Loudoun County Fair

Loudoun County Fair

The Loudoun County Fair is back at the fairgrounds in Leesburg July 21 through 25. It's the classic small-county fair setup: a midway of carnival rides, a petting zoo, livestock barns, fair food (funnel cakes, fried everything), live music in the evenings, and a demolition derby that the kids will talk about for weeks. Admission is $15 for adults and $5 for kids 6 to 12, and anyone 5 and under gets in free, which makes it an easy call if you've got toddlers.

It's open 10am to 10pm Tuesday and Wednesday and stays open until 11pm Thursday through Saturday. The rides and food are priced separately from gate admission, and a lot of families do a wristband day so the kids can ride without you buying tickets one at a time. Evenings are the busy stretch when the lights come on and the grandstand events happen; mornings are quieter and better for the animal barns and younger kids.

Parent Tips 💡

• ✓Look into a ride wristband. If your kids plan to ride more than a few times, an unlimited wristband usually beats buying tickets one ride at a time. Check the fair site for which days offer it.
• ✓Do the animal barns in the morning. The livestock and petting areas are calmest early, before the midway gets loud and the afternoon heat sets in.
• ✓Bring cash for food and games. Some vendors take cards, but cash moves the lines faster and a few of the smaller stands are cash-only.
• ✓Hearing protection for the derby. The demolition derby is loud. If you have a sensitive little one, pack ear defenders or watch from farther back.
• ✓Dress for dust and sun. It's a working fairground, so closed-toe shoes beat sandals. Add sunscreen for the day and a light layer for when the evening cools off.
• ✓Stay for the lights, not past bedtime. The midway looks great once the sun drops, but the latest hours run to 11pm. Pick your window so you leave before everyone melts down.