Russell County Fairgrounds Commercial Building Conceptual Improvements and Master Tree Planting Plan

Russell County, with a population of around 28,300, is considered “The Heart of Southwest Virginia.” The +/- 13-acre fairground site is located in Castlewood on Donnie Dean Drive. The fairgrounds highlight the Appalachian region’s heritage with its scenic rolling mountains as a backdrop.

In sharp contrast to the beautiful views, the fairground buildings are outdated and in dire need of maintenance and upgrades so that they can continue to serve the changing needs of the community. The Commercial Building of the fairgrounds acts as the central venue for indoor activities such as beauty pageants, wrestling, music, arts and crafts, commercial vendors, political rallies, Boy Scout meetings, agriculture expos, and a community meeting place. The Russell County Fair Association (RCFA) and the Community Design Assistance Center at Virginia Tech worked together to develop a conceptual design to resolve these issues by developing concepts to upgrade the Commercial Building, the adjacent landscape, and a master tree planting plan for the entire site. This work was made possible, in part, through a $6,000 grant from the Virginia Department of Forestry’s Urban and Community Forestry Program. CDAC’s proposed concept for the Commercial Building expands the capabilities of the facility which can support economic growth for the fairground and Russell County.