BARB BARRET/The Luminary Cali Moore of Hughesville painted about 8 to 10 of these new Bryar Benches for her Girl Scout Silver Project that will be available for patrons throughout the fairgrounds.

HUGHESVILLE – Starting today one hundred and forty eight years have marked the celebration of the Lycoming County Fair. Opening at 4 p.m. with some food vendors and harness racing, admission is free for the night.

Tomorrow, Thursday, July 12, fair gates will open at 4 p.m. with more harness racing and fireworks set for 9:30 p.m. Judging and ribbon placements also will take place that day for entries in the horticulture building. From Friday, July 13 through Saturday, July 21, the gates will open at 10 a.m. and close at 10 p.m.

Admission this year is four dollars, reduced from six dollars last year. However, this year the fee does not include the rides. All children under the age of 12 will be able to get in for free as long as they are with a paying adult as announced by board secretary, Karen Yaw. Tickets will be available for purchase for the rides.

Live entertainment is scheduled throughout the week and ticket sales are available at the gate or before the shows during fair office hours. Brochures with daily schedules are distributed throughout the local business community and the fairgrounds. Tickets are on sale for shows and live entertainment with Jordan Davis appearing on Friday.

Some painting was done to the livestock barns, and about 8 to 10 new benches were painted by girl scout, Calli Moore of Hughesville for her Silver project award.

Yaw said the midway was resurfaced and new walkways added. The biggest addition is a new digital permanent sign that is being mounted off Route 405 in Hughesville and enters into the main parking lot. It is electronic and according to Yaw, Dohl’s Construction in Hughesville started mounting it in the beginning of June. It is a big budget item and has been a need for many years. “We are hoping it will be ready shortly,” said Yaw. The fair board said they plan on using it throughout the year to digitally advertise yearly events that are happening at the fairgrounds.

There will be two entrances to the fair for vehicle parking. The other one is off Third Street and the Park Street entrance will be a walking entrance only.

New this year are “Dino-Roars of Ohio, pig races and a kid’s pedal tractor pull which will take place on a new runway called the “Amelia Earhart Funway.” The road was renamed according to Yaw. “It used to be called Machinery Row.”

The 2018 Lycoming County Fair board members are: James Rocky Reed, President; Karen Yaw, Secretary; Clifford Yaw III, Treasurer; Michael Bieber; Richard Gardner; Robert Hager; Thomas Hess; Robert Hedenreich; Bruce Koppenhaver; and Shawn McCoy.

This year’s Junior Fair board members are Jacob Reynolds, Calli Moore, Lilly Kepner and Ethan Poust.