Thursday, July 16, 2026
Like the Italian phrase, “When they build the bridge to Sicily” (as translated), the expression “When pigs fly” generally means: “Never.”
But though they won’t leave the ground for long, pigs will be in rapid forward motion at the Loudoun County Fairgrounds in Leesburg, Virginia — twice a day from Tuesday to Friday, July 21 to 24, and three times on Saturday, July 25.
Based in Galt, California, near Sacramento, Cook’s Racing Pigs compete at county and country fairs coast to coast. Charlie Cook has been staging swine-athons since 1986. His fleet-hooved, potbellied porkers race for a winner’s cup of vanilla soft serve mixed with crumbled Oreos.
In addition to the pig races, the productions scheduled more than once a day at the LoCo fair are the Agricadabra Magic Show, which “meshes farm, fun, and magic,” and the Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show, a demonstration of log rolling, underhand chopping, springboard chopping, standing block chopping, crosscut sawing and axe throwing, plus a “dragster chainsaw competition.”
Getting up-close and personal with farm animals is the main attraction for many, however. Speaking of our curly tailed friends, a Pig Scramble will take place on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. Register online ($20 entry fee) by July 22 at 4 p.m. “Winners get to take home a pig or $20 cash.”
Animals in the non-pig category on display at the fair: horses, cows (including heifers), steers, bulls, sheep, goats, llamas, alpacas, poultry and rabbits.
Rabbits? Yes, it seems the little furry fellers are a big deal in Loudoun County. The rabbit-related events include a Hopping Competition, a Showmanship and Breed Show, a Parade of Breeds, a Hopping Demonstration and a Dress Up Competition (I believe this involves dressed-up rabbits, not people dressed as rabbits, though children will dress as their animals at Friday’s 4-H Clubs Costume Contest).
“Who’s in the Barnyard” guided tours take place daily. Among the equine events: a Gambler’s Choice Equestrian Show on Tuesday at 10 a.m., a Horse Drill Team Performance on Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. and a Horse Gymkhana (field day, more or less) on Friday at 9:30 a.m.
“Milking Demonstrations & Facts about Cows” is set for 6 p.m. daily. There are also obstacle course events for poultry, on Tuesday at 6 p.m., and for sheep and goats, on Saturday at 2 p.m. I’m thinking the goats will outperform their pasture-mates.
Does 4-H (Head, Heart, Hands and Health) ring a bell? 4-H programming at the fair will include: a Loudoun 4-H Chefs & Stiches Club Demonstration on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m., Horse Demonstrations by the 4-H Canterlopes Club on Thursday at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. and Friday and Saturday at 1:30 p.m. and an Innovation 4-H Club STEM Interactive Demonstration on Thursday at 3 p.m.
Also connected with 4-H are the Wednesday lunch and daily dinners hosted by clubs as fundraisers. The priciest, at $15, is Thursday’s Non-ownership Livestock Club lamb dinner, with lamb slices on buns, new potatoes, green beans, a cookie and iced tea or lemonade. At Saturday’s Swine Club dinner (you know who you are), you can get a pork barbecue sandwich for just $7; add $6 for mac and cheese, coleslaw, dessert and ice tea.
In the beverage department, LoCo Fair Grapes & Grains, supporting local wineries and breweries, opens at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. A 16-oz. beer or 5-oz. wine goes for $8.
The fair’s Blue Ribbon Showcase will be open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday; and from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
On Wednesday at 8:30 p.m., Line Dance 4 You, out of Manassas, will lead a line dancing session, and on Saturday at 11 a.m., the Blue Ridge Thunder Cloggers — an all-ages group that meets in Lovettsville — will take the stage.
Live music acts: Nashville recording artist Tommy Wood on Tuesday; Rocknoceros, a duo that performs on guitar, banjo, drums, keyboard and accordion, on Wednesday; Jack Dunlap Band, featuring Dunlap, a guitarist and mandolinist, also on Wednesday; East Tennessee country and Americana group High Carbon Steel on Thursday; Mountain Highway, in which two sisters and a family friend play banjo, guitar and mandolin and sing three-part harmony while the sisters’ dad plays electric upright bass, on Friday; and the Brothers Young, Roanoke-based traditional bluegrassers, on Saturday.
Cole Shows Amusement Company is supplying the carnival. Carnival-goers need to pay for fair admission; participation in rides and games is additional. Visit the website for the somewhat complicated details concerning “wristband sessions.”
There are also contests galore: crowing, puzzle solving, watermelon and pie eating, Oreo stacking, barnyard drawing and a Super Farmer Competition (whatever that is).
Perhaps you’re familiar with Zero-Turn Barrel Racing. Register yourself for $15 or your team for $40 to race your commercial or homeowner mower(s) on a course with tight turns without knocking down barrels or hitting cones (or maiming yourself or others, I would guess) on Wednesday at 8 p.m.
The last event each day, at 9 p.m. or later, is the Hypnotist Show (isn’t there a problem if audience members have to drive home and they’re still hypnotized?). On Thursday, at 10 p.m., it follows the Kids’ Rodeo at 7:30 p.m. and the Begoon Brothers Bucking Bulls – SEBRA Extreme Bull Riding at 8 p.m. On Friday, at 10:15 p.m., it follows the Ropin’ & Ridin’ Rodeo Pre-Show at 7:30 p.m. and the Begoon Brothers at 8 p.m. On Saturday, also at 10:15 p.m., it follows the Power Wheels Derby at 7:30 p.m. and the Chaos in the Valley Demolition Derby at 8 p.m.
Fair admission for age 13 and up is: $16.50 for one day ($13.50 at the early discounted rate), $20 at the gate starting at 5 p.m.; and $44 for the week ($38.50 with the discount). Admission for ages 6 to 12 is: $5.75 for one day; and $16.50 for the week ($13.50 with the discount). Children age 5 and under are free. Parking is $5 cash in person, $5.50 online. Once you pay, you can park all week.
Wednesday is Kids’/Senior Day, with free admission until 4 p.m. for age 12 and under and age 62 and over.
Cow Pie Bingo, on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m., is $25 per square, if you’re wondering.
Loudoun County Fair
July 21 to 25
Loudoun County Fairgrounds
17558 Dry Mill Road, Leesburg, Virginia