Five days of live entertainment, family-friendly fun and, of course, food-eating contests kick off next week with the start of the 49th annual Arlington County Fair.
Starting next Wednesday, Aug. 13, and lasting through Sunday, Aug. 17, this year’s fair at the Thomas Jefferson Community Center (3501 2nd Street S.) includes a relocated beer garden and a new partnership with the Department of Parks and Recreation.
The beer garden tent, previously outside fairgrounds along 2nd Street S., will now be next to the main stage. The change follows a recent County Board decision to allow alcohol on the fairgrounds and is intended to offer a smoother experience for fairgoers and motorists.
As usual, the fair will feature dozens of kid-friendly activities, including the return of the popular Action Jaxx foam party, a portable planetarium dome and a new tent with hair braiding, face painting and balloon animals, hosted by the Vienna Singing Princesses.
A burrito-eating contest, introduced last year, is here to stay — along with the fair’s usual pizza- and pie-eating contests, all taking place Saturday afternoon. Also returning is the Children’s Entrepreneur Market, this year with over 50 kid vendors expected to sell their creations on the upper field Saturday.
The fair’s outdoor activities will be open for the following hours.
- Wednesday, Aug. 13: 5-10:30 p.m.
- Thursday, Aug. 14: 5-10:30 p.m.
- Friday, Aug. 15: 2-10:30 p.m.
- Saturday, Aug. 16: 10 a.m.-10:30 p.m.
- Sunday, Aug. 17: 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
The fair will also host indoor activities from Friday to Sunday, in addition to sensory-friendly hours from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Sunday.
Fried Oreos, fresh lemonades, barbecue and more will be available for purchase from the fair’s lineup of food vendors, which includes Smokecraft Modern Barbecue and Los Chamacos Mexican Restaurant.
Fair entry is free. Ride tickets cost $1.25 each, or can be purchased in packs of 24 for $25 and 72 for $60 — though fairgoers can save $5 if they preorder the 72-ticket pack until 5 p.m. on Aug. 13.
Using transit to get to the fair is highly recommended to avoid heavy traffic and limited parking. The fair operates a free ART bus shuttle with rides to the grounds, located at the Ballston Mall parking garage at 627 N. Glebe Road.
Online registration for the fair’s competitive exhibits closes at 11:59 p.m. Monday, Aug. 11.
