This summer, fairgoers will step into a transformed Shenandoah County Fairgrounds.
By the time the 2025 Shenandoah County Fair begins in late August, a new 32,500-square-foot multi-use barn will be ready to house livestock during the fair before transitioning into a 148-stall horse barn for Shenandoah Downs’ fall and spring harness racing seasons.
Shenandoah County Fair General Manager Dawn Burch said the new facility will provide significant improvements over previous temporary structures.
“The environment provided by the new 32,500-square-foot barn will be more safe and secure for the harness horses and the livestock during the county fair,” Burch said. “The permanent facility provides a much safer arrangement as the impact of heavy wind and rain will be much less of an issue compared to the tents and portable stalls.”
During the fair, the barn will house about 425 pens for cows, goats and sheep. Once the event concludes, the venue will be converted into a horse barn to accommodate most horses under permanent roofing, reducing the need for temporary stalls.
“Harness horses will be housed in the barn with livestock during the fair. Once the fair ends, livestock stalls will be replaced with horse stalls to keep the majority of horses under permanent roofing, lessening the need for temporary stalls,” Burch said.
The barn is being funded by the Virginia Equine Alliance, which holds a multi-year lease of the fairgrounds for its racing events. Previously, the organization rented temporary barns and stalls, which were set up and removed before and after each race season.
Keith Stephens, a member of the Shenandoah County Fair board of directors, said the decision to construct a permanent barn was based on long-term financial planning.
“The Horse Association evaluated the amount of money they were spending each year to rent temporary stalls and determined the better use of funds was to construct a permanent facility,” Stephens said. “The track at Shenandoah Downs is one of the best in the U.S. The new barn will be a nice complement to this great track.”
Fair Board President Allen Gochenour said in a press release that while the new barn represents a major upgrade, efforts are being made to retain historical elements.
A portion of the original barn closest to the grandstand will remain to preserve the fair’s traditional look, along with the Dairy Club ice cream parlor. The metal show barn to the south, the Lilly barn built in 2007 and the steer barn closest to Interstate 81 will also remain.
Gochenour sees the project as a win for the fair, the racing community and local businesses.
“The relationship between the fair and the harness racing organization continues to be very beneficial to both parties and the entire Shenandoah County community. The investment in the track in 2015 when racing first began transformed it into one of the best in the country,” Gochenour said in the release.
Stephens echoed the economic benefits of the fair’s partnership with Shenandoah Downs.
“The town of Woodstock and Shenandoah County has benefited significantly from the fair’s relationship with Shenandoah Downs. The racers and their crews stay in local hotels, eat in local restaurants, and shop in local stores. The races also provide the local community with something to do on Saturdays and Sundays,” Stephens said. “The new facility may also be used to host agricultural-related events whose organizers would not have considered the fairgrounds previously.”
Demolition of the old barns and site work for the new structure is set to begin soon, according to Burch.
“We are going to have a busy year,” Burch said.
