Inaugural Virginia Farm Festival to be held at The Meadow Event Park

Barnyard-themed activities, favorite fair foods and live family entertainment are making a long-awaited return to The Meadow Event Park in Caroline County for the first-ever Virginia Farm Festival.

The festival will take place May 1-2, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and will feature several of the State Fair of Virginia’s most popular family attractions. The event replaces the Virginia Horse Festival, which previously was held each March at The Meadow.

“When we looked into rebranding the Virginia Horse Festival, we wanted to expand the festival to include a broader scope of agriculture, similar to that of the State Fair of Virginia,” said Marlene Jolliffe, the fair’s executive director.

“During early fall, when the State Fair is held, it’s the beginning of harvest,” she added. “The goal with the Virginia Farm Festival was to build an event that focuses on spring planting and other activities that lead to harvest.”

Children can interact with chicks, cows, ducks and other farm animals at Young MacDonald’s Farm, and learn how cows are milked at the Southland Dairy parlor. Other attractions include pony rides by Bright Morning Horseback Riding, sheepdog demonstrations and climbing goats.

Meanwhile, adults can learn about raising vegetables at home from local farmers in the Growing Garden, view antique tractors, and enjoy live music from Virginia-based bluegrass duo Kathy Davis and Bradley Bishop.

Almost 10 food vendors are expected at the festival, giving fair food enthusiasts something to look forward to after the State Fair’s hiatus in 2020.

“We’re very excited for this event,” Jolliffe shared. “It feels great to be able to launch an event that not only is entertaining, but also expands our mission of promoting agricultural education that we typically reserve for the State Fair. And it’s a great opportunity for folks to get out and enjoy a family activity.”

Daily attendance will be limited to 3,000 people, which will allow The Meadow Event Park to comply with local COVID-19 health and safety guidelines. Attendees are being encouraged to bring masks, and they should be prepared to wear them in situations where maintaining social distancing isn’t possible.

Tickets must be purchased in advance, and are $6 per person including fees. Infants in arms do not require tickets. More ticketing information can be found here: bit.ly/VAFarmFestival.

The Meadow Event Park in Caroline County is the birthplace of Secretariat and home to the State Fair of Virginia. It is operated by Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, which is committed to preserving Virginia’s rich agricultural heritage and ensuring that The Meadow thrives as a regional event and equine venue.