Out With the Old – In With the New

As we say farewell to 2013 and prepare for 2014, we’re reminded of the phrase, “Out with the old, in with the new”.  Whether we realize it or not this is often our motto as we work to keep the State Fair of WV ‘new’ each and every year; 2014 is no different.  In fact, as we prepare for 2014 we are reminded of the fact that we’re celebrating ’90 Years of Blue Ribbon Traditions’; WOW – 90 years!  What was happening in the world 90 years ago?  Well, we did a little research and this is what we’ve discovered.

• George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” was a huge hit!
• The first ever Winter Olympic Games were held in Chamonix, France. Fun fact; the first ever Gold Medal of the first ever Winter Olympic Games was won by an American!
• In New York City, the first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is held, then called the Macy’s Christmas Parade
• Ellis Island is closed as an immigration entry point to the United States
• Fashion, fashion fashion
• IBM corporation is founded

Chartered in March, 1921, the fair was known as the Greenbrier Valley Fair and was held in its current location of Fairlea.  From the minute the gates opened on Opening Day until the last visitor left the grounds each night, the Greenbrier Valley Fair offered fun, excitement, entertainment, education, exhibits and so much more to the thousands who came to see the sights.  Each year the Fair changes and adapts to reflect the society around it.  For two decades the Fair provided visitors the opportunity to escape from their normal lives and discover something new.  The Greenbrier Valley Fair was looked forward to with great anticipation and one of the best topics of discussion through the year consisted of planning your trip to the Fair!

One of the most popular events in the state of WV, the Greenbrier Valley Fair, was an ‘end-of-summer’ celebration for families throughout WV and surrounding states.  Recognizing the Fair’s tremendous popularity and potential, the State Legislature passed an act that designated the Greenbrier Valley as the State Fair of West Virginia on March 19, 1941.  Since that time the Fair has been held annually with the exception of 1942, 1943, 1944, and 1945 due to World War II.

As we prepare to celebrate “90 Years of Blue Ribbon Traditions” in 2014 we invite you to reflect on where the Fair has been and where we’re going – enjoy the photos and share your memories with us by visiting our FB Page or by commenting on our Tumblr post.  See you August 8-16, 2014!!

Jolliffe’s “Dream Big” Challenge Inspires IAFE to Raise 6 Million Pounds of Food

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Jolliffe’s Dream Big Challenge raised over 6 million pounds of food.

LEWISBURG, WV (12/16/2013)(readMedia)– Marlene Pierson-Jolliffe, CEO of the State Fair of West Virginia, wrapped up her term as the 2013 Chair for International Association of Fairs and Expositions, on December 9-12, at the Paris Hotel Casino in Las Vegas. While there, the IAFE celebrated the efforts of fairs worldwide for raising a total of 6,005,069 pounds of food.

At last year’s IAFE gathering, Jolliffe challenged IAFE members to “Dream Big” and showcase how agricultural fairs impact their community’s social issues by feeding the hungry through a food drive.

Of the 1,100 IAFE members, nearly 200 fairs answered that call and held a food drive during their own annual fairs, some during non-fair events and activities at their grounds, as well as during board meetings and other gatherings. All food and cash donations raised will benefit each respective fair’s local community, designated to one or more organizations feeding those who are food-insecure.

At the 2013 State Fair of West Virginia, fair officials joined with First Energy for “Magic Monday” and generated 20,000 pounds of food through a gate discount promotion. Employees of First Energy, The State Fair of West Virginia, and Reithoffer Shows, manned the entrance gates and coordinated the donations of nonperishable food items

“Serving as Chair of The International Association of Fairs and Expositions was an incredible opportunity that allowed me to share my vision of the importance of measuring the social impact of fairs, and I was honored to watch it come to life as fairs around the world joined together to feed the hungry!”, said Marlene Pierson-Jolliffe, CEO.

The International Association of Fairs and Expositions (IAFE) is a voluntary, not-for-profit corporation, serving state, provincial, regional, and county agricultural fairs, shows, exhibitions, and expositions. Its associate members include state and provincial associations of fairs, non-agricultural expositions and festivals, associations, corporations, and individuals engaged in providing products and services to its members, all of whom are interested in the improvement of fairs and allied fields. For more information, visit www.fairsandexpos.com

The State Fair of West Virginia, with a $13.8 million dollar economic impact on West Virginia, is a 501 © 3 non-profit corporation committed to the traditions of agriculture, family entertainment, and education. The 2014 Fair themed “Blue Ribbon Traditions” is set for August 8-16.

State Fairgrounds Indoor Flea Market

LEWISBURG, WV (11/18/2013)(readMedia)– The fairgrounds flea market is now operating inside the heated West Virginia building for the winter season. Markets are held every Tuesday and Saturday with a special Christmas Open House set for Saturday, December 14th, 2013. One day setups for the Christmas Open House are by reservation only.

The indoor flea market provides shoppers an opportunity to “treasure hunt” and local vendors an affordable indoor retail location through the cold winter months! Look for a variety of antiques, collectibles, gently worn clothing, electronics and more. Tuesday markets are 7 am to 1 pm and Saturday markets are 7 am – 2:30 pm. Jim’s Drive In operates the food concession for the indoor flea markets.

Vendors interested in participating may phone 304-645-1090 or visit statefairofwv.com to download a vendor application and rules. Applications may also be obtained in the State Fair office, Monday through Friday 8 a.m. – 4 pm.

