Nine days of home-grown excitement and fun at annual PWC Fair

Plans are progressing for the 67th annual Prince William County Fair Aug. 12-20 at the fairgrounds, a mile south of Manassas on Va. Route 234.
Billed at the largest county fair in the state of Virginia, through the years it has offered a variety of fun and educational attractions for the entire family.
This year will be no exception as the popular farm classic will provide livestock and produce exhibits, home arts and crafts entries, thrill rides, live music, food, nightly entertainment, baby contests, demolition derbies, monster trucks and much more.

Not to be overlooked by the crowds will be 100+ vendors that fill the commercial building and surrounding outside area.

Daily shows include two repeat favorites from last year, No Joe’s Clown Circuit with new shows and Jurasssic Kingdom. Also planned is the Butterfly Encounter, Sting Ray Encounters, Owsley Farm Petting Zoo, and Rockin A Ranch with camel and pony rides

Nightly shows in the grandstand area will include Demolition Derbies on Aug. 12, 17 and 18; Truck and Tractor Pull on Aug. 13, Spanish Rodeo on Aug. 14, Children Power Wheel Derby on Aug. 15, Garden Tractor Pull on Aug. 16 and Monster Trucks on Aug. 19 and 20.

There is a $2 charge for admission to the shows except on the nights of Aug. 15-16. New this year will be a VIP seating area in a fenced off area near the announcers stand. There will be a $5 charge to get in that section.

Local bands have been booked to appear in the show barn. They include Gunsmoke on Aug. 12 and Aug. 16, Trey Schneider on Aug. 13, Route 66 on Aug. 15, Special Occasion on Aug. 17, Kitty and the Fat Cats on Aug. 18 and Lionel Ward and the New World Band (Elvis tribute) on Aug. 20.

Pretty Baby Contests will be conducted on Aug. 13 for 9-18 month boys and girls and Aug. 14 for 19-36 month boys and girls.

Fair hours are 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. on weekends and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Fridays and 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. on $2 Tuesday.

Opening night is “kid’s night” and children, adults and seniors will all get in for the kid’s price of $6. Normal price is $10 adults and $6 children, except Monday, Aug. 15 which is half price night for both adults and children. Women get in free on Aug. 17. Activity military get in free throughout the fair and all veterans get in free on Aug. 18.

Deggeller will have more than 30 rides and attractions on the midway. In appreciation of Virginia’s number one agricultural industry, Mattaponi Winery will host a daily wine tasting.

In addition to the midway food vendors there will be a dozen independent vendors—including three new ones this year—offering everything from hot dogs to homemade ice cream and crab cakes.

The fair is sponsored by the Prince William Veterans Farm Club, Inc. and averages about 80,000 attendance each year.

Diane Burke, director of business operations, encourages everyone to come out to the fair and “be thoroughly entertained and have a lot of fun,’ while noting that “We are always striving to make it bigger and better.”