The State Fair of Virginia

What The State Fair of Virginia does

The State Fair of Virginia is a nonprofit annual agricultural fair operated by Virginia Farm Bureau Federation through its subsidiary Virginia Farm Bureau Holding Corp. at The Meadow Event Park, a 330-acre permanent venue in Doswell, Caroline County, Virginia (the birthplace of Secretariat). Established in 1854, the fair runs for 10 days each fall and serves approximately 215,000-250,000 attendees annually with a multi-revenue-stream model spanning general admission ticket sales, unlimited ride wristbands (operated by long-term partner Deggeller Attractions), food and merchandise vendor concession fees, corporate sponsorship packages (Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance, Smithfield Foods, Farm Credit of the Virginias), group sales programs, facility rental of Meadow Hall, and premium hospitality experiences such as the Sunsets & Scholarships VIP package.

The organization serves a diverse stakeholder base: general-public families seeking entertainment; youth (4-H and FFA members) participating in livestock and agricultural competitions for scholarships exceeding $100,000 annually (2,609 scholarships and over $1 million awarded since 2013); school groups through the Educational Expo field trip program serving 10,000+ students; corporate sponsors seeking marketing reach to 250,000+ attendees; and vendors and exhibitors. Distribution is multi-channel, combining the Etix online ticketing platform, retail ticket sales at Publix Super Markets in the Richmond and Fredericksburg markets, on-site gate sales, and direct group sales outreach. The technology backbone is the Saffire event management platform, which powers website content management, ticketing, and event operations.

Commercially, the fair extends beyond its core 10-day event into year-round programming at The Meadow Event Park, including the spring Virginia Farm Festival (launched 2021), the Black Tie & Boots fundraising gala supporting the scholarship program, the Blue Ribbon Craft Beer Fest, the Farm to Table Dinner series, and permanent facility rentals for corporate and private events. Recent strategic activity centers on diversifying revenue streams and deepening the youth agricultural development ecosystem, though the 2020 COVID-19 cancellation and subsequent attendance recovery (215,000 in 2021 vs. 250,000 in 2018) signal ongoing operational normalization rather than rapid expansion.

Name

The State Fair of Virginia

Legal name

The Meadow Event Park

Website

https://statefairva.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1854

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The State Fair of Virginia is a nonprofit, 10-day annual agricultural fair operated by Virginia Farm Bureau Federation at the 330-acre Meadow Event Park in Doswell, VA, serving ~250,000 attendees with livestock competitions, youth scholarships, concerts, rides, and year-round facility rentals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Fair and Event Services

NAICS

All Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (713990), Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (7139), Amusement Parks and Arcades (7131)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Local Community & Multi-Category Fairs (MPAGAFAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fairgrounds & Expo Parks (THAHAAAH), Family, Kids & Education Fairs (MPAGAFAH)

Keywords

• Agricultural fair events
• Annual state fair
• Youth livestock competitions
• Event venue rental
• Agricultural scholarship programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Doswell

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: General admission tickets sold online through etix.com, at Publix Super Markets, and at the gate. Tickets include access to concerts, attractions, exhibits and demonstrations. Additional revenue from season passes and premium parking.
2. Ride Revenue: Unlimited ride wristbands and individual ride tickets sold at Ride Ticket Booths in the Midway and Kidway areas. Separate from general admission.
3. Vendor and Concession Fees: Food, beverage, and merchandise vendors pay fees to operate at the fair. Includes artisan market vendors, shopping vendors, and food concessionaires.
4. Sponsorship and Marketing Packages: Corporate sponsors purchase marketing space, sampling opportunities, category exclusivity, venue/event naming rights, and hospitality packages. Sponsorship director Marlene Jolliffe manages packages tailored to marketing goals.
5. Facility Rental and Special Events: Meadow Hall and grounds available for private events, corporate functions, and special programming including Black Tie & Boots gala, Farm to Table Dinner, and educational events.
6. Premium Experiences: Sunsets & Scholarships program offers exclusive hospitality packages including parking, gate admission, Meadow Hall access, hors d'oeuvres, drink tickets, and private restrooms at $150/day or $1,000 for 10-day access.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The State Fair of Virginia organizes an annual 10-day agricultural fair held each fall at The Meadow Event Park in Doswell, Virginia. The fair features livestock and creative-arts competitions, the Main Stage concert series, carnival midway rides operated by Deggeller Attractions, agricultural exhibits, youth programming through 4-H and FFA, food and merchandise vendors, and the Educational Expo field-trip program for schools. Supplementary revenue and programming come from spring events, premium hospitality experiences, fundraising galas, youth scholarships, group sales, and year-round facility rentals.

