Rockingham County Fair - August 2023

ROCKINGHAM COUNTY FAIR August 14–19, 2023

Rockingham County Fair To Celebrate 75th Anniversary

By RICHARD H. HRONIK III Daily News-Record

The Rockingham County Fair will celebrate its 75th anniversary this year.

The first Rockingham County Fair was held Aug. 31 through Sept. 3, 1949, according to a history of the fair written by Dennis Cupp, former general manager of the Rockingham County Fair.

The fair was four days long until 1951, then five days long from 1952 through 1963, and has been six days long since, according to Cupp’s history. Events at this year’s fair will commemorate the occasion, according to Rebecca Holloway, fair manager.

A fireworks show will take place at 10 p.m. on Aug. 16. These were a staple at the fair’s previous location on Kratzer Road, according to Holloway. This will be the first time fireworks will go off at the fair’s current location.

Pie sales will also be returning, Holloway said.

The first fair was held at Linville-Edom High School and made a profit of approximately $130, according to Cupp’s history.

The following year, 22 acres of land on Kratzer Road were purchased from Sam Geil. Geil would later sell the remainder of his land, making for a total of 140 acres, according to Cupp’s history.

The Kratzer Road property was sold in 1979, and the current 111-acre location was purchased from Hazel Wenger and Dennis Early, according to Cupp’s history.

The fair has grown to be the largest agricultural fair in the state and ranks nationally, drawing many visitors for a full slate of entertainment and competition.

Contact Richard H. Hronik III at rhronik@dnronline. com, 540-208-3278, or on Twitter @rhronikDNR

Contributed Photo

John Jarrels shows the grand champion heifer at the first Rockingham County Fair in Linville, in 1949.

TOP

TOP RIGHT: Local FFA students wrap up burgers for sale at the Rockingham County Fair in August 2021.

BOTTOM LEFT: Kendall Wenger, of Harrisonburg, left, and Jim Mumaw, of Linville,

County 4-H Food Pavilion’s ribeye sandwiches in August 2022.

County Fair To Offer New And Favorite Food Traditions

By RHYS MCCLELLAND Daily News-Record

Visitors to the Rockingham County Fair in 2023 are set to be well-fed with a huge selection of food booths present. There will be longtime favorites and brand new offerings there will be something for every appetite.

Just one of the new booths on offer this year will be staffed by Family and Consumer Sciences students, in association with the Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America, a student-led organization that takes on community-focused projects each year.

Joni Lam, the Family and Consumer Sciences teacher and FCCLA advisor for Turner Ashby High School in Bridgewater will be coordinating students from a variety of middle and high schools across the county at the food booth, and hoping they raise some much-needed funds.

“They do these projects then they go and take them to a state competition in April,” Lam said. “If they do well at that and are in the top two in the state of Vir-

Organizations providing food will be:

Bridgewater Ruritan Club

Broadway Timberville Ruritan Club

CrossKeys/Mill Creek Ruritan Club

Rockingham Volunteer Fire Fighter Association

FCCLA

McGaheysville Ruritan Club

Mt. Crawford Ruritan Club

Young Farmers

Rockingham County 4-H Food Pavilion

FFA

ginia they get invited to compete at the national level.”

With very little funding behind these opportunities, it becomes the goal and work of the students and teachers to do their own fundraising throughout the year, and they are hoping this year’s food

booth will be a strong start to raising the necessary funds for local students to attend the 2024 FCCLA National Leadership Conference in Seattle Washington.

“These are $1,500 trips. This past summer I took a group of students to Denver for the National Competition and Leadership Conference,” Lam said. ”That is the cool thing about these conferences, of the six students I took this year, four of them had never flown, so that was a new experience, going to Denver was a new experience.”

Being the first year running a food booth at the County Fair, FCCLA Students and Teachers will be offering some tantalizing favorites they are sure will appeal.

The FCCLA booth will have pizza, allbeef hot dogs, corn dogs and Italian sausage. For snack items, the booth will offer meat jerky, kettle corn and snow cones, Lam said.

“In Family and Consumer Sciences we teach culinary arts, food preparation, and food safety and things like that, so it follows along with a lot of our course content

which is really cool,” Lam said.

Another new addition to the fair this year will be a food booth offered by the Rockingham County Volunteer Firefighters Association, raising critical funds to be distributed among the 10 volunteer fire agencies in the county. Firefighters being famous for their hearty food offerings at events, the Volunteer Firefighters Association will not disappoint with their hamburgers, French fries, pork tenderloin sandwiches and white beans cooked fresh every day.

