Fairs, Festivals Round Out Summer Fun

By Sandra Rhodes
Visitor & Member Services
Allegheny National Forest Visitors Bureau

With the end of summer in sight, there’s one staple yet to come – fairs – and McKean County, located just 90 miles south of Buffalo, N.Y., has its fair share of events this month.

The McKean County Fair, held annually in East Smethport nearby to scenic Pennsylvania Route 6, has festivities, rides, animals and food for the entire family, with the week-long events beginning on Sunday, Aug. 15, and ending Saturday, Aug. 21.

The fair, in its 105th year, has many of the staples of an old-time fair as well as some new and exciting shows.

The action begins at the fairgrounds, located on Route 46, with an antique tractor pull Sunday at 11 a.m. Starting at 1 p.m., there will be a tractor/farm equipment show and parade. Throughout the week, there will be livestock judging.

Among the highlights of the event are amusement rides that begin at 5 p.m. Monday, Aug. 16. Terry Lee Goffee will take the stage at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 17, for a Tribute to Johnny Cash.

Veterans and active duty personnel will have free admission to the fair all day Wednesday, Aug. 18. At 7 p.m., Dan & Galla’s Salute to Our Veterans will be a tribute to all who have served this country. Then, at 8 p.m., Tonny Petersen’s Hell Drivers will perform stunts on the track.

Thursday, Aug. 19, will be Senior Citizens Day – they will be admitted free all day. The main event of the day will be the stock car racing which begins at 7:30 p.m. A Freestyle Motocross Show will wow the crowd starting at 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 20.

Then, on Saturday, Aug. 21, there will be a demolition derby at 5 p.m.

And don’t forget to try out the food at the fair. But if that fare doesn’t tickle your fancy, make sure to check out the elk jerky that will be available at the Crook Farm Fair Aug. 28 and 29 at 476 Seaward Ave. in Bradford. The Crook Farm Fair runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days.

The elk jerky booth will be one of about 60 vendors on site – about half of that are vendors new to the fair, which is set at the site of what is believed to be the oldest dwelling in the Bradford area. It is on the Pennsylvania Register and the National Register of Historic Places. It has been restored and furnished in the period of the 1870s.

The grounds also now feature a one-room school house, bank building, carpenter shop, blacksmith shop and weaving looms. All of the buildings are open for visitors the days of the fair.

Other vendors include hand-crafted jewelry, regional foods, plants, beauty products and home decorating. Along with the vendors, there will be several demonstrations, including weaving, blacksmithing, quilting and woodcarving.

The Old Time Country Music Festival will run along the same time as the fair and will include many performances throughout the two days.

For the kids, there will be a petting zoo, pony rides and a kiddie carnival. There is also a herb garden and walking trail behind the farm for families to enjoy.

For more information on the McKean County Fair, log onto its website at www.mckeancountyfair.net. Additional information on the Crook Farm Fair may be found at Bradford Landmark Society’s website at www.bradfordlandmark.org.

To discover the lodging and dining opportunities in the area, please contact the Allegheny National Forest Visitors Bureau at 800-473-930 or go to its website at www.visitANF.com.

Pictured, a volunteer at Crook Farm shows how to weave during a past Crook Farm Fair event. This year’s event will be held Aug. 28 and 29 in Bradford, Pa.

Progamming Note: The McKean County Fair Queen candidates will be on The Morning Buzz Friday, August 13. Bob Esch will be on WESB's LiveLine on Thursday, August 26 to talk about the Crook Farm Fair.