CAROLINE COUNTY, Va. — The State Fair of Virginia returns for 10 days at The Meadow Event Park in Doswell.
The fair opens Friday at 10 a.m.
Fair executive director Marlene Jolliffe told CBS 6 this is her 35th career state fair.
“We have a legacy. We have generational fairgoers who this is a tradition, and they keep coming,” Jolliffe recalled. “My grandchildren and my children have grown up in the fair industry because of me.”
The State Fair of Virginia has been in operation since 1854 and Jolliffe said they’ve learned a lot since it moved to The Meadow Event Park in 2009.
Last year, she invited contractors to visit the fairgrounds to study their procedures finding virtually no issues, but showed areas for improvement.
Crews installed metal detectors and upgraded cameras.
A security team holds meetings year-round before the fair and safety briefings every morning the fair is in operation.
The fair partners with the Virginia State Police for security. VSP declined an interview about this topic.