Great Allentown Fair | |
---|---|
Genre | Agricultural |
Dates | August 31 - September 5, 2022 |
Location(s) | Allentown, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
Years active | 1852–1861, 1863–1916, 1919–41, 1946–2019, 2021– |
Website | http://www.allentownfairpa.org/ |
The Great Allentown Fair is an annual fair and agricultural show that is held at the Allentown Fairgrounds in Allentown, Pennsylvania. It is operated by the Lehigh County Agricultural Society. [1] It is one of the oldest fairs in the United States, and one of the largest in the state of Pennsylvania.
The fair was first held in 1852 to showcase agricultural advancements and to entertain patrons. It has since evolved to appeal to a broader audience, adding more entertainment and dining options. [1] Although it stays true to its agricultural roots by offering petting zoos, livestock judging contests, and a farmer's market, the modern-day fair focuses more on entertainment; it boasts a carnival, talent shows, and concerts. [2] [3]
The Lehigh County Agricultural Society held the first fair from October 6 to October 8, 1852, on Livingston's Lawn, a 5-acre (20,000 m2) plot located east of Fourth Street, between Walnut and Union Streets, in Allentown. [4] [5] The initial fair was so successful that in 1853 the Society undertook the purchase of a larger plot of land, north of Liberty Street and between Fifth and Sixth Streets, on which ticket offices and a two-story exhibition hall were built. [6] This location was the site of the second fair, held September 28, 29 and 30 of the same year. [6] One of the most popular attractions of these early fairs was Stephen Lentz's Flying Coach, a brass band that performed atop a hay wagon. [5] [7]
In 1862, there was no fair due to the Civil War. During this time, the fairgrounds were used as a staging site for the 176th Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers. [7] The fair resumed in 1863. In 1876, in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, a large reenactment of the Battle of Bunker Hill was held, which included many of Lehigh County's Civil War regiments and veterans as participants. [8] The "centennial" fair was a tremendous success. [8]
Throughout the 1870s and 1880s, the popularity of the Allentown Fair continued to grow. However, increased attendance led to dissatisfaction regarding the fairground's size, facilities, short race track and small grandstand. [9] In 1889, the Lehigh County Agricultural Society purchased a plot of land on Seventeenth Street, between Chew and Liberty Streets, to serve as the new fairgrounds. [9] One of the primary features of the new location was a new half-mile race track, with grandstands capable of seating 2,500. [9] In celebration of the opening of the new fairgrounds, the fair was renamed the "Great Allentown Fair." [9]
From its earliest days, horse racing was a popular event at the Allentown Fair. In 1902, the fair's half-mile track was regarded as "one of the finest in the country." [10] In 1905, racehorse Dan Patch set a record of 2:01 on the half-mile track. [11] In 1911, the present-day grandstand was built at the Allentown Fairgrounds, increasing the overall seating capacity from 2,500 to 10,000.
Between the years 1907 and 1914, airship races became a featured attraction at the fair. [12] In 1909, two airships - one bearing the American flag, the other that of Germany, took off from the fairgrounds, raced down Hamilton Street, circled the Soldiers & Sailors Monument, and returned. The airship bearing the American flag won the race. [12] The following year, pilot Glenn Curtiss took off in his plane, using 19th Street as his runway, and flew over the Allentown Fair, in what was the first known heavier-than-air flight in the Lehigh Valley. [11]
The first auto race was held at the fair in 1920. [13] Sprint car races were sanctioned by the American Automobile Association (until 1955), the United States Automobile Club (1956–1966) and the International Motor Contest Association (1967 and 1968). [13] Sprint car legends Tommy Hinnershitz and Ira Vail both captured numerous wins on the half-mile dirt track, and Indianapolis 500 winners Mario Andretti, A. J. Foyt and Parnelli Jones all raced at the Allentown Fair before going on to greater fame. [13] In 1960, Johnny Thomson was killed during a race at the fair when his car crashed through the inside track fence. [13] Although the last sanctioned auto race was held in 1968, [13] demolition derbies continued to be popular event.
There was no fair held in 1917 and 1918 due to World War I. During this period, the fairground was transformed into Camp Crane, a training facility for the United States Army Ambulance Service (USAAS). During this time, more than 20,000 soldiers lived in tents and barracks on the fairgrounds. [14] The caretaker's house, which stood at 1701 Chew Street until demolished in 1960 to make room for a bank, was used as the officer's club. [15]
The fair wasn't held between 1942 and 1945 due to World War II. In 1951, Gen. Douglas MacArthur, his wife, and his son Arthur attended "Father and Son" day at the Allentown Fair, [16] a visit described by local historian Frank Whelan as "probably among the most significant moments in the fair's history." [17]
Beginning in the 1950s, musical concerts and performances held during Fair week starting drawing major acts and large crowds. Roy Rogers and Lawrence Welk appeared during the 1960s, as did Johnny Carson and a touring version of Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In. [18] Andy Williams introduced the Osmond Brothers in 1964. [18] In 1964, Kate Smith made her first "community fair" performance at the Allentown Fair. [18] Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass headlined in 1966, and the back cover of their album S.R.O. even featured a photograph taken during their performance. [18] On August 8, 1974, Liza Minnelli delayed her concert while Richard Nixon's resignation speech ⓘ was broadcast live over the public address system. [18] Her performance later that night broke box office records at the Allentown Fair. [18]
In 2020, for the first time in 75 years, the festival was cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic. It returned in 2021.
