The farm show must go on
CONNOQUENESSING TWP — Although few of the food carts and carnival rides were operating Sunday evening, Aug. 6, dozens of people traveled to the Butler Farm Show Grounds to celebrate the 75th anniversary of an event that started as a plowing competition between a small farming community.
Now, the organizers of the annual Butler Farm Show are looking to the youth, who provide many of the week's livestock and farming activities, to keep the tradition going after 75 years of the event.
Martha Ebersole, president of the Pennsylvania State Fair Association, traveled from Perry County to attend the show’s opening, and said volunteers and youths are the backbone of many fairs across the state.
“It’s awesome to look back there and see all those kids — young adults,” Ebersole said. “Without volunteers — those farmers, those machine owners — without them volunteering, there would be no Butler Farm Show.”
The farm show had its opening ceremony Sunday evening, which in addition to hosting speeches by a number of officials, kicked off the week's events with fireworks and kettle-cooked corn. But Sunday night was an opportunity for the event’s organizers to highlight the significance of the farm show’s 75th anniversary, especially seeing that it began as a plowing competition in a farming community.
Pennsylvania's Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding spoke at the ceremony, and commended the farm show's administrators for keeping the tradition of honoring farmers going for three-quarters of a century.
"Fairs work because people make them work," Redding said. "I always say, if you want to see Pennsylvania — if you want to see America — go to a fair."
During the ceremony, Ken Metrick, secretary of the Butler Farm Show board of directors, recognized the volunteers who work the grounds throughout the week, as well as the 4-H educators and members, whom he called people the farm show could not continue without.
Ben Patton, vice president of the board of directors, said the board has five members who are under age 35, which he and the other longtime administrators are proud of.
Maddy Fry, president of the Butler Farm Show Junior Board, spoke on behalf of the junior directors of the event. She said the organization — the directors, junior directors and other administrators — works throughout the year to make the farm show come together annually.
“The Junior Board serves to fundraise and promote the farm show, and throughout the year, we do a variety of events,” Fry said. “We also hold work nights throughout the year, and this year we also host several events during the week of the farm show.”
Ken Laughlin, president of the board of directors, looked out at the rows and rows of people gathered under the pavilion Sunday night for the opening ceremony. He said he was happy to see the vision of the farm show’s founders — cooperation and togetherness — continuing 75 years later.
“It took people getting together for the purpose to bring city people and country people together,” he said. “We still have people getting together today for the same purposes.”
The Butler Farm Show will be open with food, entertainment and activities through Saturday.
