Every year in mid-September, families in Charles County eagerly await the Charles County Fair, but this year’s event promises to be extra special as it marks the fair's 100th anniversary. We spoke with Sam Graves, Charles County Fair Board Treasurer, to learn about what is planned this year, the fair’s commitment to preserving agriculture, and how the fair has grown over the years.
1924: When Tobacco Was King
The Charles County Fair was organized and incorporated in 1924. The first fair was held at Chapel Point which, at that time, was a bathing beach and amusement park owned and operated by the Catholic Church. It was a chance for farmers to show off their local produce—tobacco being dominant.
After the First World War, several of the interested farmers began to think in terms of a fair for Charles County that would eventually own its own grounds with buildings. They organized a stock company that sold shares of stock, with a par value of $10 to any interested party, making no promises to pay any dividends but to consider the purchase a donation. Stock sales went well, and they decided to proceed with plans for holding a fair in the fall of 1924. Still today, fair board members buy into stocks as a part of their membership to help financially support the fair.
In 1925, the board purchased the current Spring Hill site. The only building then on the property was a small tobacco barn near the present main entrance. It was used for several years to house poultry exhibits. All other departments were housed in rented tents. Electricity was unknown in the area, and the fair used a generator operated by a farm tractor.
By 1931, the fair had established a local tradition by selecting a fair queen, affectionately named Queen Nicotina, in recognition of tobacco’s significance to the county’s economy. With the exception of one year during World War II, Queen Nicotina has remained a symbol of the fair, with the tradition continuing still today.
Despite hardships like the Great Depression, the fair persevered, becoming a profitable event most years.
100 Years Later: A Few Things Have Changed
The Charles County Fair has grown a lot over the years to include a farm museum, a historic one-room schoolhouse, two climate-controlled commercial buildings, seven exhibit buildings, six livestock buildings, one poultry building, and a storage building. After a fire in 2013, five new livestock buildings were added in 2014 to accommodate the growing number of exhibits. The Historic McConchie One-Room School, moved to the grounds in 1992, is one of only three one-room school houses in Charles County currently open to the public. It is the only known one still in existence that originally served African- American students exclusively. The school now serves as a living museum and is open for tours and programs on the Fourth of July and during the Kris Kringle Christmas Market in December. Those two events are held each year at the fairgrounds.
The participation of other organizations has been one of the strengths of the fair. The all-volunteer Fair Board couldn’t put on a fair without all the other volunteers in the exhibit buildings and other areas on the grounds.
About 4-H, Graves said, “I think it’s growing a little bit, and 4-H had to retool itself it a bit, too. A lot of the children who are in 4-H now don’t live on farms. They can raise rabbits and chickens, and they can do projects. You can do other smaller projects in your own backyard. There’s a rabbit and poultry barn this year that will have those exhibits.”
What to Look For At This Year’s Fair
A 100-year anniversary only comes around once, so fair goers can expect new and additional entertainment and activities. Graves said, “The opening ceremony is going to be much more elaborate. There will be a pyrotechnic show on Thursday night. Several former board members, presidents, and Queen Nicotinas are invited. A lot of them will be coming back to visit the area. Some are still in the area, but some are not. Friday night is Bobby McKey’s Dueling Pianos. We haven’t had an act at that level for a long time.” There will be many different things to see and do. The carnival is also celebrating their 50-year anniversary and will be doing some different things because of the fair’s anniversary.
Ag Education and Preserving Our Heritage
Graves said, “The reason I’m on the fair board is, I want to make sure we preserve and promote agriculture in Charles County. The education programs and demonstrations at the fair help keep that alive and share that information with people who don’t live on a farm.”
He continued, “Children see that eggs don’t just come from a carton—they come from a chicken. Milk doesn’t just come from a gallon jug—it comes from a cow. So, people can see where the things they’re consuming come from. A lot of children who come to our fair have never seen a goat or sheep or cow or pig. It’s just amazing to see their eyes light up when they walk through the livestock barns.”
This year’s fair is sure to have something for everyone, plus more. Come out this weekend, September 12-15, and see what Charles County has to offer. Get times, a schedule, and driving directions here.
