The Arlington County Fair is adding more events to its lineup this year, including a pie-eating contest and a butterfly exhibition.
Fair-goers can get up close to butterflies later this month thanks to a traveling enclosure for the creatures from Florida-based company The Butterfly Enclosure. Tickets are $3 a piece.
“Children and adults alike will enjoy the wonder of being surrounded by nature’s most delicate, beautiful creatures,” fair organizers wrote on the event page.
The exhibition will be open every day of the fair:
- Wednesday, August 14, from 5-8 p.m.
- Thursday, August 15 from 5-8 p.m.
- Friday, August 16 from 2-8 p.m.
- Saturday, August 17 from 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
- Sunday, August 18 from 11 a.m.- 7 p.m.
The county fair itself will be open from Aug. 14-18 and will feature carnival games, food trucks, and live music, in addition to goat yoga and a new beer garden. The fair’s full schedule has not yet been published on its website.
This year the fair will also host a pie-eating contest. On Saturday, Aug. 17 participants will chow down on blueberry, raspberry, and blackberry pie, and everyone will receive a “Arlington County Fair Pie Eating Championship” t-shirt.
Pre-registration for the event, which is free, is sold out. However, fair organizers noted on the event page that there will be space for some same-day signups. The contest begins at 1:30 p.m. and participants are asked to stop by at 1 p.m. to register and check in.
Contestants will compete based on their age category:
- Ages 2-4
- Ages 5-8
- Ages 9-12
- Ages 13-16
- Ages 17-109.5
The event is organized together with local bakery Living the Pie Life and young adult event organization Arlington Jaycees.
Several carnival ride favorites are set to return to the fair this year, including the Zipper, the Heart Flip, and the Rainbow from the Cole Shows Amusement Company.
The fair is free to attend but ticket prices for amusements range from $1 for a single ticket to $20 for 24 tickets.
Photos courtesy Dennis Dimick