Kids love visiting the State Fair of Virginia, but what they may not realize is they’re actually learning something while they’re having fun! The annual fall event is a perennially popular field trip destination for schools throughout the state.
“We traditionally host around 300 school groups and around 10,000 students during the weekdays of the fair,” says Sarah Jane Thomsen, manager of agriculture education and strategic partnerships programming for Meadow Event Park and the State Fair of Virginia. “All age groups are welcome, from pre-K to high school, and our groups represent a mix of traditional field trips partaking in the Ed Expo and classes competing in our various student competitions.”
Here are 10 stops you’ll want to make during your State Fair of Virginia school field trip.
- Visit the adorable sheep, baby ducks, turkeys, rabbits, alpacas, goats, pigs and other animals at Young MacDonald’s farm. If you’re lucky, you might even get to pet a few.
- Immerse yourself in a historical trade like blacksmithing, basket weaving or corn milling in the Heritage Village. While you’re there, admire the antique tractors and early gas engines that paved the way for today’s modern machinery.
- Vie for a blue ribbon — or cheer on a classmate — in a Future Farmers of America livestock show or a 4-H student competition.
- Experience new life in the Southland Dairy Farmers’ Center, where you’ll see cute newborn calves cuddling up with their moms and learn what it takes to milk a cow. (It’s harder than you might think!)
- From Virginia-grown peanuts to gigantic pumpkins weighing 1,000 pounds and everything green in between, the Horticulture Pavilion and Garden focuses on teaching agriculture in the classroom.
- Make like birds of a feather and flock on over to the Pigeon and Dove Pavilion to learn about more than 300 different breeds including figuritas, giant runts, fantails and frillbacks.
- Admire creative handiwork from quilts to cakes at the Arts and Crafts Exhibition. Who knows, you just might be inspired to pick up a new hobby!
- Check out the livestock competitions in the Farm Credit and First Bank & Trust Pavilions.
- Learn something new about Virginia’s rich maritime heritage, historic cemeteries, landmarks and great outdoors with a little help from the Department of Historic Resources.
- Find out where your food comes from through interactive games and lessons at the Ag Commodity Pavilion.
Kids have a variety of fun and engaging learning activities to choose from at the State Fair.
“The State Fair works with our various educational partners to determine offerings and resources; we also put together an Ed Expo Guide that offers a stop-by-stop directory to help teachers get their students around the fair and make the most out of their time here,” Thomsen says. “School groups and teachers are encouraged to use the guide to customize their own trip according to their needs and interests.”
State Fair of Virginia field trips are open to public, private and homeschooled students Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with special student pricing. The 2022 fair runs Sept. 23 to Oct. 2 at the Meadow Event Park in Doswell. For more information, visit statefairva.org.
