Arlington County Fair

Arlington County Fair

The Arlington County Fair hits its 50th year in 2026, and it remains the rare county fair you can do without a car and without paying to get in. Admission is free, it runs August 12 through 16 at the Thomas Jefferson Community Center, and a free shuttle runs from the Ballston Mall garage. Around 80,000 people come through over five days, so it's a proper fair: carnival rides, food vendors, live music, and competition exhibits.

What makes this one work for families is the indoor half. The community center hosts the exhibit hall with air conditioning, competition entries (someone's prize zucchini, a teenager's photography), and community booths, so you have a place to cool off between rounds on the midway. Evenings get crowded once the after-work crowd shows up. With little kids, the weekday afternoon windows or Saturday morning are the calmer plays.

Parent Tips 💡

• ✓Take the shuttle, not your car. The free Ballston shuttle drops you at the entrance and saves you a neighborhood parking hunt with tired kids at 9pm.
• ✓Free entry means you control the budget. Set a ride-ticket amount and a food budget going in. The fair costs whatever you decide it costs, which is not true of most fairs.
• ✓Use the indoor hall as your reset button. Air conditioning, bathrooms, and quiet exhibits. One adult can take an overheated kid inside while the other holds the midway line.
• ✓Weekday afternoons are quietest. The fair packs out on Friday and Saturday evenings. If you have toddlers, aim for opening hours before the crowds and heat peak.
• ✓Look for wristband deals on rides. The carnival operator typically offers unlimited-ride sessions on select days. Check the fair site the week of.
• ✓Bring a water bottle. August in a paved school lot is hot. There are refill options inside the community center.