Submitted photo
Thousands of people from across the country will flock to Centre County to enjoy 10 days of the Grange Fair.
CENTRE HALL — Whether it’s deep fried, piled high, stacked on a bun or stuffed in a bread bowl, there are lots of delicious food to feast on at the Centre County Grange Encampment and Fair this year.
From doughnuts, sticky buns and hashbrown bowls for breakfast to pizza, sandwiches and soup for dinner — with plenty of other options for in-between — the options are almost endless from dozens of vendors.
Looking for a snack at the fair? Maybe a salty soft pretzel or an order of crispy cactus fries will do the trick. Of course, make certain there’s room for dessert. Homemade ice cream, cotton candy and apple dumplings will tempt anybody’s sweet tooth.
No matter if you’re a veteran of the Grange Fair or a first-time fairgoer, the rows and rows of food vendors can seem overwhelming.
Returning for its 150th year, the Grange Fair opens tonight and runs through Saturday, Aug. 24, with grandstand entertainment acts planned for nearly every night starting at 8 p.m. Concerts are free, but admission to the fair is required.
Thousands of people from across the country will flock to Centre County to enjoy 10 days of livestock shows, food, carnival rides, entertainment, and, above all, a celebration of the county’s agriculture.
Fair officials said fairgoers come from Texas, California, Montana, north to Connecticut and Rhode Island and south to Florida and Georgia. They come to experience thousands of exhibits, daily motorsports and endless fun for kids of all ages.
Cindy Aumiller, of Reedsville, has been going to the Grange Fair since she was little. She and her family would visit friends who camped on the fairgrounds one or two times per week, and they would invite Aumiller for a sleepover.
“It’s something I think you have to grow up with to appreciate,” Aumiller said of the Grange Fair experience. “A lot of people would look at that (camping out) and say, ‘Who would want to do that?’”
She didn’t mind. One of our favorite fair pastimes was hanging out all week, riding the rides, checking out the exhibits and shows and eating the food.
Eventually, Aumiller even got her own tent, which she said dates back to her mother-in-law using it in the 1940s. “I always wanted one, and I ended up having a tent,” she laughed.
Aumiller admits it’s not used as much any more since Mifflin County is only a short drive away. But it certainly puts the fair experience in a different perspective.
Even local singer-songwriter Chris Woodward, a Mount Union native, is excited about this year’s fair as he and his band, Shindiggin, return to play their high energy show at the Grange Fair on the Southside Stage at 3 and 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 21.
The performance comes only a few days after the release of their new song, “Thank God It’s Friday.”
“Always enjoyed playing the Grange Fair,” Woodward said. “Haven’t played there in many years, so I’m looking forward to it again.”
Sharing the fair music stage with headliners like country music legends like Jo Dee Messina and Aaron Tippin never gets old. “Always cool,” Woodward added.
Messina, a two-time Grammy nominee, kicks off the entertainment slate tonight. She topped the Billboard country music charts on multiple occasions and gained fame with popular songs like “Heads Carolina, Tails California,” “Bye Bye,” and “Lesson in Leavin’.”
The Aug. 17 grandstand performer is Anne Wilson, one of Nashville’s “most inspiring trailblazers,” according to the fair’s marketing materials. Wilson blends contemporary Christian music with country and just released her album, “Rebel.”
Aaron Tippin, a blue-collar favorite, takes the stage on Aug. 19. His career has spanned more than two decades. His first single, “You’ve Got to Stand for Something” took off and saw other songs, like “There Ain’t Nothin’ Wrong with the Radio” and “Where the Stars and Stripes and the Eagles Fly.”
On Aug. 20 Drew Green, a Nashville singer who blends country, pop and R&B style, performed at the grandstand. He got his start as a songwriter before his 2020 songs “Little More Be Alright” and “Right Where I Be” came out.
Surf’s Up, a Beach Boys tribute band, brings some tropical flair to the stage on Aug. 21. While the Beach Boys might be the band’s specialty, they also perform songs from the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s as well as other classic and pop rock songs.
The Van-Dells present a blend of comedy, choreography and tight harmonies they’ve been doing for 50 years to the fair stage on Aug. 22. A tribute band dedicated to keeping ’50s and ’60s rock and roll alive, The Van Dells have been entertaining crowds since their debut in 1974.
Fairgoers can see the return of 2021 American Idol contestant Alex Miller on Aug. 23. He released a post-Idol record in 2022, “Miller Time,” and he’s since performed at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry and opened for Hank Williams Jr.
Closing out for the Grange Fair’s musical slate on Aug. 24 is Jet Jurgensmeyer. Fans might recognize him from the TV show, “Last Man Standing,” where he played Mike Baxter’s grandson Boyd. The award-nominated actor debuted his first single, “Everything Will Be Alright” from his album in 2018.
Past grandstand performers have included Eddie Montgomery of Montgomery Gentry, Gabby Barrett, Tracy Lawrence and Morgan Wallen. In the ’90s, even country music legend Garth Brooks, who recently gave the fair a shoutout for its 150th anniversary celebration, graced the grandstand stage.
Daily admission is $8, with daily parking at $7. Weekly passes for admission and parking are also available.
For more information, visit www.grangefair.com or download the Grange Fair app.