89th Annual State Fair of West Virginia Opens Friday, August 9th!
LEWISBURG, WV (08/05/2013)(readMedia)– The 89th Annual State Fair of West Virginia opens this Friday in Fairlea and runs through Saturday, August 17th.
The 2013 concert series opens Friday night at 8 p.m. with a free concert by X Factor winner Tate Stevens, followed by one of two spectacular Zambelli Fireworks shows. New to the fair this year is the West Virginia’s Strongest Mountaineer competition taking place at the grandstand on Friday August 9th from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Fairgoers can enjoy over 339 hours of free grounds entertainment each day of the fair in addition to thousands of agricultural and livestock displays. Carnival enthusiasts will have 52 rides to choose from on the Reithoffer carnival midway and thousands of livestock will be on display and in competition!
“We invite fairgoers to “Feel the Magic” and enjoy West Virginia’s largest multi-day family celebration!” said CEO, Marlene Pierson-Jolliffe. Tickets are available for all concerts with details found at www.statefairofwv.com or by phoning 304-645-1090.
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.
First Annual West Virginia’s Strongest Mountaineer Competition to Be Held During 89th Annual State Fair of WV
LEWISBURG, WV (07/23/2013)(readMedia)– The first annual “West Virginia’s Strongest Mountaineer” competition will be held on Friday, August 9th at the State Fair of West Virginia! The competition will be held at the grandstand and will begin at 10 a.m.
Events include the Truck Pull, Deadlift, Log Clean and Press, Farmer’s Handles, and Atlas Stones. Entries are currently being accepted and can be found on nastrongman.com. The entry fee is $55, which includes contest registration and a contest tee shirt. Entries received after July 26th will be $75. All entry fees are nonrefundable. Weight divisions are Men’s Open 201, 231, 231+, Women’s Open 165, 165+, and Men’s Novice 201, 201+. Competitor weigh-ins will be held on Thursday August 8th from 5-7 p.m. and Friday August 9th from 8-9 a.m. A safety briefing for all competitors will also be held Friday at 9 a.m. Awards will be given out for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places and 1st place winners in open divisions will be invited to nationals.
Phil Pfister, who was the World’s Strongest Man in 2006 and a resident of West Virginia, will be attending the event.
For more details on the event, please contact Dan Caraway at (304)-533-6177 and visit the event’s Facebook page at facebook.com/wvstrongestmountaineer.
SFWV’s Fourth Annual Fun First Fundraiser Set for August 8th
LEWISBURG, WV (07/16/2013)(readMedia)– Feel the Magic” at the State Fair’s Fourth Annual Fun First event which supports scholarships and the State Fair Endowment! Get a sneak peek of the 2013 State Fair and enjoy a magical spin on a midway ride! Donors will enjoy great food, refreshments and carnival rides during the two hour event. Donors who aren’t interested in carnival rides, can create magic for area children by donating their wristband back to the State Fair who in turn will work with the Children’s Home Society, Family Refuge Center, and Davis Stuart to identify children who will be invited to have a magical evening at the fair!
The casual event is scheduled for Thursday, August 8 from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. in the Carnival Midway. For each $50 donation, donors will receive a ride wristband and have access to a variety of fair foods and drinks. THE FIRST FIFTY DONATIONS WILL RECEIVE A SPECIAL FUN FIRST T-SHIRT!
Fun First Tickets can be purchased in the State Fair Administration office Monday through Friday or on the day of the event until 5 p.m.
“This event has grown and each year becomes more special. Donors truly cherish the legacy of the State Fair and are supporting scholarships and youth development. At the same time, it’s wonderful to reach out to our community partners and see a smile on the face of a child who has faced challenges in their life.” stated State Fair CEO, Marlene Pierson-Jolliffe. “Our organization is very grateful to the Reithoffer family for the generous donation of the carnival midway for this Fun First event!
Created in 2007, the State Fair endowment supports scholarships, youth educational enrichment programs and agricultural premiums. The State Fair of West Virginia is a 501 © 3 nonprofit corporation whose mission is to produce a quality fair committed to the traditions of agriculture, family entertainment, and education, and to develop non-fair events that utilize the existing facilities that create opportunities for growth , and that benefit the community served by our facility.
