State Fair of Virginia ends after more than 150 years

After over 150 years, the State Fair of Virginia is ending its run due to the organizer’s bankruptcy proceedings. The Strawberry Hill Races and Meadow Highland Games & Celtic Festival will also be affected.

NBC12 is reporting that the State Fair, after 156 years of operation, will not not be held this year as a result of “the organizer’s bankruptcy proceedings.”

Early last December the nonprofit group that organizes that state fair, SFVA Inc., voluntarily filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. At the time officials at SFVA were confident that fair operations would continue as planned. However, today SFVA Inc. elected to move to Chapter 7 liquidation. Andy Jenks (also from NBC12) reported through twitter that all SFVA staff have been removed from payroll and benefit plans, and there will be no future events produced by the group.

[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/andyjenksnbc12/status/177473209757741056”]

[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/andyjenksnbc12/status/177473967873982464”]

SFVA Inc., also produces the Strawberry Hill Races and Meadow Highland Games & Celtic Festival, which will also be affected by the liquidation.

Update

The Strawberry Hill Races will continue, but will be held at Colonial Downs. From their website:

While the State Fair of Virginia has ceased operations (as of March 7th at 5 PM (EDT), the 80th running of the Strawberry Hill Races will go on as planned at Colonial Downs Racetrack on Saturday June 2nd.

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  1. Linda on said:

    Thanks, Curry, for piling on the debt.

  2. Wow, that’s huge.

    Never really felt like the same event to me after it moved out of Henrico, anyway.

  3. As far as I’m concerned, this event was ruined when RIR took over the state fairgrounds. The public opted for noisy cars that spin round-and-round instead of fried oreos, smelly farm animals and crappy rides. I’m more upset that the Classic Ampitheater was ruined 10+ years ago.

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