The "A Return To The Grange Fair: Part I" Story

It was an ordinary day.  While reading the Centre Daily Times, the daily newspaper in State College, Pennsylvania, I came across a small section telling of events that happened 25 years ago and 50 years ago during the week of August 20-26.  Half a century ago on August 23, 1967, nearly 200 trailers and 700 tents gathered in nearby Centre Hall, PA for the 93rd annual Grange Fair.  The festivities officially began the next day, with hobby and art show exhibits scattered across the fairgrounds.  It's been 143 years since Leonard Rhone urged Progress Grange to join its sister subordinate Granges in having a picnic in Centre Hall, Pennsylvania.  

Entrance gate into the Grange fairgrounds.

The Grange, officially referred to as The National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry, is a fraternal organization in the United States that encourages families to band together to promote the economic and political well-being of the community and agriculture.  The Grange, which was founded in 1867 after the Civil War, is the oldest American agricultural advocacy group with a national scope.  That small picnic in Centre Hall has now grown to a weeklong event that includes 1,000 tents, 1,500 recreational vehicles, hundreds of concessions, more that 7,000 exhibits items, amusement rides, livestock and just about anything you can imagine to eat; many of them fried.  

Riding the Tram from one venue to another with Sue.

The fair has become a family tradition, with some campers returning generation after generation.  Carol and I have made visits to the fair a few times over the past few years with our friends Jere and Sue who live in State College, PA.  Two years ago I wrote a few stories about the fair and will add another one after our recent visit this year.  It amazes me that the 1,000 tents set up each year for campers from 22 states have been passes down year after year; family to family.  Very few open up for new campers with a waiting list of 500 closed to new names for now.  Add to that the 1,500 RVs with families and you get the idea of the size of this yearly event.  

A sampling of the many acres of tents can be seen here.

There are many day guests, such as Carol, Jere, Sue and I, but I suspect that the majority of the visitors stay for the duration of the event.  Campers bring their couches, fancy lights, TVs, microwaves and whatever is needed for a week of merriment.  Of course, since this is an agricultural event, there are plenty of pigs, goats, chickens, sheep and cows that are judged for all ages involved in raising them.  Competitions exist for every type of fruit and vegetable imaginable as well as competitions for sewing items, artwork, photography ... and the list goes on and on.  

Many more acres are covered with RVs.

I find the event to be a remarkable venture with expend- itures probably topping $3 million this year.  There are close to 400 employees in varying capacities with a payroll budget over $600,000 needed to run this venture.  Can you imagine the amount of food needed to go along with the amount of electricity, water and sewer needed to keep the campgrounds running smoothly.  And, the parking!  There are 264 acres of Centre Hall that houses the fair with quite a bit of that being parking areas for the RVs and thousands of cars that find their way to the fair.  

Some of the hundreds of food vendors.

I must admit I tire from time to time with all the walking needed to traverse the camp- grounds, but the many tractor-trams that run constantly are a welcome means of heading from the equine buildings to the livestock buildings.  Music fills most parts of the campgrounds as bands of all genres of music play all day long.  We did manage to find plenty to eat with my huge, warm cinnamon bun being my favorite this year.  I'm sure someone a hundred years or more from now will likely write much the same as I have about this delightful experience that I have enjoyed many times.  The Grange should be congratulated for the wonderful job they do on an annual basis!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  PS - Follow along tomorrow for a more visual journey around the Grange Fairgrounds.