Product overview

The State Fair of Virginia operates as a single core product—the annual State Fair of Virginia event—alongside several complementary programs and seasonal events. The core fair is a 10-day agricultural celebration featuring competitions, concerts, rides, and family entertainment. Supporting offerings include Sunsets & Scholarships (premium evening hospitality), Educational Expo (school field trips), Youth Scholarship Program, Virginia Farm Festival (spring event), Black Tie & Boots Gala (fundraiser), Group Sales, and Facility Rental services. The fair utilizes external ticketing platforms (Etix) and is powered by Saffire event management technology.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• State Fair of Virginia (Annual Fair) 10-day annual agricultural fair featuring livestock and creative-arts competitions, Main Stage concerts, carnival midway rides operated by Deggeller Attractions, agricultural exhibits, food and merchandise vendors, and family entertainment for approximately 250,000 fairgoers.
• Sunsets & Scholarships Evening VIP hospitality experience for guests 21 and older offering premium parking, gate admission, private access to historic Meadow Hall, cash bar, hors d'oeuvres, two drink tickets per guest, and indoor restrooms; priced at $150/day or $1,000 for 10-day access.
• Educational Expo (Ed Expo) School field trip program offering hands-on educational experiences aligned with Virginia Standards of Learning for preschool through high school students, featuring agricultural exhibits, natural resources displays, and interactive lessons; serves 10,000+ students annually.
• Virginia Farm Festival Spring agricultural festival held annually at The Meadow Event Park featuring farm animal interactions, dairy demonstrations, pony rides, antique tractors, live bluegrass music, and local food vendors.
• Black Tie & Boots Gala Annual VIP fundraising gala featuring live and silent auctions, Virginia commodity showcase, live entertainment, and fair-themed cocktails to benefit the State Fair of Virginia Scholarship Program.
• Youth Scholarship Program Annual scholarship program offering over $100,000 each year in scholarship funds through 4-H, FFA, vocational, equine, fine arts and horticulture competitions; has awarded more than 2,600 scholarships totaling over $1 million since 2013.
• Group Sales Program Discounted ticket packages for groups of 20 or more covering corporate outings, school groups, family reunions, and civic organizations with special pricing and flexible scheduling options.
• Facility Rental Rental services for The Meadow Event Park facilities including Meadow Hall and outdoor spaces for corporate events, weddings, meetings, and private functions at the 330-acre historic venue.
• Main Stage Concert Series Evening concert series on the Main Stage during the fair featuring music genres including country, rock, bluegrass, Christian rock and hip-hop; concerts included with general admission.
• Midway Rides Carnival midway with amusement rides operated by Deggeller Attractions, including midway rides and a Kidway area for younger children; ride tickets and unlimited-ride wristbands available separately from admission.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,609 scholarships and over $1 million awarded to youth since 2013
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Virginia Farm Bureau FederationflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Virginia Farm Bureau Federation acquired full ownership of the State Fair of Virginia in 2013 and operates it through Virginia Farm Bureau Holding Corp. The organization is committed to preserving Virginia's agricultural heritage and ensuring The Meadow Event Park thrives as a regional event and equine venue. Marlene Jolliffe serves as Executive Director of SFVA and VP of Operations for The Meadow Event Park.
• Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co.coreGTM or Marketing PartnerPresents the Main Stage Concert Series. Provides sponsorship support and marketing presence at the fair. Ray Leonard serves as Vice-President of Sales.
• Publix Super MarketscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial retail ticket sales partner for advance fair tickets at Publix locations in Richmond and Fredericksburg areas. Tickets sold at online pricing with no fees in stores.
• Smithfield FoodscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor sponsor and buyer at Sale of Champions livestock auction. Consistently purchases champion market hogs to support youth scholarship programs, with purchases including Grand Champion Market Hogs.
