Looking for something fun to do while visiting Washington County? By Michele Gillis If you are visiting Washington County and are looking for a good time, check out the Washington County Agricultural Fair! The fair, which takes place Aug. 12-19, is celebrating its 225th anniversary and there will be an abundance of activities to check out! Click the link washingtonfair.org/fair-schedule/ to view all the scheduled activities during the fair. If you are into collecting memorabilia, the fair is mark- ing the celebration in several ways including handing out commemorative tickets with each ticket purchase as a keepsake of the event. In addition, there are a few permanent commemora- tions of the fair's history in the works. "We commissioned a local artist to create an anniver- sary mural that will showcase the history and evolution of the fair," said Wayne Hunnell, Washington County Agricultural Fair Board Secretary. "It is on the side of a building and the ends, so the total length of the mural will be 56-feet long. It will depict scenes from the fair in the early late 1800s when people would come to the fair in a suit and tie verses what you see today." Right across from the mural, they are building a Me morial Plaza that will feature engraved bricks in vari- ous sizes that people purchased to leave their legacy at the fairgrounds. There are many fun events planned during the eight day celebration including a demolition derby, daily pet- ting zoos, nightly concerts, daily magic shows, baking contests, tractor pulls, market livestock sales, cheese auctions and so much more. There will be a 225th Anniversary Parade at 2 p.m. on Sunday Aug.13. Hunnell said so far they have already sold over 110 ad- vanced stage-front tickets for fans to see Dickerson, so additional ticket sales for that concert are going well. "We moved things around a bit," said Hunnell. "We will have the animals brought in a day or two early to get them in ahead of all of this to be able to make those changes and have the parade, opening ceremonies and concert on Sunday night." There will be a large food court with a canvas roof with 26 picnic tables available for seating. On the sides of the food court, there are serving windows where various vendors will be selling food. Food is always a large draw to the fair and this year is no exception. "Their grills or fryers will be located within those booths so people can order their food and wait at the picnic tables for their order," said Hunnell. Overall, there are around 25-30 food vendors serving a variety of foods between the food court and food trailers around the fairgrounds selling food during the week. Two popular local restaurants Hunnell mentioned that will be serving food at the fair are Hog Fathers restau- rant and Route 40 Deli. Hog Fathers, a barbeque restaurant, has a dining room/ restaurant with air conditioning on the fairgrounds and Route 40 Deli is another vendor which makes home made pies and made-to-order sandwiches. There will be wine and spirits offered by three or four vendors who will be serving from 5-11 p.m. daily. If you are looking for agricultural information or shop ping opportunities, visit the Expo Hall where there will be various vendors set up to visit to learn information about agricultural topics, conservation, political topics or to purchase various products such as sunglasses, t-shirts, jewelry and more. Hunnell said there were so many vendors, they end. ed up with a waiting list of people wanting to secure booths inside the hall for the 225th Anniversary. "The parade will be organized in our large parking lot, come down a small portion of Main Street into the main gate of Fairgrounds and around in front of the grand stands," said Hunnell. "There will be a stage where Car- ole DeAngelo, director of advertising and events for the Observer-Reporter, will announce who is coming through and what group they are representing." There has not been a parade during the fair in over 15 years, so it will be a new event for many fair attendees. In honor of the 225th anniversary, there will be a muse- um-type equipment display in the Expo Hall featuring equipment spanning from horse-drawn equipment all the way up to modern-day tractors and balers. "We have quite a bit of equipment coming into that area for display," said Hunnell. "We are trying to orga- nize it by year, or at least by decade, so it will show the "Our mission is to promote agriculture, teach agricul. holders, since the line to buy tickets is usually fairly long. change and type of equipment over the years." ture and show what goes on," said Hunnell. "We want to educate people on agriculture and where their food comes from." The opening ceremony will take place on Sunday eve- ning followed by a concert by Six Gun Sally at 7 p.m. The grand finale of the evening will be headliner coun- try music superstar Russell Dickerson who will take the stage at 8:30 p.m. to end the evening with a bang. During the week of the fair, animals of different species will be showed each day. The fair board works with the 4-H clubs to run the agricultural side of the fair, which includes space for market livestock to be seen and auctioned off on Fri- day and Saturday. Hunnell said the animals will get auctioned off with the proceeds going to those exhibitors unless the buyer wants to donate it back to the 4-H Scholarship Fund or back to the Washington County Fair organization, which is a 501c3 non-profit organization. 