Fairfax Fair – Celebrate Fairfax

Celebrate Fairfax is an annual fair, held on the grounds of the Fairfax Government Center. Tons of food options, ice cream, hot dogs, funnel cake, non-​profit and retail vendors, amusement rides, jewelry, clothes for sale, games for the kids, music, karaōke and dance-​off competitions with prizes, free-​giveaways, outdoor concerts and a live firework show at night. A mix of everything! All ages. Single, married, families, seniors, infants. A real slice of Northern Virginia. I really think each and every person in the County comes out at least one of the days!
I’ve been a total of 4 years and each time I’ve been lucky enough to go for free. Either a friend had a few left over tickets from work, or someone passing out extra tickets outside — for free! — score! I have never paid for admission.
One of these years, I will muster the courage to try fried alligator and deep fried oreos! LOL. Until then, I’ll stick with a cup of soft serve ice cream on a hot summer night and call it a day! Check it out!

I went to celebrate Fairfax early Saturday (for the first time) There was a dog area with dogs jumping in a pool, carnival area, food, etc. From the website I thought there would be more vendors selling things. (They mentioned an artists area but I only saw Henna and one booth selling paintings) Most of the vendors were local businesses i.e. Great American restaurants, Palm Beach tan, Silver Diner. Overall I am glad I went. Thank you Fairfax!

I’m living in Fairfax community for three years and I never missed celebrate Fairfax. There are many entertaining features that attract people of all ages. The 3 doors down concert tops all the events.

This event has become more organized than previous years. The band was inxredible with their old and new songs. My friends and I arrived early. We got nice seats in the middle of the atea. Security was everywhere. There were no fights or incidents. Fairfax Water had the best offer at their stand… passing out nice cold water in their plastic glasses on such a hot day. I was surprised to not see any representatives from Fairfax connector at a stand. After all, they provided the shuttles to and from the event.

I love taking my child to Celebrate Fairfax!!! It is pricey so the is the only down side. Call me easy to please but I appreciated the fact that they had very clean indoor bathrooms throughout the day. They also has a water booth filled with ice cold water in high quality take home plastic cups. Those to factors alone made me a fan. In addition, the rides were classic carnival style, they even had some decent roller coasters this year. This is a event that you have to take to whole day to enjoy because there is so much stuff. There is a Silent Disco, A billion vendors, Ponies, a petting Zoo, free children activities. We went for 5 hours and just was able to cover the kiddie rides and a few older rides and lunch, but we had a blast!!!

Sorry but I’m not giving Fairfax $ 15 just to get in. If I had kids many but sorry this county makes enough money.

Another year, another Celebrate Fairfax.
This is our second year in attendance, and we are looking at it through very different eyes. In 2013, we were the drinking, partying-​in-​the-​sun, 90s-​band-​watching crowd while this year we are the baby-​toting, parents. Yet in both roles, we enjoy the fair.
There is a little something for everyone from carnival games and rides to information booths about different county services to booths from local businesses that I didn’t even know existed. We enjoyed walking around and sampling the entertainment at various stages. Some is geared towards kids, old folks, young adults, or family fun. The night concerts can get a bit rowdier. We had the pleasure of being front and center for the Third Eye Blind concert in 2013, and were thrilled with the show.
We always look forward to going to this fair and hope to continue the tradition for years to come.

I had a great time at the Fairfax Fair this past weekend. To be honest, I didn’t think I would have that much fun but I did.
The Fairfax Fair was highly organized! I loved the free shuttle services that was provided at Fair Oaks mall and other locations! It was a breeze getting there and back with no issues!
The vendors were great for the most part! You can play games or spin the wheel for free (some places let you spin their wheels for free) at certain vendors. My bf and I got some passes to Rebounderz and their laser tag place.
Fairfax water had a vendor booth and were handing out free water in these great neon water cups so you didn’t have to spend money on water bottles: P (THANKS FFX WATER!).
For the food, my bf and I tried Famous Daves pulled pork BBQ sandwich, fried oreos, a corn dog, and The Meathouse Wagyu hot dog.
The fried oreos and the corn dog were the best. I could’ve done without the Wagyu hotdog, and the rude service from that lady… (will review them later).
The fireworks at the end was the best! Pretty basic fireworks display, but then again it’s like everyone gets in a trance looking at them.
Great little kick off to summer! Will definitely be returning in the years coming as this was my first year. Tickets were only $ 12 online or at Wegmans. You can get them for $ 10 if you buy between April-​May.