Annual favorites will also be in attendance raising important funds, such as McGaheysville Ruritans Funnel Cakes, the FFA, Bridgewater Ruritan Fry Shack, Mt. Crawford Ruritans Food Booth, Broadway — Timberville Ruritan Food Booth, the Fair BBQ, and Young Farmers Ice Cream Booth.

Contact Rhys McClelland at 540 574 6274 or rmcclelland@dnronline.com

Photos by Daniel Lin / DN-R File

ABOVE: Sugar is sifted onto a freshly made funnel cake at the McGaheysville Ruritan Club booth at the Rockingham County Fair in August 2021.

LEFT: Mount Crawford Ruritan Club member Jason Landes hangs a new menu in the front of their food booth in August 2021.

cook up steaks for the Rockingham

2023 Pepsi Grandstand Event Schedule

Fair Schedule

Monday 8/14/23

12 pm

2023 Rockingham County Fair Officially Opens

1 pm

Poultry Showmanship

Sponsored by: Farmer Focus

1 pm

4-H & FFA Market Lamb Show — Ring B

Sponsored by: Farm Credits of VA

4-8 pm

Demo: Homemaking Department- Exhibit Hall

Shenandoah Valley Ukulele Players

4 pm

G&M Hoop/Helmuth Stage – Billy Lindsey

Sponsored by: Shenandoah Investment Group, and The Salon Professional Academy

4 pm

Antique Tractor Parade

4:30 — 9 pm

Ag-tivity Zone

4:45 pm

Dan Dan The Farmer Man

Sponsored by: Arrowquip and Big L Tire

5 pm

G&M Hoop/Helmuth Stage – Katie Lombardo

Sponsored by: Shenandoah Investment Group, The Salon Professional Academy, and Pilgrims

5 pm

Rides Open

5-6 pm

Dairy Milking in the Valley Urgent Care Barn

5-8 pm

Construction Trades Skill Competition (Carpentry)

5-9 pm

Coyote Clem-Roving

Sponsored by: Massanutten Resort and Chick-fil-A

5-9 pm

Fritzy Brothers “One Man” Circus

Sponsored by: Dairy Queen and PCB

5:15 pm

Tumbleweed Crossing

Sponsored by: Sysco and Frazier Quarry

5:15 pm

Swartz Auto Sales/Triumph Motorcycles of Harrisonburg Pavilion: Jack and Davis Reid Music

5:30 -8:30 pm

Mountain Heritage Cloggers (Roving)

Sponsored by: Frieden Farms and Sleep on It

6 pm

G&M Hoop/Helmuth Stage – Billy Lindsey

Sponsored by: Shenandoah Investment Group, The Salon Professional Academy

See SCHEDULE, Page 10

Daniel Lin / DN-R File

Visitors to the Rockingham County Fair line up to buy treats in August 2021.

Entertainment Lines Up For The 75th County Fair

By LISA LANDRAM Daily News-Record

The 75th Rockingham County Fair is scheduled to take place Aug. 14 – 19. There is entertainment scheduled at the Pepsi Grandstand, Harrisonburg Ford Arena, Harrisonburg Honda / Harrisonburg Hyundai Tent, Swartz Auto Sales / Triumph Motocycle’s of Harrisonburg Talent Pavilion and the G & M Hoop Barn Helmuth Stage.

Pepsi Grandstand Events

Jimmy Fortune, The Isaacs, and Brothers of the Heart will kick off the fair on Sunday Aug. 13 at 6 p.m.

During the week the following events are scheduled to occur at the Pepsi Grandstand. Monday, The Marshall Tucker Band with BlackHawk at 7 p.m., Tuesday Randy Houser with Restless Road at 7 p.m., Wednesday KOI drag racing at 7 p.m., Thursday the rodeo will start at 7 p.m., and on Friday the demolition derby is scheduled to start at 8 p.m.

On Saturday the farm tractor pull is scheduled for 3 p.m. and the interstate truck and tractor pull are scheduled at 7 p.m.

Harrisonburg Ford Arena Events

The Harrisonburg Ford Arena has the following events scheduled. Monday at 7 p.m. go cart racing, Tuesday at 7 p .m. KOI ATV rodeo, Wednesday at 4:30 p .m. and 6 p .m. touch a tractor,

Thursday at 5 p.m. antique tractor, Friday at 7 p.m. SVTPA garden tractor pull and Saturday at 7:30 p .m. horse pull.

Harrisonburg Honda / Harrisonburg Hyundai Tent

At the Harrisonburg Honda / Harrisonburg Hyundai Tent the following events are scheduled to take place.

