ALLENTOWN, Pa. — The child had just finished wolfing down his hot dog and soft drink yet looked for more.
As the rush of people rolled past 9-year-old Johnny Megano along a food concourse at the opening of the 173rd Allentown Fair on Wednesday evening, his hunger had yet to be sated.
“Can I have ice cream or popcorn next?” he said to his aunt, Millie Paulecki, of Allentown.
“I don’t want you to get sick,” she said.
“I won’t,” Johnny said. “Everything is good for me here.”
Then the boy said the words that those affiliated with the fair hope resonated with the Lehigh Valley and beyond.
“I like it here,” he said. “Everybody should come here. It’s fun.”
Since the time of President Franklin Pierce in 1852, everybody has been coming to the Allentown Fair.
“This is never more true than on fair weekend, when people crave to be around other people and have a good time.”Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk
Crowds descended upon the Allentown Fairgrounds, where 200,000 are anticipated to visit over the six-day festival that ends on Labor Day Monday.
“I always say Allentown is the beating heart of the Lehigh Valley,” Mayor Matt Tuerk said at the conclusion of opening ceremonies at the Astound Broadband Farmerama Theater. "This is never more true than on fair weekend, when people crave to be around other people and have a good time."
Crowning of the queen
The opening ceremonies were highlighted by the crowning of the 41st Allentown Fair queen: Olivia Wisser, 18, a 2025 graduate of Northwestern Lehigh High School.
She is the daughter of Amy and Jason Wisser, of New Tripoli.
Wisser was awarded a $1,500 scholarship from the Lehigh-Northampton Pomona Grange #68 and the Allentown Fairgrounds Farmers Market.
Wisser received her crown from outgoing queen Zoie Jones, of Kutztown.
Wisser impressed the judges, two of whom are former fair queens.
She served as president and secretary of the Dairy Club, secretary of the Teen Council and participated in the Livestock Club and Programming Development Committee.
Wisser won the Supreme Champion Dairy Beef Steer award and Reserve Champion Showman titles in Dairy Cattle and Dairy Beef categories at the 2024 Schnecksville Fair. Olivia is also OSHA Veterinary Certified.
Working at her family's dairy farm and caring for horses at Golden View Horse Farm, Olivia hopes to become a herd manager for a dairy farm in the Northeast or Midwest after graduating from college.
She plans to major in animal science with a focus on dairy cattle nutrition at Penn State University.
Other queen competition finalists were Faith Smith, of New Tripoli, of Northwestern Lehigh High School; Catalina Ocasio,16, of Allentown, a sophomore at Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts; and Cyani Gonzalez, 19, of Allentown, a freshman at Northampton Community College.
Deep roots
Lehigh County Executive Phillips Armstrong served as master of ceremonies for the opening ceremony on a picture-perfect evening with temperatures in low-70s.
“We have exhibits, food, rides and prizes!” he said before participating in a ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the start of the fair.
“This is a time to enjoy the fair with your friends from the Lehigh Valley.”
For his service to the Lehigh Valley, Armstrong received a free lifetime pass to the Fair from Beverly Gruber, chair of the Lehigh County Agricultural Society.
Daryl. G. Urmy, president of the Lehigh County Agricultural Society, is a fifth-generation farmer who started showing his dairy cattle as a youth at the fair.
“I’m pleased to be with you tonight because you are the ones that make it successful,” Urmy said before a crowd that included many state representatives from the region.
Wednesday night was also the kickoff of America 250PA Lehigh County, as the U.S. celebrates its semiquincentennial on July 4, 2026.
Fadia Halma, of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, noted several events to be held in Lehigh County in conjunction with the nation’s 250th birthday.
Among them is Allentown receiving a bronze 250th bell that resembles the Liberty Bell and the building of five pocket parks in the county.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame group Heart kicked off the fair at the grandstand stage on Wednesday night.
Fair favorites
Opening night also featured acts and exhibits that have long been fair-goer favorites, such as Robinson’s Pig-Paddling Porkers, Gypsy and the Moonshiners and Hot Diggity Dog.
Among attractions debuting this year at the fair on opening night was a butterfly exhibit, stunts by Victoria Circus, comedian Dan-Dan, The Farmer Man and guitarist Steve Goodtime, who performs circus feats including juggling, balancing on a swaying board and holding a candelabra on a balloon atop a knife in his mouth.
New performing venues are the Red Barn Stage, Main Entrance Plaza and Weyerbacher Courtyard and biergarten which showcases live music and popular beers.
Scholarship recipients
The fair continues to give back to those across the Lehigh Valley who support it.
The foundation on Wednesday announced $7,500 in scholarships to six high school and college students throughout the Lehigh Valley for the 2025-26 academic year.
The scholarships to applicants were based upon their indication to pursue agricultural education at a collegiate level.
The awards and recipients:
- The Leon Peters Memorial Scholarship ($5,000 over two years) to Alaina Heffner, Muhlenberg High School/University of Delaware.
- The Greenawald Memorial Scholarship ($2,000) to John Emanuel, Parkland High School/Penn State University.
- The Great Allentown Fair Foundation Scholarship ($1,500) to Isabela Ulicne, Fleetwood High School/Kutztown University.
- The Great Allentown Fair Foundation Scholarships ($500 each) to: Skyler Horack, Northern Lehigh High School/Delaware Valley University; Zoie Jones, the 2024 Fair Queen, Kutztown Area High School/Delaware Valley University; and Lyndsey Smith, Kutztown Area High School/Delaware Valley University.
