After a sparsely-attended, rainy start to the Arlington County Fair on Wednesday, crowds flocked to the Thomas Jefferson Community Center Thursday evening for the fair’s “official” kickoff.
A who’s who of county leaders attended an opening ceremony that featured the U.S. Army Band Downrange, a presentation of the colors and the Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps.
Among those in attendance were county manager Michael Brown, Rep. Jim Moran (later spotted scoping out the rides for a subsequent fair visit with the grandkids), police chief M. Douglas Scott, sheriff Beth Arthur, most county and school board members, local military leaders, an ABC7 reporter with cameraman in town and a number of servicemen and women.
Most fairgoers skipped the opening ceremony, however, and instead went straight to the rides, games and food stands. The fair’s famous pig races drew a crowd as well.
Lots of photos of fair fun, after the jump.
Related Posts
- Photos: Arlington’s 9/11 Anniversary Ceremony September 12, 2011
- Photos from the 2011 Arlington County Fair August 12, 2011
- Arlington County Fair Program Released August 3, 2011
- T-Minus One Week to the Arlington County Fair August 11, 2010
Can I carry — open or concealed to the fair?
I’d probably carry concealed — but would like to know if open would be allowed as well.
If you don’t know the answer to that, Mark, you don’t really have any business carrying. Leave it at home.
That fair is one scary place. You’d better do both…
It’s on school property, so my guess would be no. Do you expect that you’ll need it?
Always good to have a loaded piece on you at a carnival, just in case one of those food vendors doesn’t give you back the correct change or a kid cuts in line. Better safe than sorry.
Maybe he’s planning to bag him the winner of the piglet races.
Boom boom piggy.
Just to clarify — I hold a valid CCW from Arlington County.
As is your right, but it just seems like an odd thing to feel the need to bring to a place where the majority of the attendees are excited children and anxious parents.
You have to be a subscriber, but I thought this was a pretty thought provoking article on CCW which you might find interesting
http://www.harpers.org/archive/2010/08/0083063
Virginia Code § 18.2-308.1: Possession of firearm, stun weapon, or other weapon on school property prohibited.
subsection B: If any person possesses any firearm designed or intended to expel a projectile by action of an explosion of a combustible material while such person is upon (i) any public, private or religious elementary, middle or high school, including buildings and grounds; (ii) that portion of any property open to the public and then exclusively used for school-sponsored functions or extracurricular activities while such functions or activities are taking place; or (iii) any school bus owned or operated by any such school, he shall be guilty of a Class 6 felony.
As a concealed-carry permit holder, you should know the rules about when you can and cannot carry, you shouldn’t have to be asking on an internet message board.
that portion of any property open to the public and then exclusively used for school-sponsored functions or extracurricular activities while such functions or activities are taking place
Sounds like its fair game.
Good luck Mark J!
This is why you NEVER TAKE LEGAL ADVICE from the internet. The part Rick quotes applies to non-school property open to the public (e.g., a public park) that is being used exclusively for school activities. For example, if a school sports team reserves a public soccer field not on school property, then firearms are prohibited at that location as long as the school function is occurring.
Besides, what could be more clearer than the sentence immediately before it: “any public, private or religious elementary, middle or high school, including buildings and grounds”?
I’m not giving advice, just quoting the law and stating facts. You are committing a crime if you carry a concealed firearm onto school property. If you don’t believe me, check with the VA State Police: http://www.vsp.state.va.us/Firearms_ResidentConcealed.shtm#WhereUnlawfultoCarry.
Oh, come on. I’m sure it’s fine. Mark J – if you do the open carry, report back next week (or in 1 to 5) and let us know how it went.
FYI the property is carved up into three pieces. APS owns the 8.62 acre plot that comprises the building and the land immediately surrounding it (basically what’s inside the sidewalks east, south and west of the bulding and up to the fence on the north). Arlington County owns the remaining 18.00 acres — primarily the parking lot on Old Glebe Road plus the playing fields to the east of the building.
If you have photos from the County Fair, consider sharing them with us through our Flickr group (we’re going to create a Fair slide show):
http://www.flickr.com/groups/acfair/
Many thanks!
Jennifer Kornegay Smith
Arlington County Office of Communications
If idiots like Mark J are attending, I think I can skip the fair.
Come by and see the South Arlington Shirts at the JESS3 booth in the back of the inside vendor area. Super awesome designs, and only $10 for a tshirt. Rep your city!
Maybe “Mark J” wasn’t that far off:
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20100824/NEWS01/8240366/Police-say-it-s-very-possible-attacks-near-fairgrounds-had-racial-overtones
Sgt. David Murillo stated in a report on Friday night, “On-duty officers at the fairgrounds advise there was a group of 30 to 40 individuals roaming the fairgrounds openly calling it ‘beat whitey night.’ “