The State Fair of West Virginia is an annual agricultural fair and summer festival held at the State Fairgrounds in Lewisburg/Fairlea, West Virginia. One of the state’s largest and longest-running celebrations, it combines agriculture, competitions, carnival attractions, fair food, concerts, and family entertainment over ten days each August.

What defines the fair

Agriculture remains at the center of the event, with livestock and agricultural exhibitions, competitions, crafts, foods, needlework, flowers, and produce alongside the midway and entertainment program. The mix makes the fair both a showcase for West Virginia agricultural traditions and a conventional state-fair experience with rides, games, food vendors, demonstrations, and grandstand entertainment.

A tradition with deep roots

The fair’s heritage reaches back to 1854, when the Greenbrier Agricultural Society staged an agricultural fair in what is now Lewisburg. The present organization was chartered as the Greenbrier Valley Fair in 1921, and the West Virginia Legislature designated it the State Fair of West Virginia in 1941; its 100th annual fair was celebrated in 2025.

The fair experience

A typical visit combines livestock barns and competitions with carnival rides, food concessions, educational exhibits, crafts, demonstrations, and live shows. Music is another major component: the 2026 grandstand program ranged from country and Christian music to hip-hop and rock, illustrating how the modern fair balances its agricultural identity with large-scale entertainment.

Place in West Virginia

The fairgrounds are at 947 Maplewood Avenue in Lewisburg, near Fairlea in Greenbrier County. The event has become an important annual gathering for the Greenbrier Valley and a statewide showcase; its nonprofit organization describes its mission around preserving agricultural heritage, education, family entertainment, youth support, and community engagement.