The 68th Annual Oley Valley Community Fair is right around the corner, and a team of administrators has worked diligently alongside volunteers to offer events, contests and entertainment for this popular event. The fair runs Sept. 18, 19 and 20 at the Oley Valley Fairgrounds.
New events at this year’s fair include a Lego contest for all ages. Within guidelines, children and adults will be able to build their own unique creations from Lego blocks. There are five age categories with cash prizes for the top five contestants in each class.
Also new to the fair this year is a pumpkin weigh-off. Fair President Kevin Bieber looks forward to the contest.
“It’s become a friendly competition,” Bieber said. “Rumor has it there’s a very large pumpkin out there this year.”
On Wednesday, Sept. 17, at 7:30 p.m., the public is invited to attend and find out whose pumpkin or squash will be the heaviest of this year’s harvest. The winner will participate in the Celebrity Dairy Showmanship Contest on Friday, Sept. 19.
A variety of other contests and events will be returning for this year’s fair. Based on a points system, local agriculturalists will be judged on the quality of their products including hay and grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, poultry, beef and swine. Department Champions will receive trophies from the National Penn Bank.
The winners will be announced at 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 20.
Supporting local agriculture is a key component to the fair’s charm.
“We want to educate about agriculture and support the agricultural industry,” Bieber said.
Other contests include the Decorate-A-Pumpkin contest, a duct tape contest and a fair safety poster contest. Tractor pull and bale throwing contests will have separate categories for adults and children as well.
Baked goods contests will include chocolate cake, angel food cake, apple pie, shoofly pie and chocolate cookie, brownie or bar contests. Locals are invited to try
their hand at creating their own recipes.
Each night of the fair will offer musical entertainment. Rain or shine, these events will be held under the pavilion on the Oley Fire Company Fairgrounds. The New Individuals will perform on Thursday night. On Friday, guests will enjoy entertainment with the Mega Stars of Country – A Tribute to Alan Jackson & Dolly Parton. Flamin’ Dick & the Hot Rods’ performance will mark the end of the fair on Saturday. Each group will perform two shows every night at 7 and 9 p.m.
To keep the kids busy, carnival rides will be open throughout the entire fair. On Thursday and Friday, wristbands will be available for $18 to ride from 1-5 p.m. On Friday, kids may also delight in the Marian & Friends Ventriloquist at 10:30 a.m. or the Tiggar Strolling Magic Show at 2 p.m. A big wheel contest is available to children 3 to 8 years old at 4:30 p.m. on Friday.
“The Oley Fair is a true, old-fashioned fair,” Bieber said. “We have no outside food vendors and no other sales. We do it all ourselves.”
Food items will be available and will be provided by local vendors that will be competing in the fair’s contests as well. With countless things to do, the fair will be a fun event for families with children of all ages.
Entries for the Lego, baked goods, pumpkin decoration, bowling pin decoration, fair safety poster and duct tape contests will be accepted on the Monday and Tuesday before the fair from 4-8 p.m. at the Oley Fair Centre.
For more information including event times, contest guidelines, vendors and entertainment, visit www.oleyfair.org.