Big Butler Fair features new attractions, fan favorites
Come celebrate America’s 247th birthday this year at the annual Big Butler Fair.
Starting on Friday, June 30, and running through July 8, the Big Butler Fair will take place at the Big Butler Fairgrounds in Franklin Township for nine days of agriculture, livestock and horticulture attractions, along with ice-cold beverages, carnival rides, fireworks, live music and petting zoos.
The fair, which again will be held over the Fourth of July holiday, attracts more than 100,000 visitors from four states, according to the fair’s website.
Clint Cehily, Butler Fair and Agricultural Association board of directors vice president, said he is especially excited about this year’s events.
"We’ve got some great new additions,“ Cehily said. ”We still have a lot of fan-favorite attractions, but we also have a lot of new stuff, too.“
Various free concerts and shows are on tap throughout the fair, including opening night, which will feature rock station 97.7’s “Rock Done Right” event with the bands Black Stone Cherry and Six Gun Sally.
The agricultural portion of the fair begins at 9 a.m. each day. This year’s fair includes a horse show, open beef breed show and junior beef showmanship, among other horticulture and livestock attractions.
“It’s one of my favorite events at the fair,” Cehily said of the junior showmanship. “I think kids really enjoy it and take a lot of pride in it. Our 4-H kids really work hard, and it’s great to see them get excited.”
“We have some new daily attractions and grand-slam events from bus (demolition derby) to rodeos.”
The fair opens at 3 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday and on both Fridays. The carnival opens at 1 p.m. Sunday, Monday and both Saturdays.
Fourth of July fireworks will start at 8 p.m. Tuesday.
The fair closes at 11 p.m. each night.
“There is something for everyone,” Cehily said. “There are rides for the little kids, and there are rides for the adults.”
Rides and games will be presented by Powers Great American Midways.
Tickets for general admission start at $8. Children age 6 and younger as well as active military members with a valid ID will be admitted without charge.
Other attractions this year include an alpaca show, a kids’ caravan parade, tractor pulls and a school bus demolition derby,
"It’s just like a traditional demo derby,“ Cehily said, ”but we’re going to have around eight to 10 buses.“
Butler County’s female residents ages 16 to 20 can enter the fair queen pageant, an annual fair tradition. The winner of the pageant serves as Big Butler Fair’s community ambassador for the state fair in Hershey in January.
Visit bigbutlerfair.com for more information on scheduled events.
