Ready for a little friendly competition? The State Fair of Virginia offers hundreds of opportunities to vie for bragging rights, blue ribbons and much more.
Marlene Jolliffe, executive director of the State Fair of Virginia, feels competitions play an important role in the overall fair experience.
“The fair brings the best of Virginia together to celebrate the native skills and talents that make our state special,” she said. “Whether it’s growing something in the garden, raising pigs, baking a family recipe or knitting a blanket, state fair competitions bring us back to our roots.”
With more than 500 different classes across a variety of categories like creative arts, culinary arts, equine, horticulture and field crops, there’s something for everyone to participate in.
“Competitions are also divided by youth, adult or open classifications depending on the department,” Jolliffe said.
The quilt category proved particularly popular last year, resulting in more than 175 entries that were hung from the Farm Bureau Center ceiling for guests to admire.
“Our livestock competitions are always a lot of fun, and it’s great to see the kids come back again and again,” Jolliffe said. “Since 2013, the State Fair has awarded 2,903 scholarships and over $1.15 million to support youth education.”
Kids and adult winners in some classes may also receive a premium or cash prize. For many, though, the chance to share a specific skill or talent with the State Fair of Virginia community is incentive enough to participate.
New in 2026 is the addition of an Open Horse Show, offered through a grant from the Virginia Horse Industry Board. The Open Horse Show is set for Sept. 30 through Oct. 2.
Weekdays at the fair feature a variety of school-based and partner competitions with groups like 4-H and FFA and Skills USA, DECA, HOSA and FCCLA.
Interested in throwing your hat into the ring? Go to the State Fair of Virginia website and click on the competitions tab to find categories, guides and entry forms. Registration is available in both online and paper formats. With a few exceptions, most adult categories require a $1 fee per entry. Youth competitions are free to enter. To expand competition opportunities for more Virginians, the new 2026 State Fair Express will offer a one-day pickup in Harrisonburg (Rockingham County) and Abingdon (Washington County), where exhibitors in eligible Creative Arts categories may submit up to three entries for transportation to the State Fair.
“We encourage people to go through the complete guides for the areas they’re interested in to see all the opportunities to compete,” Jolliffe said. “All entries require pre-registration and don’t forget to check out the miscellaneous classes for things that don’t necessarily fit into an existing category. These allow us to figure out what we might need to add in the upcoming years.”
The 2026 State Fair of Virginia runs Sept. 25 through Oct. 4 at the Meadow Event Park in Doswell. For more information, visit statefairva.org.