State Fair of West Virginia and SMART 529 Announces 2013 Coloring Contest Winners
LEWISBURG, WV (07/16/2013)(readMedia)– Winners have been chosen for the State Fair of West Virginia’s Coloring Contest sponsored by SMART 529! Children in grades Pre-K through 3rd from across West Virginia were invited to participate in this year’s contest. A total of nine winners were chosen with 1st, 2nd, and 3rd prizes in three different age groups: Pre-K, K through 1st, and 2nd through 3rd.
The winners for the Pre-K age group are Landen Champ from Upper Tract, WV in 1st place , Delaney Alderman from Morgantown, WV in 2nd place, and Laina Brown from Cyclone, WV in 3rd place. The winners for the K to 1st age group are Bryceson Whitt from Peterstown, WV in 1st place, Jakob Bowman from Danese, WV in 2nd place, and Faith Taylor from Lashmeet, WV in 3rd place. The winners for the 2nd to 3rd age group are Ty Nickell from Clintonville, WV in 1st place, Alexandra Schein from Inwood, WV in 2nd place, and Jaci Rowe from Ridgely, WV in 3rd place.
First place winners received $75 and four State Fair gate admission tickets, second place winners received $50 and four State Fair gate admission tickets, and third place winners received $25 and four State Fair gate admission tickets. Winners were chosen based on creativity, discovering the hidden objects located in the picture, and the coloring of the picture. A total of 603 children participated in the Coloring Contest this year.
SMART 529 is issued by the West Virginia College Prepaid Tuition and Savings Program Board of Trustees and is administered by The Hartford Life Insurance Company.
The 2013 State Fair is themed “Feel the Magic” and is scheduled August 9-17, 2013. 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.
Fresh Baked Cookies
They say that smells often trigger some of our most vivid memories. I know that’s true for me; when I smell cornbread I immediately see my grandfather in the kitchen with a hot cast-iron pan on top of the stove. From there I know that it’s only a matter of minutes until the two of us will be sitting at the table with glasses of ice cold buttermilk (regular milk for me) and pieces of cornbread crumbled inside. What smells trigger memories for you?? How about the smell of fresh baked chocolate chip cookies??
Visit the WV Building daily from 11 am to 5 pm where your senses will be treated to the smell of fresh baked chocolate chip cookies!! Cookies are only $2 for 3 warm & gooey, scrumptious cookies and proceeds from every sale benefit our State Fair Endowment Fund.
The Fair’s Endowment was created in 2006 to ensure the long-term support of three key areas; Scholarships & Career Advancement Initiatives, Youth Educational Enrichment Programs as well as Agricultural & Competitive Exhibit Premiums.
The Endowment, in conjunction with key corporate sponsors and individuals, support our Scholarship program which provides five (5), 4-year scholarships annually at $1000 a piece for each year that student maintains their academic standards. For every year that we make an award, we commit $20,000 for that class of Scholarship recipients. 
Stop by to see us where you can indulge your sweet tooth and be part of a ‘Legacy to Cherish’!
State Fair of West Virginia Announces 2013 Limited Edition Collector Basket
LEWISBURG, WV (07/10/2013)(readMedia)– The 15th Edition Collector Basket commemorating the 89th Annual State Fair will be for sale beginning Monday July 15. The Silverware Carrier basket is adorned with a commemorative brass tag, a cobblestone basket weave, dark brown fabric liner and a wooden divider that sits inside the basket finished with an iron handle. The basket measures 7″ x 5.5″ x 11.75″ and is 100% custom made in the U.S.A. You may register your basket online for a lifetime warranty.
This is the final year that the State Fair of West Virginia will feature Collector Baskets and quantities are limited.
Beginning July 15, baskets will be available for sale. You can purchase your basket by stopping by the State Fair office, calling 304-645-1090, or picking one up during the 2013 State Fair. The cost of the basket is $50.00 and shipping is available to your address for an additional $8.00.
A limited number of the 2011 Bowl basket is available for $45 along with the 2012 Medium Crock basket for $50.
The 2013 State Fair is themed “Feel the Magic” and is scheduled August 9-17, 2013. 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.