Celebrate Fairfax is a lot of fun.
They have your standard fair booths, local artists, carnival rides, giveaways, small stage acts, beer stands, silent disco and food trucks. But IMO, the real draw is the big name acts they get year after year. I have seen Rusted Root, Third Eye Blind (twice), Filter, The Spin Doctors and The All American Rejects.
Also, if you have the time, stay for the fireworks. They put on quite an impressive show.

So many laughs and fun here last night! Decided to come to the fair after work convincing two co-​workers to join me. The last one I attended was in 2012. The shuttle buses from the mall make it very convenient to get there without worrying about parking. There were several bands and all kinds of activities, rides, and games for all different tastes! I only have one gripe about having to look everywhere for a wine booth but, otherwise great fun for all! Will seriously consider going again next year. BTW if anyone remembers the name of the Reggae band performing message me!

I had a wonderful time at the most recent Celebrate Fairfax festival! Quick overview:
— Main Stage concert — All American Rejects were there, and the show was fun!
— Fried Oreos from the food court were amazing! You can skip the funnel cake and beignets; those were only alright. Pad Thai was decent as were the turkey leg and chicken on a stick.
The best thing of all was the SILENT DISCO. YOU MUST GO. It’s a great concept: you get your own headset, and there are three DJs. You can select which song to listen to at any moment via your personal headset. It’s hilarious to see people dancing to different songs than yours. We were there for hours, and it was a wonderful time. It did get quite hot, so dress appropriately.
Other items: parking was great because there is the convenient and easy free shuttle. Free ice cold water was given out in sturdy plastic cups which was really nice. While the fair was crowded, it wasn’t overly so on a Friday night.
I strongly suggest buying your tickets in advance online and buying as many as you can in one transaction. This will save you on money per ticket (up to $ 5), the transaction fee ($ 2.50 per order), and time (you bypass the ticket line upon arrival at the fair).
Bottom line: I will definitely be up for going again next year. The silent disco was worth it all on its own.

I almost shouldn’t write this review at this point since it was several months ago, but I got to say I’m a fan of this carnival /​festival. It was very well organized, even down to the parking and busing. We got a couple of complimentary tickets and bought more discounted tickets ahead of time at Wegman’s.
It’s been a long time since I was at a carnival, but there’s something about attending carnivals that has the ability to make you feel young again. Lots of vendors were giving out samples products, but the most important booth I think, was the Fairfax Water booth. They were giving out free red plastic cups filled with ICE COLD water. Even to this day we still use them.
Definitely look forward to going again next year.

I have to admit, I’ve heard of Celebrate Fairfax for years but have never been. In fact I have lived just 2 miles away for the past 5 years and this was my first time attending!
My friend asked me to come along because she met meet and greet tickets for Everlear. I was a little unmotivated mostly because it had been raining all day and there seemed to be no end in sight. Well now I’m glad I went! Not only was meeting Everclear super awesome, but the fair itself was pretty cool.
Celebrate Fairfax is huge. It spans the entire parking lot of the Fairfax Government Center (and then some, probably!). A shuttle is conveniently located at my office building which proved to be more efficient than parking at the mall. It seemed like we didn’t have to wait as long to catch the shuttle back.
One of the reasons I never went was the fact that it costs money to attend (I’m used to free Herndon Festivals) but was surprised to find it only costs about $ 9 for an adult. Not bad! There are lots of rides for kids, more than plenty food stands with all the fried foods you could ever want (pretty sure I saw a «fried oreos» sign). There are also lots of vendors lined up and down the streets. My favorite has to be Fairfax Water’s large tent which offered free water on tap. It was set up just like a bar with taps and they served you as much free water as your thirsty little heart desires.
I think the real highlight is the entertainment. Friday night was the «Summerland Tour» which was organized by Everclear and included some other 90’s rock bands such as Sponge, Filter, and Live. I was surprised at how many songs I already knew and could sing along too. Since it had rained, no one was really taking advantage of the wet seats so everyone was kind of spread everywhere in front of the stage. It was a great concert overall and I was happy knowing that I could seen amazing rock show just minutes from my home, and only for a few dollars.
I’m definitely checking this out in years to come. I hope they continue to have great bands!