The Great Allentown Fair offers many attractions, including: [3]
In 1911, a 7,070 seat grandstand was constructed at a cost of $100,000 to host horse racing and auto racing. [19]
In 1956, the grandstand was opened to major musician and band acts with Guy Lombardo the first booked grandstand act. [20]
Lehigh County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the county's population was 374,557. Its county seat is Allentown, the state's third-largest city after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.
Allentown is a city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Lehigh County, in the United States. It is the third-most-populous city in Pennsylvania with a population of 125,845 as of the 2020 census and the largest city in the Lehigh Valley metropolitan area, which had a population of 861,899 and was the 68th-most populous metropolitan area in the nation as of 2020.
The Lehigh Valley, known colloquially as The Valley, is a geographic and metropolitan region formed by the Lehigh River in Lehigh and Northampton Counties in eastern Pennsylvania. It is a component valley of the Great Appalachian Valley bounded to its north by Blue Mountain, to its south by South Mountain, to its west by Lebanon Valley, and to its east by the Delaware River and Warren County, New Jersey. The Valley is about 40 miles (64 km) long and 20 miles (32 km) wide. The Lehigh Valley's largest city is Allentown, the third-largest city in Pennsylvania and the county seat of Lehigh County, with a population of 125,845 residents as of the 2020 census.
Henry Clay Trexler was an American industrialist, businessman, and major philanthropist who contributed to the economic development of Allentown, Pennsylvania and the surrounding Lehigh Valley in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He bequeathed the majority of his estate to create the Harry C. Trexler Trust, which has since dispensed more than $150 million in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania.
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The city of Allentown, Pennsylvania was founded in 1762 as Northampton Town by William Allen, a wealthy shipping merchant. During its first fifty years of existence, Northampton Town was a small unincorporated settlement, consisting of a few homes, stores and taverns.
The Allentown Band is a civilian concert band based in Allentown, Pennsylvania. It is the oldest civilian concert band in the United States, having been in continuous existence since its first documented performance on July 4, 1828, although its origins may trace back to as early as 1822.
The Oregon State Fair is the official state fair of the U.S. state of Oregon. It takes place every August–September at the 185-acre (0.75 km2) Oregon State Fairgrounds located in north Salem, the state capital, as it has almost every year since 1862. In 2006, responsibility for running the fair was delegated to the Oregon State Parks and Recreation Department, and the division is now known as the Oregon State Fair & Exposition Center (OSFEC), which holds events on the fairgrounds year-round.
The Big Fresno Fair, founded in 1884, is an annual fair held at the Fresno County Fairgrounds. The Big Fresno Fair is managed by the 21st District Agricultural Association, an entity of the California Department of Food and Agriculture Division of Fairs & Expositions. It is the largest annual event in the San Joaquin Valley, attracting around 600,000 people each October during its twelve-day run featuring exhibits, a livestock show, live horse racing, musical entertainment, educational programs and more. The Fair provides a link between urban and rural California, serving as a tool to educate visitors on the region's rich agricultural industry. The mission of The Big Fresno Fair is to "Educate, Celebrate and Have Fun".
The Albertus L. Meyers Bridge, also known as the Eighth Street Bridge, the South Eighth Street Viaduct, and unsigned as SR 2055, is a reinforced concrete open-spandrel arch bridge located in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The bridge is "one of the earliest surviving examples of monumental, reinforced concrete construction," according to the American Society of Civil Engineers.
Miller Symphony Hall is a 1,100-seat performing arts facility in Allentown, Pennsylvania that hosts the Allentown Symphony Orchestra. The hall was previously known as Central Market (1896), Lyric Theater (1899), and Allentown Symphony Hall (1959). In 2012, it was renamed for the Miller family, longtime owners of the hall and of The Morning Call newspaper.
Flemington Speedway was a motor racing circuit in Flemington, New Jersey which operated from 1915 to 2002. The track was once known for being the fastest 5/8 dirt track in the United States.
The history of professional baseball in Allentown, Pennsylvania dates back 138 years, starting with the formation of the Allentown Dukes in 1884 and continuing through the present with its hosting of the Allentown-based Lehigh Valley IronPigs, the Triple-A Minor League affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball, who play at Coca-Cola Park on the city's East Side.
The Liberty Bell Museum, also the Liberty Bell Shrine Museum was a non-profit organization and museum located in Zion's United Church of Christ, formerly Zion's Reformed Church, in Allentown, Pennsylvania in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania. The museum was located in the basement of the church, where the Liberty Bell, an iconic and globally-recognized symbol of America's independence, was hidden from the British Army by Allentown-area American patriots during the American Revolutionary War from September 1777 to June 1778.
The culture of Allentown, Pennsylvania dates back to the early 18th century settlement of the city and the surrounding Lehigh Valley, which was then part of the Province of Pennsylvania, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, by German immigrants almost exclusively affiliated the Lutheran, Moravian, and Reformed faiths, three of the most prominent Protestant denominations.
Allentown Fairgrounds is located at 302 North 17th Street in Allentown, Pennsylvania. It hosts the Great Allentown Fair annually in late August and early September.
Camp Crane was a World War I United States Army Ambulance Service (USAAS) training camp, located in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Its mission was to train ambulance drivers to evacuate casualties on the Western Front in France. It was named for Brigadier General Charles Henry Crane, surgeon general of the Army in 1882-83.
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