46
OUR VALLEY
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Harrisonburg, Va.
‘Country Music Is What Sells In This Area,’ Says Fair Manager Dennis Cupp Fair
FROM PAGE 27
“The Rockingham County Fair brings them right here to us … right to our doorsteps,” said Geiman, a watercolor artist who owns a shop in Augusta County. “When you leave, you have so many beautiful memories.”
A Growing Tradition The Rockingham County Fair first started entertaining Shenandoah Valley residents in 1949 at the now defunct Linville-Edom High School in northwestern Rockingham County. In 1953, the fair moved to farmland on Kratzer Road, where it became a fixture until 1979 when it sold the land to RR Donnelley. In 1980, the fair moved to its current location on South Valley Pike, just south of Harrisonburg’s city limits. While the Rockingham County Fair has always featured music, organizers started drawing national acts as the fair, and its main venue, the grandstand, continued to grow. In the last few years, the
grandstand has expanded from 2,500 seats to roughly 7,500. “We started small and kept building year after year,” said Jerry Weaver, who served as chairman of the entertainment committee from 1988 to 2002.
rows the list down further An artist in the middle of a tour on the West coast in August likely wouldn’t be available. Over the years, several bluegrass and contemporary Christian artists have hit the stage. And previously A-list rock bands now in the twilight of their careers — Picking is Tricky such as the Doobie BrothDuring his 14-year run ers, which played the Country music is leading the committee, 2010 fair — are popular what sells in this Weaver learned that pickas well. area. ... Jason ing the right musical act to The Beach Boys, set to Aldean was the headline the fair can be a headline the fair for the complicated process. second time in three years record-setter. He said a lot of factors go this August, are another. Dennis Cupp, But country artists have into the selection. “You have to sort of get general manager of the been the largest draws. lucky,” he said. “Country music is what Rockingham County Fair The committee starts sells in this area,” said working with booking Dennis Cupp, the fair’s agents in November. general manager since 1982. First the committee forms a list of acts they would like to invite to the fair, and Country Rules When the fair gets lucky, it books upthat are in the price range the fair has and-coming acts who has a breakout hit available to spend. Then they look to see what artists are in or two just as the summer concert series the area at the time of the fair. That nar- begins, leading to A-list talent for a B-list
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price and an artist that the fair wouldn’t normally be able to afford. In 1999, country music star Billy Ray Cyrus took the stage at he fairgrounds performing his hit song “Achy Breaky Heart.” The following year, Toby Keith played in Rockingham County. In 2001, Travis Tritt performed at the fair. In more recent years, several country music stars played the fair, including Trace Adkins, Dierks Bentley, Lonestar and Montgomery Gentry. While several of the shows drew large crowds, it was up-and-coming star Jason Aldean’s show in 2009 that netted the fair its first sold-out concert on the grandstand. Some 5,700 fans packed the venue to hear Aldean’s brand of contemporary country. Aldean’s career was on the upswing then and has only continued to soar in the two years since. “Jason Aldean was the record-setter,” said Cupp. Contact Pete DeLea at 574-6278 or pdelea@dnronline.com