New building, new parking lot, lots of animal entries all on tap for Somerset County Fair

MEYERSDALE ― The 123rd annual Somerset County Fair unofficially kicks off Thursday, with the full schedule of events starting this weekend.

Thursday and Friday feature harness racing in front of the grandstand.

"The race track has been done and ready for harness racing," said Dave Berkey, Somerset County Fair Board president.

The directors are excited about the pre-entry tally for this year's animal shows.

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"The animal entry count is up. Maybe because we're coming out of COVID," Berkey said. "The milk cows are through the roof. The horse barns are full. We are plum full of animals. We're ready for the fair."

Visitors will notice the absence of poultry, any feathered animal and eggs again this year, said First Vice President Lacey Murray.

"This is at least the second year the fair can't have that judging event because of the avian flu," she said.

Changes and improvements

This year's fair will showcase a few changes and improvements.

Berkey and Murray said one of the first new items visitors will see is the refurbished junior activities building.

"It was getting to be in bad shape. We re-tinned the siding and the roof," Murray said. The structure was renamed the Rhoads Family Pavilion.

"It was originally built in 1959. It's lived its life," Berkey said. "It's the first thing you see when you come into the fairgrounds. It looks like a shiny new penny now."

He said the 4-H exhibits have been moved to the building behind the office with the quilts and canned goods.

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He said the directors also built a vinyl horse ring, with a vinyl fence.

"That stays shiny and we'll never have to repaint it," he said.

A new parking lot was also built behind the beef barn.

"We put a shale parking lot behind the beef barn to get them out of the mud," Berkey said. "We've been busy this summer."

Entertainment highlights

C & L Shows will be returning to provide games, concessions and amusement rides nightly.

ATV & Side x Side Dirt Drags event the first Saturday is new to the fair, Murray said. The second Saturday will feature AOPS Truck & Tractor Pull & MRPS as an attraction. Senior citizens day returns Friday afternoon.

There are eight contestants in the fair queen contest on Sunday.

Licensed auctioneers who volunteer their time and talents each year for various fundraisers during the fair, are being honored this year as the Farmers and Merchants Parade grand marshals. Many of them grew up in 4-H and FFA, and some of their parents were past auctioneers and they have kept up the family tradition. The Junior Livestock sale, the woodcarving auction and the bake sale all benefit from the auctioneers' efforts.

Rafter Z Rodeo Co. is on tap for Wednesday night's grandstand entertainment again this year. It is a family-run business. It focuses on bucking bulls, but it also has roping stock, broncs and steer wrestling cattle.

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Mountain Mike Ayer, the chainsaw sculptor, will be conducting woodcarving demonstrations throughout the week. An auction of the sculptures, conducted by auctioneer Nolan Bell, will be held Aug. 25, in the Decker Barn.

Baked goods auction benefit

The baked goods auction at 1 p.m. Sunday will be held near the exhibit hall. Auctioneer Bill Arnold volunteers his services to raise money for a worthy cause.

This year that cause is Logan Weyand. He is a 16-year-old who was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) last year. He lives with his retired grandfather in Stoystown. Weyand attends cyber school while he receives his treatments at UPMC Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh. He played soccer for Somerset School and Berlin AYSO. He is a junior member of the Listie Volunteer Fire Department.

"I want to say thank you to all the local people for their donations to the fair. We're very appreciative of the support from the local people," Berkey, said. "We have 28 more vendors than before. People in this county are unbelievable. There's such great support for the fair.

"We're hoping for no rain. God will be with us. I think it's going to be a good week."

Murray agrees.

"It's definitely a good end of the summer for people to get out and enjoy," Murray said.

For the full schedule of events, visit https://www.somersetcountyfairpa.com/.

This article originally appeared on The Daily American: New building, new parking lot, animal entries all on tap for Somerset County Fair