There is a lot of stuff to do and see here. Too bad I came at night when most of the booths were closed and I had already eaten dinner. I am much too old to be riding the carnival rides so I felt like I did not get my money’s worth. So IF i decide to come back next year, I will pre-​order the tickets (saves $ 5) and come early in the day to see everything and eat everything. Park at the mall and shuttle over. Very convenient and the shuttles are very frequent. They did a great job planning that.

Live and Filter at Fairfax Fair? Oh how the mighty have fallen.
Anyway, maybe you have to have grown up with the Fairfax Fair to fully appreciate it. And maybe it would have been somewhat better to go on a sunny weekend rather than a wet Friday night. But we were there to check out the bands that we would have (and actually have) paid significantly more than the $ 12 entrance charge to see during the days of our (and their) youth.
Unfortunately, the sound was a bit dreadful, and we had to stay in the way back to keep our old and delicate eardrums from collapsing as we commented on how it must feel for Richard Patrick to be singing at a county fair after having toured with Nine In Nails during its heyday.
After the performances, we walked around the festival grounds, and tried to muster up some excitement – it was a fair, after all – but found most of the games and rides to be a bit depressing, especially with so few people to occupy them. We tried to re-​enact movie romance by looking for a game for my husband to win me a stuffed animal, but a lot of the games required at least two people, and I wasn’t going to have my husband get me a stuffed animal by beating me in a game.
It also seemed that some of the employees were either taking their job a bit too seriously. We stopped by the mechanical bull to watch a small child excitedly take his turn. The «DJ» manning the bull took several minutes as he browsed through the first few seconds of what seemed to be at least 20 songs. The one he finally settled on was this hip hop piece, and while the lyrics kind of went over my head, I couldn’t help but feel that it may not have been an appropriate song for a child that was no more than 10 years old.
All in all, the fair was pretty large as far as local fairs go, and I actually enjoyed listening to the local band sing their hearts out in the small stage by the entrance perhaps more than the sad reminders of my youth on the main stage. I really hope that Friday evening wasn’t an indication of the popularity of the fair during the weekend, because I can’t see a fair of this scale continue to make it out to fairfax each year if it was.

I was going to go on Friday night with the bands I really wanted to see from the 90s but the rain caused me to stay indoors. I did manage to make the festival on Saturday and killed about 2 – 3 hours there. I walked around and stumbled upon 2 of my favorite booths. I learned about «World of beer» restaurant (another Unilocal review coming soon) and also scored some free Zone sampled and coupons. I love beer, coupons, samples, and protein bars. It made my day!
Saturday night’s performer was Third Eye Blind. They finally started playing around 8:30ish and the speaker quality sucked! The location of where I was at I couldn’t see the band so was disappointed. Also the beer selection for this festival could of worked a little bit on improving it. Come on… bud limarita? The prices for it wasn’t bad considering but they sure get you in food prices. My husband got a stuffed pizza slice and it was $ 8.
I did like the fact they provided free shuttle service to and from the fair. It was extremely nice not to really have to wait a long time coming or going.