22 The Midway carnival and games will be open from 3-11 p.m., except on Saturdays when they will open at 1 p.m. AGE HASE According to Hunnell, the busiest night of the week is usually Wednesday evening when they hold the school bus demolition derby. "We have 12 school district marching bands performing three or four songs that night starting around 6 p.m." he said. "When that is over we have the school bus demoli- tion derby. There is a huge crowd that night. I think this past year we had around 13,000 people here." Hunnell said the schools come out the Wednesday be- fore the fair starts and paint and decorate their busses according to the pre-determined theme. "The school whose bus wins the derby is awarded $500," said Hunnell. Hunnell said fair attendees can park in Trolley Museum parking lot and ride the trolley for a nominal fee. "They can board the trolley there and it will drop them off right at the gate," said Hunnell. "At the end of the day or when they are ready to leave, they just have to walk back down to the loading platform and they can take the trolley back to their vehicle." If tickets haven't been purchased in advanced on the fair website, people can purchase a ticket in the trolley lot or at the main gate. In order to expedite entrance to the fair, this year, they are creating separate entrance lines for advance ticket "They can just come to a separate line where it is a matter of seconds to get their ticket scanned and they can just walk right on through," said Hunnell. Visit www.visitwashingtoncountypa.com/ wash-co-agricultural-fair/for more information. Sponsored content brought to you by Visit WASHINGTON COUNTY PENNSYLVANIA Looking for something fun to do while visiting Washington County ? By Michele Gillis If you are visiting Washington County and are looking for a good time , check out the Washington County Agricultural Fair ! The fair , which takes place Aug. 12-19 , is celebrating its 225th anniversary and there will be an abundance of activities to check out ! Click the link washingtonfair.org/fair-schedule/ to view all the scheduled activities during the fair . If you are into collecting memorabilia , the fair is mark ing the celebration in several ways including handing out commemorative tickets with each ticket purchase as a keepsake of the event . In addition , there are a few permanent commemora tions of the fair's history in the works . " We commissioned a local artist to create an anniver sary mural that will showcase the history and evolution of the fair , " said Wayne Hunnell , Washington County Agricultural Fair Board Secretary . " It is on the side of a building and the ends , so the total length of the mural will be 56 - feet long . It will depict scenes from the fair in the early late 1800s when people would come to the fair in a suit and tie verses what you see today . " Right across from the mural , they are building a Me morial Plaza that will feature engraved bricks in vari ous sizes that people purchased to leave their legacy at the fairgrounds . There are many fun events planned during the eight day celebration including a demolition derby , daily pet ting zoos , nightly concerts , daily magic shows , baking contests , tractor pulls , market livestock sales , cheese auctions and so much more . There will be a 225th Anniversary Parade at 2 p.m. on Sunday Aug.13 . Hunnell said so far they have already sold over 110 ad vanced stage - front tickets for fans to see Dickerson , so additional ticket sales for that concert are going well . " We moved things around a bit , " said Hunnell . " We will have the animals brought in a day or two early to get them in ahead of all of this to be able to make those changes and have the parade , opening ceremonies and concert on Sunday night . " There will be a large food court with a canvas roof with 26 picnic tables available for seating . On the sides of the food court , there are serving windows where various vendors will be selling food . Food is always a large draw to the fair and this year is no exception . " Their grills or fryers will be located within those booths so people can order their food