WHEREAS, for 25 years, the Isle of Wight County Fair has delighted residents and visitors with music, competitions, rides, delicious food, and other attractions, while promoting the importance of agriculture in the region; and

WHEREAS, in 1991, a group of local residents, with the support of the Isle of Wight County Board of Supervisors, formed a committee to reestablish a county fair under the direction of the Isle of Wight County Public Recreational Facilities Authority; and

WHEREAS, the first Isle of Wight County Fair since 1941 was held in 1994 near the Isle of Wight County Courthouse and featured entertainment, crafts, crops, and livestock exhibits, all celebrating the county's rich agricultural heritage; and

WHEREAS, the Isle of Wight County Fair Committee and the Isle of Wight County Parks and Recreation Department later took ownership of the fair and expanded the fair from a small, local festival to a nationally recognized event that welcomes 30,000 attendees each year; and

WHEREAS, in 2004, the Isle of Wight County Fair moved to its current home at the Joel C. Bradshaw Fairgrounds in Heritage Park, and in 2014, the first permanent building—the Agricultural Education Center—was completed; and

WHEREAS, the Isle of Wight County Fair offers a host of exciting attractions, including a rodeo, a tractor pull, a demolition derby, and a major midway with dozens of rides, food vendors, and commercial and arts and crafts vendors; the fair is also well known for its commitment to providing agricultural education to children and adults through innovative multimedia programs; and

WHEREAS, the Isle of Wight County Fair has earned state and national accolades, including recognition as one of the fastest growing fairs in Virginia and awards for its marketing and communications campaigns; and

WHEREAS, the Isle of Wight County Fair has achieved success with the leadership of its committee members and fair managers, the hard work and generosity of countless volunteers, and the support of the entire community; and

WHEREAS, in 2018, the Isle of Wight County Fair will kick off the Salted Southern Route, a combined effort of five counties and cities to celebrate peanut and ham production in the southeastern part of the Commonwealth; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That the Isle of Wight County Fair hereby be commended on the occasion of its 25th anniversary; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the Isle of Wight County Fair as an expression of the House of Delegates' admiration for the fair's unique place in the cultural life of Isle of Wight County and Southeastern Virginia.