Butler Farm Show entertains all: Small to Tall
CONNOQUENESSING TWP — The 71st annual Butler Farm Show kicks off Monday and the six-day fair is set to be full of animals, food and fun for the whole family.
“I'm looking forward to the whole week,” said Carol Miller, who is on the farm show board of directors. “Seeing everyone work so hard and the culmination of the hard work for everyone in 4-H.”
Sandie Lefever, the farm show recording secretary, is looking forward to the fellowship of the week's events.
“Everyone's hard work is coming all together,” Lefever said.
More than 1,100 animals are registered for exhibition this year. Miller said this is about the number they usually have at the farm show, although they have less animals registered than in 2018. They do have more animals registered than in 2017.Exhibitions and various animal events will be held throughout the farm show.
There are baking contests scheduled throughout the week, with categories including apple pie, angel food cake, chocolate cake and cookies. Winners from the baking contests will advance to compete at the Pennsylvania Farm Show in January 2020.There is also a poster contest for children from pre-school to 18 years old. The theme for the poster contest is “Inspiring Pennsylvania's Agriculture Story.” Winners from the six categories at the contest will be submitted to the Department of Agriculture to compete at the state level at the Pennsylvania Farm Show.Several animal contests are also on the schedule.A celebrity rabbit hopping contest is set for 5 p.m. Tuesday in the dairy pavilion and a 4-H rabbit hopping contest is scheduled at 10 a.m. Aug. 8 in the Pennsylvania Lottery Pavilion.A goat costume contest will be held at noon Aug. 7 in the dairy pavilion and a poultry costume contest will begin at 4 p.m. Aug. 9 in the poultry tent.
Different musical acts are set to be held each night of the farm show, with groups performing in various genres such as classic country, clasic rock and bluegrass. Concerts are scheduled at 7 and 9 p.m. each night.The lineup includes the Good Guyz Band, Monday; Trevolta, formerly known as This Is The World, Tuesday; Well Strung, Aug. 7; Allegheny Drifters, Aug. 8; and Rustic Revelation, Aug. 9.On Saturday, a different type of performance will be held. An old-time fiddling, banjo, mandolin and flat top guitar contest will begin at 5 p.m. Aug. 10.All of these performances are free and will be held in the Pennsylvania Lottery Pavilion.
There will be several auctions conducted throughout the course of the farm show.A baked goods auction will be held at 7 p.m. Monday and a cheese auction will begin at 8 p.m. Aug. 7. Both will be held in the dairy pavilion.The annual 4-H and FFA livestock sale is set for 6 p.m. Aug. 8 in the livestock barn. Goats, lambs, rabbits, beef, poultry and hogs will be on sale. Last year's sale grossed around $250,000.
The American Heritage Showcase antiques display will be held all six days of the farm show from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. each day. More than 120 antique tractors, equipment and household items will be on display. Visitors can go on self-guided tours through the exhibition.
The Big Idaho Potato Truck is set to visit the Butler Farm Show for the first time all day on Aug. 7. The truck, carrying a four-ton potato, will be on the grounds from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.A 4-H alpaca show, also set to be held that Wednesday, at 8:30 a.m. in the dairy pavilion, is new to the show this year.
Stilt walker Kevin Adair as well as Doug Drews and his oxen will be roaming the grounds throughout the six days of the farm show.Vogel Valley's miniature farm display will be held again, near the antiques. The display, which contains more than 2,000 toys demonstrating all of the aspects that go into farming, will be open from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. each day.The Pork Chop Review will be held on the midway near the tent gate. The time for this event has not yet been determined.The Moogician, a comedian who can also juggle, will perform on the stage by the dairy barns. The time for this event has not yet been determined, either.The world's largest demolition derby will begin at 7 p.m. Aug. 9 in the main arena. Admission to this event, not included in general admission, is $4 per person.The Supreme Master Showman Contest will be held at 9:30 a.m. Aug. 10, the last day of the farm show, in the livestock barn. Later that day, a fleece to shawl demonstration will be put on by the Butler Spinners & Weavers in the dairy pavilion.
Admission for those 3 years and older is $8 per person Tuesday through Saturday, but admission on Monday is only $7. No admission refunds will be granted.General admission includes parking costs, unlimited midway rides (with the exception of boat rides), entry to all of the exhibits and entertainment at the farm show. Children younger than 3 years old are admitted free, unless they want to ride any of the rides.The gates open at 8:30 a.m. and close at 11 p.m. each day starting Monday, through Aug. 10.
