Alexandria Fair
Every Labor Day weekend, a parcel of land in Alexandria springs to life as an event, lovingly known as the “Alexandria World’s Fair,” makes its annual appearance.
Officially the Alexandria Fair & Horse Show, this carnival is among the longest traditions in Campbell County, having started in October of 1856, before the Civil War had even started.
Earlier in that same decade, a group of like-minded farmers felt a need for a place to prove their skills in areas such as raising livestock and crops as well as in horsemanship. Campbell County was much more rural in that era so the idea of holding a fair was a natural fit with the times.
They set up a board to assume leadership of the group whose first decision was to find a location to hold the fair. The men soon learned of ten available acres near Alexandria and purchased the lot for $500.
The first fair was so successful that the board quickly voted to make it an annual event. They even scheduled the 1857 event a year in advance.
The organization they founded was soon incorporated by the state as the Campbell County Agriculture Society in January of 1858. This was an entirely private enterprise, controlled by private individuals. Almost 170 years later, that is still the case, now with local sponsors contributing as well.
In 1972, the fairgrounds suffered a loss when its wooden grandstands burned down, but the Fair Board was able to have a new concrete grandstand constructed.
The fair still features traditional agricultural displays such as horse and beef shows. Members of the local 4-H group show the animals they raised in the categories of beef, sheep, poultry, rabbits, and goats. Other family-friendly events such as a craft show, a Cutie Pie Pageant, and a Baby Contest add to the festivities, combining with other activities to keep the fair weekend a busy one.