By Debra McCown
Reporter / Bristol Herald Courier
Published: September 15, 2009

ABINGDON, Va. – It was a small affair, just a few dozen people gathered around a cake to sing “happy birthday” in the main building of the Washington County Fairgrounds.

But the fair kicked off its 60th year Monday night, making it one of the oldest fairs in Virginia, said Kenneth Reynolds, who is president of the fair and chairman of the Washington County Board of Supervisors.

“We just hope that everybody will continue to have fun at the fair as they have for the past 60 years,“ Reynolds said. “The fair is a fun event and it’s our goal to keep it as a fun event for the family.“

This year’s fair runs through Saturday and features livestock events, carnival rides and an entertainment lineup of popular country stars.

A lot has changed since the fair began in a tobacco warehouse in town.

“We had the cows, the chickens, all the crafts in one building, music and all,“ said Irene Meade, who has volunteered at the fair for 45 years and cut the cake.

“The county fair was always the first glimpse you got to see of the new automobile models,“ said John Berry, who remembers the fair of the 1950s.

“It [the fair] was a big draw back then because you didn’t have a lot of TV and you didn’t have the video games for the kids. There wasn’t a whole lot of entertainment, so when the fair came around it was a family affair. … If you got to see a country singer, you saw them at the fair.“

Back in 1958, admission was just 25 cents for adults and 15 cents for children; the price has gone up over the years as the event has expanded – first to one building and now to several with outdoor activities on the fairgrounds, which were purchased in 1975. The carnival activities were added in 1988.

Those who have seen it grow say it has improved steadily, but many say that even with all the changes, it hasn’t lost the feel of a county fair.

“To walk in here, it looks exactly the way it did when I won,“ said Christa Atwell-Morton, who won the titles of Miss Washington County and Miss Burley Tobacco Festival in 1993 and appeared along with other past winners at Monday’s pageant as part of the fair’s 60th birthday festivities. “It’s still home.“

“Not that many traditions are around anymore,“ said Blakelee Peters, who won the Miss Washington County pageant in 1996. “I think it’s awesome.“

Kay Saul, who has volunteered at a fair booth since 1976, joined others in an observation that attendance was down – even from its normal slow start on Monday night. She blames the economy and the $10 price of admission for the temporary slump.

But for folks like Sabrina Fleenor, who remembers being a beauty queen the same year she showed cattle, the fair remains an important tradition no matter the state of the economy.

“I think it helps boost our local economy, the fair does, so we always try to come out and support that,“ said Fleenor, who brought her extended family to the fair this year to watch her children show their pigs. “I think it’s changed dramatically [over the years], but in a wonderful sense.“

Deanna Reynolds, a fair volunteer and wife of fair President Kenneth Reynolds, said she’s sure there will be many more changes over the next 60 years – but she hopes the hometown feel will stay the same.

“I’m sure there will be a lot of changes, but I’d like it to still maintain the character of the county fair, highlighting the history of the county, which really is based on our agricultural heritage, to maintain our roots and build on that and involve the community and the people in the community,“ she said.

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WHAT: Washington County Fair

WHEN: Through Saturday

WHERE: Washington County Fairgrounds in Abingdon, Va.

ADMISSION: $10 adults, $2 children ages 6-12