The Great Allentown Fair
Published October 01. 2024 01:10PM
by Ed Courrier Special to the Bethlehem Press
A Lehigh Valley tradition, the 2024 Great Allentown Fair returned for a pleasant family- friendly Labor Day Weekend.
Among the traditional livestock, baking, craft competitions, 4-H activities, fair fare and carnival rides were local talent providing music and amusing favorites like Robinson’s Racing Pigs & Paddling Porkers from Florida.
Among the Grandstand entertainers for 2024 were Brad Paisley, Pentatonix, Jeff Dunham and the popular J&J Demolition Derby.
Local and out-of-state drivers competed for a $1000 top prize for the last wrecked vehicle standing. Taking first was Andy Chester from Smyrna, Delaware driving #5W20. Kyle Troch from Lehighton in #27 scored second and Kage Borger from Allentown placed third while piloting car #02.
Driving #43 “Inside Out 2,” Todd Pickett backs his purple car into #54 “Grinch,” driven by Josh Hoffert, as they compete during the J&J Demolition Derby Sept. 2. Pickett is from Emmaus and Hoffert and his green station wagon hail from Easton. Other local drivers “crushing it” included Schnecksville resident Zach Schaller with his patriotically-painted #830 “Instigator” and Levi Yost from Allentown in #X24.
Heather Chapkovich and her daughter, Fair Queen Zoie Jones, with fair mascot Moodonna.
Skye Swartley and Cyrus Smith pass out samples and handle sales at the Bethlehem-based Matt-Hat Jerky booth inside the Agri-Plex Sept. 2.
Liberty HS graduate Lisa Williams dances with her granddaughter Aurora Graham to “The Chicken Dance” played by Robbie Lawrence and the Steelworkers Polka Band. Aurora lives in Bethlehem.
PRESS PHOTOS BY ED COURRIERFairgoers dance to tunes played by Bethlehem-based Robbie Lawrence and the Steelworkers Polka Band at the Harvest Patio Sept. 2. Musicians, from left, are Dave Kurch, Lawrence, Rick Hasonich and Joey Chyduk.
Veronica Myts from British Columbia, Canada, solos a cappella with German lyrics at the Harvest Patio Sept. 2 while the polka band takes a break. The talented singer and her dad are in the Lehigh Valley visiting her Bethlehem Township grandparents.
A kid named “Willie” cuddles with Veronica Fry from Nazareth inside the Steinmetz Family Farm tent Sept. 2. The 13-year-old eighth grader attends Nazareth Middle School. The baby goat cuddlers are all under six months old and raised on a farm in Temple.
With names like “Belly Flop,” “Soggy Bacon,” “Spamu” and “Tsunami Salami,” Robinson’s Racing Pigs & Paddling Porkers provide a little clean entertainment at Machinery Avenue Court Sept. 2.
Colin Reilly from Bath enjoys a camel ride on “Royce.” The 19-year-old attends Northampton Area HS. “He loves horseback riding and I thought he would like this,” remarks his mom Cathy Reilly.