On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at 6:15 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. Dennis Lee and at 7:15 p.m. Billy Lindsey as Elvis are scheduled to perform.

Thursday at 6:15 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. Glen Shelton with Lisa Meadows is scheduled to perform.

Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:15 p.m. the Best of Elvis Jimmy Mazz will perform.

Friday at 6:15 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. Spencer Hatcher and Ol’ Son Gang.

Saturday 5:30 pm to 7:15 p.m. WSIG Bluegrass.

Swartz Auto Sales / Triumph Motocycle’s of Harrisonburg Talent Pavilion

The Swartz Auto Sales / Triumph Motocycle’s of Harrisonburg Talent Pavilion has the following events scheduled at the pavilion. Monday at 5:15p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Jack and Davis Reid, Tuesday at 5:15p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Mountain Heritage Cloggers, Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. WKCY Sing Your Heart Out and Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 5:15 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Dennis Lee.

G & M Hoop Barn Helmuth Stage

There will be shows all week on the stage. The following shows are scheduled to occur on the G & M Hoop Barn Helmuth Stage.

Billy Lindsey, Katie Lombardo, and Jimmy Mazz will perform Monday through Saturday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Tumble Crossing will perform on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at 5:15 p.m. and 8:15 p.m., Thursday at

11 a.m., 5:15 p.m. and 8:15 p.m., Friday 5:15 p.m. and 8:15 p.m., and Saturday 2:15 p.m., 4:45 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.

Pompeyo’s Ranch Family Dog Show

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., Thursday at 1 p.m., 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., Friday 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Saturday 3:15 p.m., 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Dan Dan The Farmer Man will perform Monday through Saturday at 4:45 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Fritzy Brothers “One Man” Circus is scheduled to perform Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Thursday at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. through 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Coyote Clem Monday through Saturday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Mountain Heritage Cloggers Monday and Tuesday from 5:30 p .m. to 8:30 p.m.

Twirling Medallions on Wednesday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

There are several events to choose from for entertainment at the fair. Mike Walker of Dan Dan the Farmer Man, Jack Reid of Jack and Davis Reid, and Steven Lombardo of Fritzy Brothers “One Man” Circus offer insight about the entertainment they perform and the experience each act has with Rockingham County Fair.

Insights from Performers

Dan Dan the Farmer Man provides

a hilarious, family friendly, comedy show about a farmer and his scarecrow that make a rain machine in the midst of a drought, according to Walker. Walker resides in Arlington, Texas and travels for Shenaniguns, an entertainment company. This is Walker’s first time at the Rockingham Fair. The team at Rockingham fair is so friendly and outgoing, it made him want to join in on the fun, said Walker.

Jack Reid is looking forward to performing at the Rockingham County Fair. As a child, Jack recalls walking around the fair, riding rides and watching his father play. “To be able to do it now is really cool. So, we’re really excited,” said Reid.

Jack and Davis Reid are cousins and are a part of a four-piece band. Jack plays the guitar and sings, and Davis plays the piano and sings harmony. Jack said, the band also has a bass pla yer and drummer.

Jack is the son of Wil Reid and Davis is the son of Langdon Reid. Wil and Langdon are the duo singers of Wilson Fairchild. Jack and Davis grandfathers are Harold and Don Reid, of the Statler Brothers.

This is Steven Lombard’s second year performing as Fritzy Brothers “One Man” Circus at the fair. Last year he did performance strolling only and this year he will do strolling and shows. His show consists of two unicycle acts, a juggling act, fire eating, walking on top of a globe and some audience participation,” said Lombardo.

One of his fan favorite acts is Schmoozalino Valentino Lombardo who is an Italian dressed as a gondolier, that rides around on a gondola on top of a skateboard, Lombardo said. His daughter Katie Lombardo will also be performing at Rockingham County Fair.

Lombardo stated that “[the Rockingham County Fair is] one of the cleanest fairs I’ve ever worked at. I mean, it looks like they take pride in just keeping it really clean. And I was thoroughly impressed with that,” and that the fair goers are very friendly.

Contact Lisa Landram at 540-574-6299 or llandram@dnronline.com. Follow Lisa on Twitter @LisaLandram.

Photos by Daniel Lin / DN-R Anthony Hamrick, of Woodstock, flies down the track in his tractor, Beefy, during Saturday’s Interstate Truck and Tractor Pull at the Rockingham County Fair of 2022.

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Rockingham County Fair Exhibits To Showoff Talents

By ASHLYN CAMPBELL Daily News-Record

This year, at the Rockingham County Fair, community members can participate in a variety of competitions to share their talents with the fair.