The State Fair Event Center is a 175 acre multi-purpose meeting and exposition facility providing a wide variety of event rental opportunities.

State Fair Scholarship Available Online

LEWISBURG, WV (11/14/2013)(readMedia)– Applications for the 2014 State Fair Scholarship program are now available online. In association with corporate, civic and individual contributors, and with support from the State Fair Endowment, five $1,000 (four year) scholarships will be awarded to individuals who have participated in one or more of the following areas at the State Fair:

1. State Fair Junior Show – market animals, purebred animals and dairy.

2. Equine Programs – State Fair’s Open Horse Show or Junior Horse and Pony Show.

3. 4-H and FFA Youth Exhibit Program – 4-H and FFA Underwood Youth Center.

Applicants must be pursuing a vocational trade, associate or bachelor degree, and must have participated in the junior livestock show, equine show or 4-H and FFA Youth Exhibit Program within the previous five (5) years.

“The State Fair takes great pride in recognizing the youth of our state for their hard work and for their contributions to agriculture and the Fair,” Agricultural Competitions Manager, Kelly Tuckwiller stated. “In 2014, we are going to celebrate the 90th State Fair of West Virginia. One of my goals is continue to grow the scholarship program so that we may keep supporting the next generation.”

New for 2014, all State Fair Scholarship applications and supporting documents must be filled out online and be emailed to scholarships@statefairofwv.com by January 15, 2014.

Applications are available online at www.statefairofwv.com or by contacting the State Fair office at 304-645-1090.

The State Fair of West Virginia, with a $13.8 million dollar economic impact on West Virginia, is a 501 © 3 non-profit corporation committed to the traditions of agriculture, family entertainment, and education. The 2014 Fair themed “Blue Ribbon Traditions” is set for August 8-16.

State Fairgrounds to Sponsor 3rd Annual Christmas Barn Decorating Contest

LEWISBURG, WV (11/04/2013)(readMedia)– Local civic groups and businesses are invited to participate in the Christmas Barn Decorating Contest at the State Fairgrounds in Fairlea. Participants will have the opportunity to decorate one of ten harness racing barns located adjacent to Rt. 219 North. Marlene Pierson-Jolliffe, CEO, stated “The State Fair is all about traditions, and we are pleased to see the Christmas Barn Decoracting becoming a new tradition for the community.” The winning entry receives $300, with second and third place receiving $200 and $100 respectivley. Only the east end of the barns will be decorated and work must be completed by Monday, December 2nd, 2013. Phone 304-645-1090 or visit the State Fair office Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. – 4:00 pm to get an entry form
and details. Entry forms can can also be emailed or found on the fair’s web site at www.statefairofwv.com. Visit the State Fair’s Facebook page to cast your vote for the “People’s Choice” award and help the winning entry receive a selection of State Fair merchandise!

The State Fair of West Virginia, with an $13.8 million dollar statewide economic impact, is a 501 © 3 non-profit corporation committed to the traditions of agriculture, family entertainment, and education. The 90th annual State Fair of West Virginia is themed “Blue Ribbon Traditions” and is scheduled August 8-16, 2014. For more information, please visit www.statefairofwv.com.

State Fair of West Virginia Wraps up Successful Year

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Marlene Jolliffe, State Fair of WV CEO presents $20,000 to Courtney Smith, Exec. Director Greenbrier Valley Community Foundation

• Aerial Shot of 2013 State Fair taken by Presidio Studios

LEWISBURG, WV (09/26/2013)(readMedia)– While the 2013 State Fair will be remembered as a very wet fair, many successes were achieved during the 89th Annual event. Chief Executive Officer, Marlene Jolliffe stated, “Obviously five days of rain is going to impact attendance. The 2013 fair saw between 170,000 and 175,000 visitors which was a decrease from prior years, however, we have so many positive results to celebrate. From an operational standpoint we enjoyed one of the smoothest fairs ever and in many areas our numbers were strong. In our post-fair online survey, 67% of fairgoers rated their experience at the fair as above average or excellent!” Additional highlights include:

• 20,000 pounds of food were collected on Magic Monday and the food and cash donations were distributed to six area Food Banks.
• 19,940 Concert Tickets were sold with Casting Crowns being the top seller
• $20,000 in funds will go to the State Fair Endowment as a result of volunteer efforts to sell cookies, the new Gold Lot parking project, Fun First Fundraiser, the sale of milk from the dairy milking parlor and corporate partners
• Since 2007, over $140,000 in college scholarships have been awarded to youth exhibitors
• 183,890 unique visitors used the website and had 676,250 page views
• Facebook likes grew 51% to 25,757
• Fair food, Family Fun and Tradition were listed as the top three reasons for attending
• Fair Food, Safety, Educational Opportunities, Competitive Exhibits, Cleanliness, Carnival Rides, Grounds Entertainment, Restrooms, Parking and Concerts were rated above average or excellent
• Over 2,000 exhibitors entered livestock, 4-H/FFA or home arts and garden competitions with an estimated 4,000 entries. $175,000 in award premiums were paid to winning exhibitors.

“Our 90th anniversary celebration will be August 8-16, 2014, and I can guarantee that fairgoers will be excited when they see the changes that are in store for next year!” said Marlene Pierson-Jolliffe, CEO.

The State Fair of West Virginia, with a $13.8 million dollar economic impact on the state of West Virginia, is a 501 © 3 non-profit corporation committed to the traditions of agriculture, family entertainment, and education. For more information, please visit www.statefairofwv.com, or follow fair events on Facebook and Twitter.