County fairs have been an American tradition ever since New England farmer Elkanah Watson launched the nation’s first livestock competition in 1811 in Pittsfield, Mass. But it wasn’t until 1977 that Arlington jumped on the bandwagon. That was the year the local 4-H club and the Arlington Jaycees service organization launched a contest to showcase what area residents were making and growing.
Forty-eight years later, the Arlington County Fair remains a free, volunteer-led expo featuring good old-fashioned competition—with prizes in categories ranging from locally produced honey, jam, flowers and vegetables to needlework and quilts.
“The competitive exhibits are what actually makes us a fair,” per guidelines set by the Virginia Association of Fairs, explains Arlingtonian Matt Richard, now serving his second year as event chair. “Otherwise we would be classified as a festival.”
Though Arlington today has little farmland, that hasn’t stopped backyard gardeners from vying for a coveted blue ribbon in a range of agricultural categories. “A friend of mine grows vegetables and participates every year. His ‘white whale’ is trying to win Best Tomato,” Richard quips, referencing Captain Ahab’s obsessive quest in Moby Dick.
Now drawing some 150,000 attendees, the fair also features midway rides and games, live entertainment, kids’ activities, a bingo night, crafts expo, annual pie-eating contest, and vendors selling everything from the obligatory cotton candy and funnel cake to local barbecue and craft beer.
For all its nostalgic comforts, the fair has adopted some new traditions, too. Neon lights and a cacophony of sounds are part of the draw after dark, but organizers have also designated sensory-friendly daytime hours when the bells and whistles are literally turned off for kids who prefer a quieter fair experience. A “zero waste” effort means there are no single-use plastic straws or Styrofoam containers on site, and free valet bike parking is a reward for attendees who leave their cars at home.
This year’s fair, themed “Kaleidoscope of Fun,” takes place Aug. 14-18 at the Thomas Jefferson Community Center (3501 Second St. S., Arlington). A pre-fair fundraiser on Aug. 13 at Harvey’s in Falls Church will feature face painting, balloon animals and a carnival-themed menu, with proceeds donated to future fair activities.