The Bloomsburg Fair

It was good to get back to the fair. This is a classic state fair like atmosphere.

There is the classic livestock judging you see at most of these. There is the typical state fair expo an shows. There are vendors selling the typical fair goods all over.

There is a nice mix of entertainment with motor sports and live music as well as a few stage shows and animal exhibits.

There is a decent amount of rides but maybe they could add some here. The food is better if you stick to what you know and also buy local. Some of the non local vendors have nice spots and buildings but the food is horrible at these places and typically more expensive.

The biggest disappointment for me was the ever shrinking sideshow. This fair use to have a great and large sideshow. Now it is reduced to about 3 or 4 bad attractions.

Parking is adequate. They get peoria in and out in a quick manor.

A fun time every few years.

I've been to fairs in several states - state fairs, county fairs... None has impressed me more than the fair I grew up on. I'll leave it to other folks to chime in on the logistics and complain about the cost of parking and admission. Between parking and admission it cost almost $40 to get in to the Los Angeles County fair and the only thing they had over Bloomsburg's fair was Mexican wrestlers. Everything else though - the displays, the crafts, the animals, and especially the food, couldn't hold a candle to Bloomsburg Fair.

A typical first day of fair week for me: two car loads of friends from out-of-state descend upon my home around noon and we all go down to the fair together. I can't tell you how much better it is to go with a big group and have a little of everything instead of trying to eat it all yourself.

First stop is the May's BBQ stand in front of the fair offices, then usually Hewlett's for a hot sausage, Bowman's fresh cut french fries, Grotto's pizza, then we go through the Horticultural building to read all the judges remarks on the flower arrangements (usually a good time, believe it or not), Agricultural building (to "ooh" and "aah" at the blue ribbon pumpkin. 986 pounds this year!) and Arts and Crafts building (to discuss whether or not the photographs with the ribbons are the most deserving, and whether collections of knick knacks are "arts" or "crafts") and then we head over to Top of the Beef for a medium rare with horseradish and a blue birch beer.

Next we hit the historical area with the old school house, the Barton House, and the barn with stained glass makers and chair caners and old printing presses... Then it's over to the animals but not before we grab some golden birch beer (in a frosted glass collectors mug), and a few potato pancakes from the Running Deer stand.

After the cows, goats, sheep, butterflies, chickens and bunnies (I'm not paying 50¢ to look to dogs), we go check out the shop under the grandstand with the items made out of anthracite coal. Then we go to the bumper cars (always a good time and yes, we're all over 40), play a game or two, and get a Bloomin' onion for the long walk back up to the giant cinnamon buns by the free stage, where we end our day with buns and coffee.

That is a basic, full day loop of the grounds. They leave happy and exhausted around 8 pm, and I have a good chunk of my things to do/eat crossed off for the week.  

Still, when they leave on Saturday, even if we got to all of that stuff (which we don't always manage to), there's still the Industrial and Educational buildings, Liberty Hall, Millenium Hall, and the Farm Museum to go through... and Val's turkey legs, fire roasted sweet corn, Edna's chicken pot pie, Vince's cheese steak (with EVERYTHING), chicken and waffles, Betty's blueberry muffins, Mr. Sticky's buns, Steph's subs, Joe's Pierogies, Denny and Pearl's funnel cake, and...