LEWISBURG, WV (WOAY) As summer comes to a close, preparations for one of West Virginia’s oldest traditions are wrapping up ahead ahead of its August 13 opening day. “We’re over 100 years old,” Kelly Collins, CEO of the State Fair of West Virginia, said. The fair is one of the biggest economic drivers in the state each year, and Collins says preparing takes a serious team effort. The event this year is getting ready to go, so things are hopefully in place by this point,” Collins said. “Of course, our state fair started because of agriculture.