ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Chicks will hatch, butterflies will roam and a beloved rock group will hit the stage after canceling last year's grandstand appearance.
That's what you'll find at the 173rd Allentown Fair, which opens Wednesday, Aug. 27, and continues through Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 1 — marking its earliest run since 2018.
Hours for the unofficial last celebration of the summer will be 4-10 p.m. Wednesday, noon to 10 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, and noon to 9 p.m. Monday.
Admission will be $5 on Wednesday ($3 if you bring a food item to donate to the Second Harvest Food Bank of the Lehigh Valley).
Starting Thursday, regular gate admission will be $10 (ages 12 and younger free).
All-day ride wristbands cost $30 in advance or $35 on-site.
For more information about tickets, go to the fair website.
Heart, Gabriel "Fluffy" Iglesias
The fair's grandstand shows this year will feature performances by Heart on Wednesday, Alabama with Montgomery Gentry on Thursday, Kane Brown on Friday, Ace Frehley, Great White and Quiet Riot on Saturday, comedian Gabriel "Fluffy" Iglesias on Sunday and theJ&J Demolition Derby on Monday.
Tickets for Heart — the group had to cancel last year's appearance at the Allentown Fair after lead singer Ann Wilson's cancer diagnosis — start at $119.
Other ticket prices vary by event, with general admission and premium parking options available.
To learn more about the Grandstand concerts, visit the website.
Chick hatching, 4-H fashion
The fair, presented by the Lehigh County Agricultural Society (est. 1852), started as a local celebration to promote agriculture, livestock and the domestic and mechanical arts in the Lehigh Valley.
This year's theme — "Fresh Sights, Savory Bites and NEON Lights" — was selected by the marketing department. Past themes include "Light It Up," for the fairground's cupola, which sits atop the landmark grandstand of the fairgrounds.
Inside the Agri-Plex on the west end of the fairgrounds, hundreds of artists, farmers, gardeners, photographers, bakers and chefs will compete for ribbons and cash prizes throughout the week.
Fairgoers can also enjoy about 650 animals on display, including cows, goats, horses, sheep, rabbits, and pigs — all vying for top honors.
Hands-on attractions include Lil’ Farm Hands, where kids can meet and milk “Aggie Hall,” a robot-like cow, and a judging tent where farmers and 4-H participants showcase the talents of their four-legged companions.
On Saturday, the Lehigh County 4-H will hold its livestock sale, offering another chance to celebrate the region’s agricultural heritage.
New contests this year feature a 4-H fashion show at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, where hundreds of young artisans will "strut their stitches" and showcase handmade aprons, apparel and other themed pieces.
Additionally, visitors can observe baby chicks hatching from their shells inside an incubator at the new chick hatching exhibition, which is open daily throughout the fair.
Who will be the next 'Idol,' 'Iron Chef'?
Five local singers will vie for the title of ABE Idol, the fair's singing competition presented by Lehigh Valley International Airport, radio stations WODE-FM 99.9 The Hawk, WCTO-FM Cat Country 96, and WLEV-FM 100.7.
The finalists are Hanna Ostrosky, Eli Hoyte, Allen Gift, Adeline Csontos and Colin O’Leary.
They will perform a sing-off live at 7:30 p.m. Thursday.
Starting Friday, there will be several Farm-to-Table series and Iron Chef competition presentations, with chefs from Fountain View at Logan Square, Greenburg Lemus, La Cocina Del Abuelo, La Kang Thai French and La Kang Thai Noodles and Seafood, The Club at Twin Lakes, Diana's Catering and Gourmet Market and Thyme Rooftop Grille.
The winner of the three rounds will face 2024's winner, Ryan Lukow of the Savory Grille, for the grand prize.
New fair food
Fair President Daryl G. Urmy invites visitors to participate in the annual Best New Fair Food contest, which celebrates the creativity of food vendors.
Among the new options: Chicharron con guacamole and chips by La Cocina del Abuelo; Dinky's bacon jam sundae, Dinky's Ice Cream truck; Jailhouse Rock ice cream nachos by Mon and Mel's Ice Cream truck; and mac and cheese on a stick by First National Bank of Hot Dogs.
How to vote: Look for the red diamond signs at participating stands, taste the new foods, and vote for your favorite.
Voting opens Wednesday, and the winner will be announced Monday, with updates posted online and on-site.
New biergarten, free entertainment
This year’s fair includes more spaces and free entertainment.
Fairgoers will discover LVHN Wellness Way, a brand-new seating area at Gate 1 featuring tables, chairs and live shows.
More seating has also been added at the Main Gate Plaza and Weyerbacher Courtyard, for relaxing or grabbing a bite.
"We've noticed that when we were walking around the grounds and seeing the grounds, it was either heavily populated over here or heavily populated over there," fair Marketing Director Jessica Ciecwisz said.
"But it wasn't necessarily even keel."
"So we've been trying to help fairgoers with traveling, and we are putting two new acts in the Main Entrance plaza," Ciecwisz said.
Those acts include Hot Diggity Dog, a returning fair favorite, and the Cup Guy, a comedy act built around the red Solo cup.
Other family-friendly acts include the new Butterfly Kingdom exhibit, which lets fair-goers step inside an enclosed garden filled with hundreds of live butterflies.
Victoria Circus, a traveling circus-style entertainment act, will feature juggling, balancing acts, comedy skits and aerial performances.
Additionally, look out for returning roaming entertainers such as Moodonna the cow fair mascot, Glenn Miller the one-man band and stilt-walker W. Kris Clayton.
Exhibits and shows — a tease of next year's theme, which coincides with the Lehigh Valley's America 250 celebration — also will take center stage.
It includes the American 250 Philadelphia Project (a presentation about the original signers of the Declaration of Independence), America 250 Quilt Block contest, the America 250 Apron contest, and a tribute to the 250 historical talks on the Centennial Stage.
Where to park, ways to save
The fair will offer discount tickets for $5 through Tuesday, Aug. 26, online or at the box office.
On Thursday and Friday, admission is free from noon to 2 p.m.
Admission is free for all active military members and veterans on Thursday (with government ID), and for seniors (65 years and over) on Monday.
On-site parking is $15 per vehicle at Gate 7, off Liberty Street.
For attendees wishing to park closer, prepaid premium parking is $30 per vehicle (reserve online in advance).
Additional off-site parking (independently operated) is available near the fairgrounds.
