The gates open at 4 p.m. to a line more than a 100 long.
Some waited for nearly 3 hours, but it only took minutes for the rides to fill up.
Belinda Shifflett drove from Glasgow to get the $10 wristbands.
“For the money you can't beat it,” Shifflett explained. “Ten dollars and its several kids here and you just can't beat it for the money.”
Matt Bell and his three kids did the exact same thing after making a rookie mistake last year.
“We came last year and we didn't come on the night that cost ten dollars and it ended up costing a lot of money, so that's why we came tonight,” Bell said.
Without a doubt money is on a lot of minds.
Some fair goers say they're usually not here at this time of year.
Dee Parsons and her husband in years past headed to the beach.
“Typically, we take a trip usually long weekend out of town,” Parsons said.
The Parsons say if they went to the beach it would easily cost between $700 and $800, but a trip to the Salem Fair is only a little more than $50.
“According to AAA they say travel is going to be down this year, so I can pretty much talk for myself, but I think a lot of folks I’ve spoken with are going to stay around town,” said Parsons.
She's right too. AAA says the number of Virginians leaving home for the fourth is falling just as fast as the rides.
Only about a million people will take a trip 50 miles or more.
Fair managers hope those sticking around for the holiday will find their Fourth of July fun in Salem.
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