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Orange County Fair Association |
PO Box 1008, Orange, VA 22960 |
(540) 661- 5393 |
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Rock With The Stock |
July 24-27, 2008 |
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Orange County Fair History
The Orange County Fair most likely represents the true progress of Orange County as a whole. The fair started as a county school exhibit in 1910, and has evolved into a grand event attended by hundreds of people. The Fair was held on the grounds in front of the Orange Count Court House, as depicted in the picture below, where youth could show and auction live-stock.
Various businesses and individuals in Orange and the surrounding area provided financial help to these young people, A few of the counties included were Culpeper, Orange, Fauquier, and Madison. In 1942 the fair opened on their "new" fairgrounds, where permanent structures had been built to hold this yearly event. This location was on the old Orange-Gordonsville Hwy, a site which later became Snead & Co. and then Virginia Metals Industries.
One of the structures was a two story exhibit hall used for produce, preserved foods and handwork. The second floor of this building was a dance floor. A show, complete with dancing girls, preceded a properly chaperoned dance where invitations were sent out inviting young men and women from surrounding counties to attend. A list of "approved" chaperones were included in the invitation. At some point in time, the fair stopped, possibly because of the war, or the depression or both. The Orange County Fair was revitalized in 1973 as an event where the 4-H Youth of the County could show and/or sell their animals. Produce, prepared and preserved foods, crafts, and handwork are just a few of the categories that residents of Orange County could and still can enter into the fair.
Through the efforts of the Fair Board, Extension Service, Board of Supervisors, and County residents a "midway" will never be included to detract from the rural atmosphere of the Orange County Fair. Since 1973, Orange County High School, and Orange County Elementary School have been locations where the Fair has been held. Many activities and events took place during this time helped to mold the Fair into the great showcase that it is today.
In 1987 the Fair Board entered into a contract with Montpelier to hold the fair on the property that was once the home of our 4th President, James Madison and his wife Dolly. Since that date, and continuing today, the Fair is held in the Paddock area of these historic grounds. Each year our Rural County Fair continues to be a huge success, and was featured in the Richmond Times-Dispatch as one of the "Best Fairs in Virginia". From its humble beginning in 1910 to the grand event that it is today, the residents of Orange County can be proud of this great display of our Rural Heritage.  Left are the "Girls of the Pearl Haines Dance Revue". Orchestras of National reputation, floor regulations with adequate chaperonage and the backing of our best people is the reason that the Orange County Fair hosted "splendid dances" year after year.
The Dance Floor, Right, The Dance Floor, Right, was on the 2nd floor of the Fairgrounds Exhibition Building, located on the Orange-Gordonsville Hwy" which was once the site of Snead & Co. and Virginia Metals Industries. The dance floor was 90' x 36'.
Right is an advertisment in the Orange County Fair Catalog of 1924. I would like to thank Kaci Coppedge and Anna Mae Douthit of the Orange Co. Extension Office, and the Orange Co. Historical Society for providing the information and pictures used for this brief history of our Award Winning County Fair - Sincerely, Missy Wilson. |
affording them the opportunity to participate. At some point in time, it is unclearly exactly what year, the fair became a seven county event, however it continued to be held in Orange.
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