What can I say? I’ve been going to this fair every since middle school when I volunteered with Lockheed Martin at their experiment tent. Volunteered 2 Years in a row.
Now I return just to hear all the old school bands and other lesser known local bands oh and to watch the fireworks since its usually after Saturday performances (best seats are the bud light stage).
Celebrate Fairfax is definitely a place to run into people you haven’t seen in awhile you’ll always spot people especially if their in the nova area.
Ill admit fair food is expensive but hey if your going to splurge why not?
Suggestions if your down for freebies go to the tents and learn about the community it’s good knowledge and there maybe a tumblr, waterbottle or shirt .
Tip: Buy tickets in advance if you know your going its cheaper also if your down with the unlimited rides get the stamp especially if your going for the whole day. Also fair food make sure walk around not all of it is the same price.
Overall it’s a fun place to catch up with old friends reminisce about the good times eat fair food, drink and enjoy the weather.

It’s time to Celebrate Fairfax another year! I always like going to Celebrate Fairfax to enjoy the concert lineup, the vendors, fireworks, and other fun festivities. This year the Summerland tour came to Fairfax, and Friday night’s lineup was Sponge, Filter, Live, and Everclear. Even though the weather was a bit if-​y, they still stuck it out and pleased the crowd. If you enjoy fair rides or have children, this would be a great place to take them. I know when our little fella is born and grows up a bit, we will be taking him here. Also, make sure to stop by the Great American Restaurants booth. For $ 3 you can spin a wheel and win at least a $ 10 gift card for all their great restaurants. Last night my husband and I each won $ 25…woohoo! Buy your tickets in advance and they are even cheaper than the already low $ 12 entry fee. Ok, go Celebrate Fairfax!

The Fairfax Fair is a Northern Virginia social institution!
Most people’s first initiation into this yearly carnival is sometime around high school when they hold hands with a certain special someone on the ferris wheel or if they took the group date route, had worn matching tee shirts emblazoned with their crew’s name in neon grafitti writing. Either way, the Fairfax Fair is the start of many, many blissful summer memories.
A few of mine include:
1) The time I volunteered for a major sponsor of the event to dress up as the Cow from Cartoon Network’s «Cow & Chicken». All of these little kids tried to pull my udders and punch me in the eye (which was conveniently located through Cow’s open mouth).
2) The time my best friend performed on the Budweiser stage with her hs sign language choir. It was like an awkward scene out of Napoleon Dynamite that I will cherish in my heart forever.
Whatever your age, gender, race, or socio-​economic class the Fairfax Fair has something for everyone. Meat on a stick? Check. Laser light shows and fireworks? Check. Carnival rides? Check. Crazy circus carneys? Double check. Burnt out music artists from the 80’s? QUADRUPLE CHECK!!! Musical guests have included eighties wonder kids Rick Springfield, Pat Benatar, Rob Base, Flava Flav, and more! I am secretly hoping that the Backstreet Boys will be hitting the county fair circuit soon so I can take care of some unfulfilled high school dreams.
So anyways, what are you waiting for? The Fairfax Fair is coming to town this Friday, Saturday and Sunday! Buy your tickets now — the Fairfax Fair is your chance to do the Hump with Digital Underground himself.
PS: If you don’t know how to do the Humpty Dance here are a few rules:
#1) Limp to the side like your leg is broken
#2) Shake and twitch kinda like you’re smokin’

Overall, this is not a bad way to spend a Fri, Sat or Sun.
They set up the second weekend in June of every year at the Fairfax County Government Center. the Taj Mahal of NoVa tax paid centers.
The city provides tax paid shuttles from various area locations so you don’t have to drive in and cause another traffic jam aka NoVa Demolition Derby!
It’s probably better for families with kids from six to 14 or so.
It’s setup like a carnival with all the rides you might find at fair without the Carney’s.
They have the younger kids petting zoo and such as that.
They also have food vendors that come from far and wide. I saw one Greek vendor selling the Gyro’s, Pita’s etc from Pa. Huh, like there aren’t enough local Vendors or do that want some of that NoVa cash to take back to Pa?
They also have many craft displays of all types, jewelry, local art and sports oriented crafts.
Many Company’s large and small are hawking their wares, Verizon, Cox, Chrysler and many of the home improvement vendors, have you heard to Gutter Helmet story?
They have many music stages; the largest being the Bud Light stage.
This past weekend it was Third Eye Blind, The Bangles and The Legwarmers.
For a $ 12 buck entry fee, not too shabby.