Virginia Evergreen Winter 2018

VCTGA at the State Fair of Virginia VCTGA at the State Fair of Virginia VCTGA at the State Fair of Virginia

Thanks to these VCTGA Members for helping set up and staff the exhibit! John and Virginia Carroll Jeff Gregson Thanks to these VCTGA Members for helping set up and staff the exhibit! John and Virginia Carroll Jeff Gregson John and Virginia Carroll Jeff Gregson

Ron and Lorraine Hoke Greg and Janet Lemmer Jeff Miller Marie McGhee, ------ Ron and Lorraine Hoke Greg and Janet Lemmer Jeff Miller Marie McGhee, ------

Ron and Lorraine Hoke Greg and Janet Lemmer Jeff Miller Marie McGee

VCTGA News Journal ‒ Winter 2018 VCTGA News Journal – Winter 2018  VCTGA News Journal – Winter 2018  Other hanges based on customer eedback included VIP parking, a farm-to-table event and a new special events tent which housed th gia t pumpkin and watermelon weigh-in, State Fair of Virginia Records Second-Highest Attendance Since 2009 State Fair of Virginia Entrance dur- ing the day The State Fair of Vir- ginia’s 2017 attendance was nearly 250,000, the second-highest since the fair moved to The Meadow Event Park in 2009. “Our carnival and food gross sales were both records for the State Fair,” explained Marlene Pierson-Jolliffe, the fair’s vice president of opera- tions. “Our new layouts were a suc- cess, and it was a very smooth opera- tional fair.” This year in Harvest Landing, the Kidway children’s amusement fea- ture was moved to a spacious asphalt area in response to fairgoers who said the previous gravel area became muddy after rain and made maneu- vering strollers a challenge. The larger Midway Madness was relo- cated to the Festival Loop area, which gave customers a much shorter walking distance and better access to rides, food concessions and other en- tertainment. Other changes based on customer feedback included VIP parking, a farm-to-table event and a new special events tent which housed the giant pumpkin and watermelon weigh-in, State Fair of Virginia Records Second-H gh st Attendance Since 2009 State Fair of Virginia Entrance du ing the day Th St te Fair of Vir- ginia’s 2017 atte ance wa n arly 250,000, the second-highest since the fai moved to The Meadow Event Park in 2009. “Our carnival and food gross s les were both reco ds for the State Fair,” explained Marlen Pi rson-J lliffe, he fair’s vice president of opera tions. “Our new layouts were a suc cess, and it was a very smooth opera- tional fair.” This year n Harvest Landi g, the Kidway children’s amusement fe - ture was m ved a spacious asph lt ar a in response to fairgoers who said the previous gravel area became muddy after rain nd made maneu- vering strollers a challenge. The l rger Midway Madness was relo- cated to the Festival Loop a ea, hich ave customers a much shorter walking dista and better acc ss to rides, food concessions and other en- tertainment.

Other changes based on customer feedback included VIP parking, a farm-to-table event and a new special events tent which housed the giant pumpkin and watermelon weigh-in, the Miss State Fair of Virginia pag- eant and the first-ever Blue Ribbon Craft Beer Festival. “We listen to feedback from our cus- tomers and try to be as responsive as we can,” noted Pierson-Jolliffe. She said the changes this year contributed to the fair’s success. Also helping with the high attend- ance numbers was a lack of rain this year. “We had 10 days of nearly perfect weather, and our positive changes to the property made it an even better environment for our fairgoers,” noted Greg Hicks, vice president of com- munications for the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, which became full owner of the fair in 2013. “We are already looking forward to the 2018 fair, which runs from Sept. 28 to Oct. 7,” Hicks said. “There will be even more positive changes as we continue to listen to our customers.” Other hanges based on customer eedback included VIP parking, a farm-to-table event and a new special events tent which housed th gia t pumpkin and w termelon weigh-in, the Miss State Fair of Virginia pag- eant and the first-ever Blue Ribbon Craft Beer Festival. “W listen to feed ack from our cus- tomers and try to b as responsive as we can,” noted Pierson-Jolliffe. She said the changes this year contributed to the fair’s success. Also helping ith the high ttend- ance numbers was a lack of rain this year. “We had 10 days f n arly perfect w ather, and our positive cha g s to the property made it an even be t r environment for our fairgoers,” n ted Greg H ck , vice president of com- m nications for the Virginia F rm Bureau Federation, which became full owner of the fair in 2013. “We are already looki g orward to the 2018 fair, which runs from Sept. 28 to Oct. 7,” Hicks said. “There will be even m re positive changes as we continue to listen to our customers.”

State Fair of Virginia Records Sec- ond-Highest Attendance Since 2009 State Fair of Virginia Entrance dur- ing the day The State Fair of Vir- ginia’s 2017 attendance was nearly 250,000, the second-highest since the fair moved to The Meadow Event Park in 2009. “Our carnival and food gross sales were both records for the State Fair,” explained Marlene Pierson-Jolliffe, the fair’s vice president of opera- tions. “Our new layouts were a suc- cess, and it was a very smooth opera- tional fair.” This year in Harvest Landing, the Kidway children’s amusement fea- ture was moved to a spacious asphalt area in response to fairgoers who said the previous gravel area became muddy after rain and made maneu- vering strollers a challenge. The larger Midway Madness was relo- cated to the Festival Loop area, which gave customers a much shorter walking distance and better access to rides, food concessions and other en- tertainment. State Fair of Virginia Records Sec- ond-Highest Attendance Since 2009 State Fair of Virginia Entrance du ing the day Th St te Fair of Vir- ginia’s 2017 atte ance wa n arly 250,000, the second-highest since the fai moved to The Meadow Event Park in 2009. “Our carnival and food gross s les were both reco ds for the State Fair,” explained Marlen Pi rson-J lliffe, he fair’s vice president of opera tions. “Our new layouts were a suc cess, and it was a very smooth opera- tional fair.” This year n Harvest Landi g, the Kidway children’s amusement fe - ture was m ved a spacious asph lt ar a in response to fairgoers who said the previous gravel area became muddy after rain nd made maneu- vering strollers a challenge. The l rger Midway Madness was relo- cated to the Festival Loop a ea, hich ave customers a much shorter walking dista and better acc ss to rides, food concessions and other en- tertainment.

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