Dixie Classic Fair History

Come one, come all! Traveling by wagon, buggy, horseback, bicycle and foot, people set out to enjoy the first Dixie Classic Fair in 1882. It was an all-day event; families packed dinners, determined to not miss a beat at this new, exhilarating exhibit.

That first Fair was held on the floor of Brown’s Warehouse at the corner of Main and Fifth Street – what we know today as Reynolds Plaza. Later, it became coined the Piedmont Tobacco Fair, held on the grounds of Piedmont Park. Expanding year by year, the Fair eventually outgrew the acreage available and moved to its current location. In 1969, the Fair was donated to the City of Winston-Salem to own and operate to this very day.

While at the Fair, be sure to check out Yesterday Village, a favorite of our fair-goers. The village consists of 19 log structures that were built in the 1800s and includes a one-room church, general store/post office, two-story log home, and several other beautiful historic buildings.