- The Great Allentown Fair is winding down for the year
- Sunday hosted the Barnyard Olympics, a homemade chocolate cake competition and a Keith Urban concert
- Monday will be the final day of the fair, with more new events
ALLENTOWN, Pa. — The Great Allentown Fair is winding down for the year, but so far, organizers say it’s been a successful one.
“We haven't had this good of weather in years and years,” said Beverly Gruber, chairwoman and CEO of the Lehigh County Agricultural Society, which presents the fair.
Gruber said attendance levels have not been counted yet, but she thinks Saturday had more people than usual. Monday is the sixth and final day for the 2023 fair.
Gruber has been coming to the Great Allentown Fair since she was 3 years old. She said her favorite part of the fair is the grape-stomping competition between members of the media and local officials, which happened Sunday afternoon.
But the most important part of the fair is honoring the area’s agricultural roots, Gruber said.
“We are very keen on tradition,” Gruber said.
The Great Allentown Fair was first held as the “Lehigh County Agricultural Fair” in 1852. It began as a three-day event meant to advance agriculture, livestock, domestic and mechanical arts in the Lehigh Valley.
It’s now a six-day celebration that features rides, games, competitions, concerts and lots of food vendors.
‘What can you not love?’
Grammy-award winning country musician Keith Urban was the headlining performer on Sunday, drawing fans from Allentown and beyond.
Zach Poorman came from the Harrisburg area to see the concert. It was his first time at the fair.
“I think we've heard of it, but never came here before,” Poorman said. “It’s been great so far. It’s a great turnout.”
Sunday also hosted the Barnyard Olympics, where contestants faced off in farm-related challenges such as a tractor pull and hay bale throwing.
Fair Queen Kamryn Fink handed out the ribbons for that competition and many others. She is a 12th generation farmer who has been going to the Great Allentown Fair since she was 6 years old.
“I absolutely love it. I mean, what can you not love about the Great Allentown Fair?” said Fink, 17, a senior at Northwestern Lehigh High School.
The fair’s homemade chocolate cake competition was held Sunday at the Agri-Plex’s Special Events stage, which has hosted dessert contests from homemade candy to crumb cakes.
“I think it’s very important that they know how to create things. Today it’s very fast paced, you just go and you buy it. And I think you need to go back to the basics.”
Julia Kemetz, the culinary supervisor at the baking competitions
Julia Kemetz has been the culinary supervisor at the baking competitions for 25 years. She said she thinks these competitions are important because they encourage people to bake.
“My granddaughter, she’s eight, she’s in the kitchen with me all the time,” Kemetz said. “We bake cookies, we bake cake, we do banana bread.
“I think it’s very important that they know how to create things. Today it’s very fast paced, you just go and you buy it. And I think you need to go back to the basics.”
Monday’s schedule
On Monday, the fair’s final day, Grim's Orchard & Family Farms will host a Blue Ribbon Apple Pie Contest at 2 p.m. It will be the last of this year’s baking competitions.
At 3:30 p.m., Extension Educator Denise Continenza will host a presentation about farm stress and mental health at the Agri-Plex’s Centennial Stage.
The Lehigh Valley Brewers’ Guild will host an awards ceremony at 5:30 p.m. It will be at the Agri-Plex’s Farm to Table Cooking Series stage.
For a full schedule of events, go to www.allentownfair.com.