Shenandoah County Fair

05/24/2026

The last day of spring harness racing at Shenandoah Downs is this afternoon (Sunday May 24) at 1:05 PM! Sugar Creek Ice Cream is set up and for the first time, kids can enjoy pony rides! Concession specials include $1 hot dogs & $2 canned beer.

05/24/2026

It was so great to see families embrace today's "Clash of the Holidays" at Shenandoah Downs which pitted Memorial Day weekend against Christmas. Mother Nature chose the latter with 53 degree highs and rainy conditions. Thanks to the many fans who braved the weather and came out! Closing day of the spring harness racing season is Sunday with a 13-race card from 1-5 PM. Admission is free and concession specials include $1 hot dogs and $2 canned beer.

05/23/2026

The Fair is only a few short months away!! Arts and Crafts exhibit entry forms are now available - the Catalog and Forms are available on the website www.shencofair.com or in the fair office! All Open Livestock (Cattle/Swine/Sheep/Poultry and Rabbits) forms are available as well! Don't miss out...
Entry Deadline to submit entry forms for Livestock is July 17th at 5pm.
Entry Deadline to submit entry forms for Poultry/Rabbits, Garden and Field Crops and Arts/Crafts is August 7th @ 5PM.
You will drop off your entries on SATURDAY, August 29th between 8am and 11am ONLY!!
Office Hours are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 10am to 3pm and change June 1st to M-F 9am to 5pm.

Shenandoah County Fair in Woodstock, Virginia. Grandstand concerts, big midway, harness racing, farm and craft exhibitions, family fun, all at the Shenandoah Valley's oldest county fair.

05/23/2026

The Shenandoah Downs "Clash of the Holidays" promotion is on today! Looks like Mother Nature is cooperating. The first of 14 races is at 1:05 PM and we've got beach towels for the first 500 fans. Santa Claus will be distributing the beach towels and we'll be serving holiday cocktails in the party tent.

05/22/2026

05/20/2026

Shenandoah Downs' closing weekend of spring harness racing in Woodstock is this coming Saturday & Sunday! Kick off summer with a commemorative Beach Towel Giveaway to the first 500 fans on Saturday (age 18 & over). It’s also a clash of the holidays promotion as Santa Claus will pass out the beach towels! We’ll have a Christmas Pop-Up inside our party tent complete with holiday decor and a holiday-themed cocktails to enjoy. Stacey’s Cupcakes will be on site selling cupcakes to enjoy. Virginia Breeder’s Fund 3-Year-Old Pace & Trot Championships will take place in races 1, 3, 5 & 7 with over $400,000 on the line. Post time is 1:05 PM and admission is free.

05/19/2026

What better to kick off Memorial Day weekend -- -and closing weekend of the Shenandoah Downs spring harness racing meet in Woodstock --- than with a commemorative beach towel giveaway in conjunction with Saturday's (May 23) "Day of Champions" card! The first 500 fans will get this unique beach towel just in time for beach & pool season. Saturday's program features four $100,000 Virginia Breeders Fund championships for 3-year-old pacers & trotters, an appearance by Santa Claus as the Memorial Day and Christmas holidays clash, a Christmas Pop-Up Party and lots more. Gates open at 12 Noon and first race is at 1:05 PM. Admission is free.

05/17/2026

Congratulations to Virginia Breeders Fund trotters who captured an elimination division Saturday at Shenandoah Downs and now return to compete in a series of $100,000 finals this coming Saturday, May 23! Winners were Antohallan, Cherry's Girl, Harding Boy and Honolugoo. Another round of eliminations for 3-year-old pacers is on tap this afternoon in Woodstock from 1-5 PM (Quenton Egan photos)
Today's (Sunday's) promotions include Armed Forces Day where all active & retired military receive a free $2 wager & free racing program. It's also our final America 250 "Pick the Horses" contest of the spring meet with $250 in cash prizes on the line. We've also got $1 hot dogs & $2 canned beer. Details are at shenandoahdowns.com.

05/13/2026

Congratulations to Dan Chansky's Lou's Starr who equaled his own Shenandoah Downs track record time of 1:51 4/5 for the second straight week --- in Sunday's $10,000 featured race! Corey Braden piloted the 4-year-old Sweet Lou horse to his fourth straight victory in Woodstock this spring. Scott Warnick trains the elite pacer. (Quenton Egan photos).

Only two weekends of racing remain. This Saturday is a Preakness Party with Rays of Violet --- a GratefulDead tribute band. Sunday is Armed Forces Appreciation Day. And the following Saturday (May 23) features a beach towel giveaway and an appearance by Santa Claus in a special Christmas Pop-Up party. Details are at shenandoahdowns.com.

05/10/2026

Congratulations to Scott Betts's Cindy Loo Goo who captured the first of four Virginia Breeders Fund Trotting elimination divisions at Shenandoah Downs yesterday! The 3-year-old Googoo Gaagaa gelding trotter was driven by Russell Foster and covered the mile in 1:59 2/5. Other Breeders Fund winners included Kalispel, Progressivekathy and Caviart Gemma. Round two of elims is next Saturday followed by a series of $100,000 finals May 23 --- Beach Towel Giveaway Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all moms. A special 15-race card goes to post at 1:05 PM today and admission is free. Bring Mom out to the races!