West Alex Fair kicks off Labor Day
As the weather cools and students head back to school, one final fair of the season helps usher in fall. Since 1906, the West Alexander Fair has made a place for itself among the many fairs held in the region by bringing community members together in early September.
“What people like most about our fair is that it’s a down-home fair,” said Niki Welsh Ryburn, a longtime fair participant and member of the fair board of directors. “It’s more of a community event. Everybody knows everybody, and people come in from miles away to see folks they haven’t seen in years.
“Many compare it to a family reunion.”
The West Alexander Fair kicks off each year on Labor Day. This year, it runs every day through Saturday, Sept. 7. Held at the fairgrounds on Route 40, where West Virginia’s Northern Panhandle meets Washington County, the local fair is the natural crossroads for farmers from all over the tri-state area.
Monday’s festivities include the opening parade at 12 p.m., rodeos at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. and the fair queen contest at 6 p.m. The demolition derby – a crowd favorite – will be held Tuesday and Wednesday at 7 p.m.
A complete list of activities can be found at the fair website: www.WestAlexFair.com.
Ryburn said the allure of the West Alex fair was its small-town charm. Instead of using modern vehicles for the opening parade, members from the Washington and Greene County Antique Tractor Association provide an old-fashioned means of conveyance for the many dignitaries of the fair.
The late start means many of the 4-H and Future Farmers of America students are back in school. Most of the agricultural competitions and auctions are held later in the day to give students a chance to both complete their studies and tend to their livestock. It also gives organizers a chance to partner with area schools to make the fair an educational event, as well. On Wednesday, second-graders from McGuffey School District visit the fair to learn lessons about plant and animal life cycles, nutrition, animal care and rural history from 4-H and FFA volunteers.
All of the musical performers are local, and quirky events like the hotdog-eating contest and the frozen T-shirt competition – where participants have to thaw out and put on a shirt that has been soaked, knotted and frozen – also make the fair unique.
“We could have expanded our fair, but no one wanted to go in that direction,” Ryburn said. “We like the down-home country feel rather than having the booming bandstands and big show stuff.”