and wait at the picnic tables for their order , " said Hunnell . Overall , there are around 25-30 food vendors serving a variety of foods between the food court and food trailers around the fairgrounds selling food during the week . Two popular local restaurants Hunnell mentioned that will be serving food at the fair are Hog Fathers restau rant and Route 40 Deli . Hog Fathers , a barbeque restaurant , has a dining room / restaurant with air conditioning on the fairgrounds and Route 40 Deli is another vendor which makes home made pies and made - to - order sandwiches . There will be wine and spirits offered by three or four vendors who will be serving from 5-11 p.m. daily . If you are looking for agricultural information or shop ping opportunities , visit the Expo Hall where there will be various vendors set up to visit to learn information about agricultural topics , conservation , political topics or to purchase various products such as sunglasses , t - shirts , jewelry and more . Hunnell said there were so many vendors , they end . ed up with a waiting list of people wanting to secure booths inside the hall for the 225th Anniversary . " The parade will be organized in our large parking lot , come down a small portion of Main Street into the main gate of Fairgrounds and around in front of the grand stands , " said Hunnell . " There will be a stage where Car ole DeAngelo , director of advertising and events for the Observer - Reporter , will announce who is coming through and what group they are representing . " There has not been a parade during the fair in over 15 years , so it will be a new event for many fair attendees . In honor of the 225th anniversary , there will be a muse um - type equipment display in the Expo Hall featuring equipment spanning from horse - drawn equipment all the way up to modern - day tractors and balers . " We have quite a bit of equipment coming into that area for display , " said Hunnell . " We are trying to orga nize it by year , or at least by decade , so it will show the " Our mission is to promote agriculture , teach agricul . holders , since the line to buy tickets is usually fairly long . change and type of equipment over the years . " ture and show what goes on , " said Hunnell . " We want to educate people on agriculture and where their food comes from . " The opening ceremony will take place on Sunday eve ning followed by a concert by Six Gun Sally at 7 p.m. The grand finale of the evening will be headliner coun try music superstar Russell Dickerson who will take the stage at 8:30 p.m. to end the evening with a bang . During the week of the fair , animals of different species will be showed each day . The fair board works with the 4 - H clubs to run the agricultural side of the fair , which includes space for market livestock to be seen and auctioned off on Fri day and Saturday . Hunnell said the animals will get auctioned off with the proceeds going to those exhibitors unless the buyer wants to donate it back to the 4 - H Scholarship Fund or back to the Washington County Fair organization , which is a 501c3 non - profit organization . 22 The Midway carnival and games will be open from 3-11 p.m. , except on Saturdays when they will open at 1 p.m. AGE HASE According to Hunnell , the busiest night of the week is usually Wednesday evening when they hold the school bus demolition derby . " We have 12 school district marching bands performing three or four songs that night starting around 6 p.m. " he said . " When that is over we have the school bus demoli tion derby . There is a huge crowd that night . I think this past year we had around 13,000 people here . " Hunnell said the schools come out the Wednesday be fore the fair starts and paint and decorate their busses according to the pre - determined theme . " The school whose bus wins the derby is awarded $ 500 , " said Hunnell . Hunnell said fair attendees can park in Trolley Museum parking lot and ride the trolley for a nominal fee . " They can board the trolley there and it will drop them off right at the gate , " said Hunnell . " At the end of the day or when they are ready to leave , they just have to walk back down to the loading platform and they can take the trolley back to their vehicle . " If tickets haven't been purchased in advanced on the fair website , people can purchase a ticket in the trolley lot or at the main gate . In order to expedite entrance to the fair , this year , they are creating separate entrance lines for advance ticket " They can just come to a separate line where it is a matter of seconds to get their ticket scanned and they can just walk right on through , " said Hunnell . Visit www.visitwashingtoncountypa.com/ wash - co - agricultural - fair / for more information . 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