Aside from livestock competitions, the fair holds several exhibits, including homemaking, flowers, horticulture, photography, art and ag mechanics and woodworking.

Barbara Roadcap, a Rockingham County Fair board member who’s in charge of the senior homemaking competition, said homemaking includes categories like baked goods, canned goods, sewing and needle arts.

Other competitions, like horticulture and flowers, show off different types of plants grown, and photography and art, show off art from those in the community.

In addition to the exhibits, the fair also be holding demonstrations in honor of its 75th anniversary. The fair will have demonstrations of long-arm quilting, new and old sewing machines and spinning wheels. Other exhibits, like photography, will have old camera equipment. Fair attendees can also participate in the brand-new themed basket competition and in a table-setting contest.

Roadcap said she’s hoping for an increase in entries for the different

competitions.

“We want to really show folks there’s so much talent in this area to showcase,” Roadcap said. “And that’s what we would like to do. If you’ve never entered the fair before or if you enter every year. We’d love to have entries, entries, entries.”

While they don’t know the total entries so far, each category is getting a fair number of entries a day, Roadcap said. The online entry system, where interested community members can sign up, is relatively new, Roadcap explained, and many people are used to entering the day of the competition rather than doing it prior to the event.

The new system, which was implemented last year, allows winners of competitions to participate in several exhibits and receive all winnings in one check as well as give fair organizers a better idea of who will be participating. Roadcap said both junior and senior homemaking have sweepstakes sponsors as well.

While Roadcap is looking forward to experiencing all the new demonstrations at this year’s fair, her favorite part of years past has been how excited kids get about winning competitions and meeting new people.

“I really enjoy working with the kids and seeing them,” Roadcap said. “But I enjoy working with the adults as well. So I just enjoy the fair and

all the people.

I’ve met so many people and so many nice people and great people. Rockingham County is just full of them.”

Contact Ashlyn Campbell at 540-5746278 or acampbell@dnronline.com | Follow Ashlyn on Twitter: @A__Campbell

DN-R File

A rabbit sits in its pen in the small animal exhibit area at the Rockingham County Fair in 2022. DN-R File

LEFT: Awards hang from canned fruits and vegetables in the exhibit hall at the Rockingham County Fair in 2021. RIGHT: Lynne Miller Lent, of Dayton, spins yarn during a demonstration in the exhibit hall at the Rockingham County Fair in 2021.

75th Rockingham County Fair To Include Livestock Exhibitions As Scheduled

By HARLEIGH CUPP Daily News-Record

The Rockingham County Fair has held onto its reputation as the largest agricultural exhibition in the state and its 75th fair week is filled livestock shows of every kind that showcase the hard work of junior and senior competitors alike in both open and market shows.

Each of the following livestock shows will be held within the recently remodeled Farm Credit hoop barn:

Monday, August 14

• Market lamb show at 1 p.m., Ring B

Tuesday, August 15

• Dairy show at 8 a.m., Ring A

• Market goat show at 10 a.m., Ring B

Wednesday, August 16

• Market steer show at 9 a.m., Ring A

• Open sheep show at 10 a.m., Ring B

• Market hog show at 5 p.m., Ring A

Thursday, August 17

• Breeding cattle show at 9 a.m., Ring A

• Breeding goat show at 10 a.m., Ring B

• Master showmanship at 6 p.m., Ring B

• Dairy peewee show at 6:30 p.m., Ring A

Friday, August 18

• 4-H and FFA livestock sale of steers, goats, hogs, lambs and dairy steers at 11 a.m.

Saturday, August 19

Dairy goat show at 10 a.m.

Rockingham County 4-H and FFA will kick off fair week once again with a fun and exciting goat and lamb obstacle course on Tuesday, August 15, at 7 p.m. New for this year is an adult division. Each adult entry costs five dollars that

will go back to the youth competitors in cash prizes.

Carrie Miller hails from a small beef operation in Mount Crawford and has been showing market animals at the Rockingham County fair for nine years running. This year, she will be busy exhibiting two market hogs, three heifers, one bull and a goat.

“I like our county fair because I get to see other youth who are passionate about agriculture,” Miller said. “It’s cool to have the opportunity to show against such quality livestock that is all raised right here.”

Contact Harleigh Cupp at 540-5746279 or hcupp@dnronline.com

Harleigh Cupp / DN-R

ABOVE: The Rockingham County Fair has held onto its reputation as the largest agricultural exhibition in the state and its 75th fair week is filled livestock shows of every kind that showcase the hard work of junior and senior competitors alike in both open and market shows. BELOW: Hogs are walked through the ring during the 4-H and FFA market hog show in August 2022 at the Rockingham County Fair.