Bob Bilicki from Picture Rocks won 'Best of Show' for his Bay Laurel tree that is 23 years old.

BLOOMSBURG – Last month several local residents entered exhibits into the Bloomsburg Fair for its 158th year. According to the fair association, attendance was up this year with Saturday, September 28 having the highest number. It is recorded that 75,171 people attended that last day, and the weather was very desirable for fair-goers. The total count for the fair came to 422,429 reported Paul E. Reichart, President.

One resident from the Picture Rocks area was very surprised to know that he won a ‘Best of Show’ for a Bay Laurel tree that he entered. Bob Bilicki who lives nearby in Picture Rocks said that he had the tree for 23 years and that he never entered anything into the fair before. “I bring the tree inside every winter, and it keeps getting bigger,” he said. Bilicki is retired from General Motors and enjoys gardening and being outdoors. He is also a former president of the Central Pennsylvania Mushroom Club and likes to take nature walks. Bilicki said that he would like to try and enter something again next year. He also won a second place ribbon for a cutting.

Stacie Hart from Muncy once again entered one of her famous tasting cakes which she likes to try on her salon customers at Sheer Sensations. Her mint cake was one of many entries, but she said the competition was tough and an orange cream cake beat her out.

The Muncy Garden Club competed with Williamsport but they did get an honorable mention for their table display. “The guidelines are pretty strict,” said Patti Barclay, President but the committee met in advance to work on several displays and said they like to enter something every year. This year’s theme was Kaleidoscope. Lois Volkoff from Sweet Memories provided the artwork.