Great Allentown Fair
great allentown fair annual fair agricultural show held allentown fairground allentown pennsylvania operated lehigh county agricultural society one oldest fair united state one largest state pennsylvania fair first held showcase agricultural advancement entertain patron since evolved appeal broader audience adding entertainment dining option although stay true agricultural root offering petting zoo livestock judging contest farmer market modernday fair focus entertainment boast carnival talent show concert lehigh county agricultural society hosted first fair october october livingston lawn acre plot located east fourth street walnut union street allentown first fair successful following year lehigh county agricultural society purchased larger plot land north liberty street fifth sixth street ticket office twostory exhibition hall built location site second fair held september september one popular attraction early fair stephen lentzs flying coach brass band performed atop hay wagon fair due civil war civil war fairground used staging site th regiment pennsylvania volunteer fair resumed celebration th anniversary signing declaration independence large reenactment battle bunker hill held included many lehigh county civil war regiment veteran participant throughout popularity allentown fair continued grow outgrowing fairground size facility short race track small grandstand lehigh county agricultural society purchased plot land th street chew liberty street serve new fairground one primary feature new location new halfmile race track grandstand capable seating celebration opening new fairground fair renamed great allentown fair earliest day th century horse racing popular event allentown fair allentown fairground halfmile track regarded one finest country great allentown fair racehorse dan patch set record halfmile track presentday grandstand built allentown fairground increasing overall seating capacity airship race became featured attraction fair two airship one bearing american flag germany took fairground raced hamilton street circled soldier sailor monument returned airship bearing american flag race following year pilot glenn curtis took plane using th street runway flew allentown fair first known heavierthanair flight lehigh valley first auto race held fair sprint car race great allentown fair sanctioned american automobile association united state automobile club international motor contest association sprint car legend tommy hinnershitz ira vail captured numerous win halfmile dirt track indianapolis winner mario andretti j foyt parnelli jones raced great allentown fair going greater fame johnny thomson killed race fair car crashed inside track fence although last sanctioned auto race held demolition derby continued popular event world war fair held due war fairground transformed camp crane training facility u ambulance service soldier lived tent barrack fairground world war caretaker house stood chew street demolished make room bank used officer club fair held due world war ii gen douglas macarthur wife son arthur attended father son day great allentown fair visit described local historian frank whelan probably among significant moment fair history beginning musical concert performance began held fair began drawing major act large crowd buddy holly performed great allentown fair roy rogers lawrence welk appeared fair also johnny carson appeared fair along touring version rowan martin laughin andy williams introduced osmond brother great allentown fair also kate smith made first community fair performance allentown fair herb alpert tijuana brass headlined fair back cover album sro feature photograph taken great allentown fair performance august liza minnelli delayed great allentown fair concert richard nixon resignation speech broadcast live fair public address system performance later night broke box office record allentown fair first time since world war ii festival cancelled due covid pandemic returned attraction great allentown fair including agriplexagriland fair agriculturalthemed area grandstand large outdoor stage featuring fair headlining act farmerama theater amphitheater talent contest held assorted daytime entertainment take place main entrance plaza area special show juggling act held music tent tent band perform power great american midway fair carnival seat grandstand constructed cost host horse racing auto racing grandstand opened major musician band act guy lombardo first booked grandstand act list historic place allentown pennsylvania lehigh county agricultural society history lehigh county agricultural society allentown pennsylvania berkemeyer keck co official website allentown fair twitter