofairva on Facebook.
