By Chris Colgan · Real Nova Network
The 77th Prince William County Fair runs nine days this summer — Friday, July 31 through Saturday, August 8 — on the same 49 acres off Dumfries Road that have hosted it since Harry Truman was president.
It remains the largest county fair in the Commonwealth, and one of the last large pieces of open, community-run ground left on a corridor the rest of Northern Virginia is busy rezoning.
The nightly lineup
Photo Credits: https://www.princewilliamcountyfairgrounds.com/
Each evening at the grandstand carries its own headliner. This year's slate:
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Fri, July 31 — Demo Derby, 7 PM
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Sat, Aug. 1 — Fireworks Show, 9 PM
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Sun, Aug. 2 — Rodeo, 7 PM
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Mon, Aug. 3 — Rodeo, 7 PM
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Tue–Wed, Aug. 4–5 — Monster Trucks, 7 PM
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Thu, Aug. 6 — Color Works, 7 PM
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Fri, Aug. 7 — Tractor Pull, 7 PM
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Sat, Aug. 8 — Demolition Derby, 7 PM
Gate hours
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Fri, July 31 — 5 PM to 10 PM
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Sat–Sun, Aug. 1–2 — 2 PM to 10 PM
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Mon, Aug. 3 — 5 PM to 10 PM
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Tue, Aug. 4 — 2 PM to 10 PM
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Wed, Aug. 5 — 5 PM to 10 PM
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Thu–Fri, Aug. 6–7 — 5 PM to 10 PM
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Sat, Aug. 8 — 2 PM to 10 PM
Running all day
Beyond the grandstand, the fair keeps the gates busy with a petting zoo, farm animals, a dog show, pig races, camel and pony rides, the midway, and the home-arts and 4-H exhibits that trace back to the fair's agricultural roots. Carnival rides are run by Deggeller Attractions.
Tickets: buy early, save
The fair is selling discounted advance bundles for 2026:
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Family 9 Pass Pack — $162. Nine general-admission tickets, good any day of the fair. Grandstand shows included; midway rides not included.
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Family 5 Pass Pack — $170. Five all-inclusive weekday admissions covering midway rides, shows, parking, and grandstand access. Valid weekdays only.
Advance bundles tend to sell ahead of opening day, so families planning multiple visits save most by buying before July 31 at princewilliamcountyfairgrounds.com.
By the numbers
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90,000+ visitors in recent years, with peak years pushing 100,000
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49 acres
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4,000+ grandstand seats, plus a clay track for animal events and motorsports
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15,000+ parking spaces
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1949 — the year it all started
The backstory
The fairgrounds began in 1949 as a dairy show, organized by World War II veterans who wanted to promote farming in a county that was still mostly rural. Three generations later, the land is still owned by the Prince William Veterans Farm Club, not the county — and the fair takes no federal, state, or local tax dollars. It runs on tickets, year-round venue rentals, RV and boat storage, and sponsors.
See the Newest Manassas, VA Real Estate
Why it matters
A privately held, all-volunteer fairground is a rarer thing in Prince William every year.
County records carry the site as B-1 General Business with a long-range designation of Community Employment Center — development-forward language in a county where land is moving fast and at historic prices. A Gainesville garden center sold last winter for more than $160 million, roughly $4.2 million an acre, to a data center developer.
That's the backdrop the fair returns to: nine days of rodeos, fireworks, and 4-H ribbons on one of the last large green parcels along Route 234 that hasn't been spoken for. The fair isn't going anywhere this summer. The longer question is what these corridors look like a decade out — and which pieces of them communities decide are worth keeping.
If you go
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Where: 10624 Dumfries Road, Manassas, VA 20112 (Independent Hill)
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When: July 31 – August 8, 2026
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Info & tickets: princewilliamcountyfairgrounds.com · 703-368-0173 · info@pwcfair.com · @pwcfair
A local note
This preview comes from Chris Colgan of The Colgan Team at eXp Realty, one of Northern Virginia's highest-volume real estate teams, with more than $1 billion in career sales across Prince William, Fairfax, Loudoun, Arlington, and Fauquier counties. The team knows this part of the county street by street — including how a corridor's growth and development pressure shape what homes are worth and where the next opportunity sits. If you're thinking about buying or selling near the fairgrounds or anywhere in the region, start at colganteam.com.
About Chris Colgan
Chris Colgan is the founder of Real Nova Network and team leader of Chris Colgan – eXp Realty – Powered by PLACE.
Through colganteam.com and realnovanetwork.com, Chris covers Northern Virginia real estate trends, major developments, and hyper-local market updates to help buyers and sellers make confident decisions.
Thinking about moving to Northern Virginia? Get my free Northern Virginia Relocation Guide — packed with neighborhood breakdowns, schools, commute tips, and real insider insight.
Subscribe to my YouTube channel, Northern Virginia Living with Chris Colgan, for neighborhood tours, real estate insights, and updates on major developments across the region.
"The 77th Prince William County Fair runs from Friday, July 31, 2026, through Saturday, August 8, 2026, offering nine days of family-friendly entertainment, rides, food, and special events." "The fair is held at the Prince William County Fairgrounds in Independent Hill at Prince William County Fairgrounds, located at 10624 Dumfries Road, Manassas, VA 20112." "This year's fair includes demolition derbies, fireworks, rodeos, monster truck shows, tractor pulls, carnival rides, pig races, petting zoos, dog shows, farm exhibits, and numerous family-friendly attractions throughout the week." "The fair offers advance-purchase ticket bundles, including family admission packages and all-inclusive weekday passes. Purchasing tickets before opening day typically provides the best value for families planning multiple visits." "Founded in 1949 by local World War II veterans, the Prince William County Fair is the largest county fair in Virginia and remains one of the region's most significant agricultural and community traditions. It attracts more than 90,000 visitors annually while preserving a piece of Prince William County's rural heritage amid rapid growth and development.".Frequently Asked Questions
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