If your summer has been missing goats, monster trucks and deep-fried treats in the D.C. region, there’s good news: fair season is upon us.
County and state fairs are popping up across the D.C. area, bringing carnival rides, livestock, demolition derbies, pie-eating contests and enough deep-fried food to make your cardiologist suddenly sense a disturbance in the Force.
Here are some of the fairs worth checking out around the region.
D.C.
鈥� Aug. 15 | Union Market 1309 5th St. NE
West African countries battle for bragging rights at the Jollof Festival, where visitors can sample different regional takes on the beloved rice dish and vote for their favorite between 2 p.m. and 9 p.m. The festival also features plenty of vendors, family-friendly activities and a little friendly competition beyond the food.
鈥� Aug. 22 | Walter E. Washington Convention Center 801 Allen Y. Lew Place NW
The 2026 National Book Festival takes over the Walter E. Washington Convention Center on Aug. 22, with a full day of author talks and programs from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Admission is free, but tickets are required, and select events will also be livestreamed.
鈥� Sunday, Sept. 6 |聽 Anthem Row 800 K St NW
D.C. may not be a state, but nobody can stop the District from having a state fair. You can look forward to live music, demonstrations and educational workshops from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The fair gives everyone something to watch, hear and do.
Maryland
鈥� Aug. 8-15 | 2210 Fairgrounds Road, West Friendship, Maryland 21794
If you want to shift your attention away from the (delicious) fried food, the Howard County State Fair has a heck of a lot of agricultural attractions. That includes shows about horses, pigs and (no joke) rabbit juggling. See the full schedule .
鈥� Aug. 14-22 | Fairgrounds, 501 Perry Parkway, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20877
The Montgomery County Agricultural Fair boasts an impressive list of carnival rides. But if the roar of monster trucks are more your thing, well, they’ve got that too.
鈥� Aug. 27-30 | Sept. 3-7 | Sept. 10-13 | 2200 York Road, Lutherville-Timonium, Maryland 21093
There are a lot of things to do at the Maryland State Fair: shopping, horse racing, a rodeo, and yoga … for both goats and puppies.
鈥� Sept. 17-20 | 8440 Fairgrounds Road, La Plata, Maryland 20646
Established in 1924, the Charles County Fair celebrates the county鈥檚 agricultural roots with livestock, 4-H exhibits, arts and crafts, live music, pig races, pony rides and plenty of classic fair food. The 35-acre fairgrounds near La Plata also features carnival rides and games for all ages.
Virginia
鈥� Aug. 12-16 | Thomas Jefferson Community Center and Park | 3501 2nd Street S
The Arlington County Fair offers a little bit of everything, with carnival rides, live entertainment, shopping and plenty of fair food. It鈥檚 a family-friendly mix of games, performances and classic summer fair fun.
鈥� Sept. 25 – Oct. 4 | 13191 Dawn Blvd., Doswell, Virginia 23047
The Virginia State Fair has a lot going for it: Park rides, animals and livestock, live music, a heritage village, and tons of food and shopping. Last year, the fair had a chain saw auction, so fingers crossed.
鈥� Oct. 15-18 | 504 Poplar Road, Fredericksburg, Virginia 22406
The first Stafford County Fair was held in 1922 and boy has it grown. This year, they have a petting zoo, pony rides, sheriff K9 demonstrations and, perhaps best of all: mustache, beard and mullet competitions.
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