• Virginia Club Calf ProducerscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsoring buyer at Sale of Champions auction, purchasing Grand Champion Market Beef animals to support youth livestock exhibitors and scholarship programs.
• Deggeller AttractionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMidway contractor providing carnival rides and amusement operations. Celebrating 60th year of partnership with State Fair of Virginia in 2021.
• DRIVE SMART VirginiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Virginia Farm Bureau and Giovanni Meola to create a permanent LOVEwork sculpture at The Meadow Event Park as part of the 'Love Clicks' campaign promoting seat belt safety.
• Virginia Tourism CorporationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLOVEworks program partner supporting the permanent LOVEwork sculpture at The Meadow Event Park as part of the 'Virginia is for Lovers' tourism initiative.
• Farm Credit of the VirginiascoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPresents Young MacDonald's Farm attraction. Kyley Clevenger serves as Director. Supports youth agricultural programming and education at the fair.
• SouthLand Dairy Farmer CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDairy education partner featuring the SouthLand Dairy Parlor, hand-milking demonstrations, and the Dairy Cow Birthing Center at the fair.
• Virginia Cooperative ExtensioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner for 4-H and FFA youth programming, working with the fair to deliver livestock shows and youth development competitions.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Kentucky State Fair: Annual multi-category state fair held in Louisville featuring livestock shows, agricultural exhibits, concerts, and midway rides. Similar Southeast/Mid-Atlantic regional fair footprint and youth development programming.
• North Carolina State Fair: Annual state fair held in Raleigh featuring livestock competitions, agricultural exhibits, rides, and youth scholarship programs. Closest geographic and demographic peer to the State Fair of Virginia in the Mid-Atlantic/Southeast.
• Eastern States Exposition (The Big E): Largest agricultural fair in the Northeast, held annually in West Springfield, MA, featuring livestock competitions, agricultural exhibits, concerts, and a multi-state exhibition format. Comparable as a multi-day agricultural and entertainment fair.
• State Fair of Texas: Largest state fair in the U.S. by attendance, held annually at Fair Park in Dallas with livestock shows, concerts, midway rides, and youth competitions. Comparable multi-category agricultural fair model with strong corporate sponsorship and scholarship programs.
• Indiana State Fair: Annual state fair with a strong focus on 4-H and FFA youth programming, livestock competitions, agricultural education, and a year-round event venue. Highly comparable in mission and operational structure.
• Iowa State Fair: One of the largest and most iconic U.S. state fairs, operating a multi-day agricultural and entertainment event with livestock competitions, concerts, midway, and youth programming. Directly comparable in format, scale, and mission to the State Fair of Virginia.
• Minnesota State Fair: One of the largest and highest-attended state fairs in the U.S., known for its agricultural competitions, livestock exhibitions, midway, and broad entertainment programming. Comparable as a benchmark for state-fair scale and diversified revenue model.
• State Fair of West Virginia: Regional state fair held annually in Lewisburg, WV, featuring agricultural exhibitions, livestock shows, and midway entertainment. Notably, this is the prior employer of the State Fair of Virginia's Executive Director Marlene Jolliffe, indicating direct operational comparability.

Others

• International Association of Fairs and Expositions (IAFE): Industry trade association representing fairs, exhibitions, and expositions globally. Relevant as a peer in the sense that it shapes industry standards and has inducted the State Fair of Virginia's Executive Director into its Hall of Fame, signaling shared market context.

Broad incumbents

• Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo: Massive annual livestock show, rodeo, and entertainment event in Houston with significant youth scholarship commitments. A larger, established peer in the same broad agricultural-fair and youth-education space, with broader rodeo/sports programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/StateFairVA
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/statefairva
• Facebookfacebook.com/StateFairVa
• Instagraminstagram.com/statefairva
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-state-fair-of-virginia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The State Fair of Virginia