Warren County Fair

In 2005, the Warren County Fair Board adapted a program called the Warren County Fair Endowment Program in response to the questions about memorials and gifts for the fair. This was an opportunity to recognize friends of the Warren County Fair as well as help out the fair with various projects and construction. Such gifts often go unnoticed or unrecognized and we wanted to change this practice.

The program was very successful. If you come to the fair office, you have the opportunity to see the beautiful plaques that are a tribute to friends of the Warren County Fair. We have decided to make this an ongoing project. If you would like to make a donation in honor of or in memory of friends of the Warren County Fair, please fill in the Endowment form and return the form with your donation. Your donation is tax deductible and you will receive a receipt. Your family or friends’ names will be listed on appropriate plaques in our new office lobby.

We thank you for your generous contributions to the Warren County Fair in the past through volunteerism, attendance, and donations. We hope you will become part of our Endowment Program so that the Warren County Fair can see its 100th, 125th, and 150th anniversaries.

Thank you again.

Sincerely,

The Warren County Board of Directors

--For a printable Fair Endowment Form: click here

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About Us: A History of the Warren County Fair

So many things have changed (and improved) through the years for the fair as we know it. We’ve moved locations, grown by leaps and bounds. But one thing remains the same, the fair is a great place for families. Come see for yourself! Stroll through our exhibit buildings and barns. Catch a show in our covered pavilion. Join the excitement at our motorsports track. And don’t miss the thrills on the midway. We hope to see you there!

A Historical Review of the Warren County Fair
First portion through 1993 information was originally written
Bernie Wingert, retired Warren County Extension Agent in May, 1989

This review is not guaranteed to be one hundred percent accurate and therefore should probably not be called a history. It is rather a collection of stories written during the years from 1967 to the present. Many of the happenings have already become somewhat clouded, but the actual growth of the fairgrounds is a story worth writing down. Thanks to good recordkeeping by the county fair board, dates of construction have been provided.

This then is the story of the present Warren County Fair located at Pittsfield, PA. First a prelude is in order.

There have been other fairs in this county to be sure. Old newspapers on file in the library reveal some interesting tales concerning several of them.

The first Agricultural Show in the county was a one day event in 1850 at Sugar Grove. There appeared to be no formal organization. The following year the "Warren County Agricultural Society" was formed, and nineteen annual fairs were held. There were three fairs missing during the Civil War years, and in 1871 the Society died from lack of interest and support.

By 1874 the "Union Agricultural Society of Warren County" was formed in Sugar Grove, and that group operated a fair for the next thirteen years. It came to a halt because the County Fair in Warren, composed of a new bunch of upstarts, proved to be too much competition.

In 1884 the Warren County Agricultural Fair Association was formed by the combination of the Warren Board of Trade and the Warren Farmers Club. The spearhead was a fellow named George Orr, who according to the journal, was a zealous leader and businessman. There was $1,500 subscribed by businessmen of the borough to get the thing rolling. For five years they leased the spacious grounds across the river where the general hospital now stands. It was called Irvine Bottoms then. The rental amounted to $200 a year, and the toll bridge owners got $150 for the week to make free access to the grounds.

According to the "Warren Mail", work started June 14, 1884. Grounds were tilled, the race course graded, sheds and fencing were built, and the fair was held September 9, 10, 11, and 12. It was a grand success with over 1,000 entries and $3,000 taken in at the gate.

Sometime later the Warren Fair moved to new grounds at Conewango Avenue Extension and remained there until 1928.

So there have actually been four countywide organizations calling themselves county fairs. One was formed in 1851, another in 1874, still another in 1884. The fourth fair is of more recent vintage.

1931. the Youngsville Community Fair had its beginning at the high school with home economics exhibits being displayed in the old Currie Building. The agricultural students exhibited in the gymnasium of the high school.

By 1935 everything was moved again to Island Park where the fair stayed for some time. Twenty years later only nine dairy animals were exhibited and no 4-H projects. The following year the Warren County Extension Service committed the resources of its office and the countywide 4-H program toward revitalizing this one remaining fair in Warren County. The fair became a well organized dairy show in northwestern Pennsylvania. Competitive exhibits and commercial exhibitors increased in number.
In 1967 the relocated highway bypassing Youngsville went through the grounds and a new location was needed once again. A reorganized board purchased approximately 100 acres of the Charles Takats farm near Pittsfield to rebuild upon.

That year a well was drilled and a pump house constructed. A county fairground was again under development. Fields were mowed, bulldozing and ditch digging occurred in random locations. Temporary fences and water lines snaked across the grounds. Electric wires were strung and tents were erected.

A farm field was transformed into a busy jumble of sprawling tents, which protected dresses, cows, pickles, horses, food booths, popcorn stands and baked goods. The 4-H exhibits outnumbered the open class exhibitors in almost all categories. In 1968 the first commercial building was erected and the fairgrounds again looked much like a canvass refugee camp during the third week in August, but the fair was growing.

In 1969 the first permanent restroom facilities were constructed. The horseshoe pits designed for big league competition were also built. The pits were enlarged in 1972 and fenced in 1974. All volunteer work was done by the horseshoe people on their facility.

Fast and furious construction followed for the next few years, most of it being completed by volunteers. The major work follows:
Large Horse Show Ring and Announcers Stand - 1970
Red Domestic Exhibit Building - 1971
Dairy Cattle Barn - 1971
Second Dairy Cattle Barn - 1972
4-H Center - 1972
Pomona Grange Building - 1973
Main Office - 1973
Poultry Barn - 1973
4-H Saddle Horse Barn - 1974
Draft Horse Barn - 1974
Double Width Cattle Barn - 1975
Cornplanter Entertainment Pavilion - 1976
Second Water Well - 1976
Williams Memorial Entertainment Pavilion - 1978
Blue Domestic Exhibit Building - 1978
Barton Run Road (leading to grounds) was paved - 1978
Yellow Commercial Exhibit Building - 1979
Perimeter of the Grounds fencing - 1979
Emergency Medical Technicians - 1980
4-H Livestock Complex, Second Horse Practice Ring, Sheep Wing, Swine and Beef
Cattle Wing - 1980-1983
Milking Parlor and Milk House - 1982
Main Gate Ticket House - 1982
Dressing Room Addition to Cornplanter Pavilion - 1983
Livestock Washrack and Shower Rooms and Third Water Well - 1983
Drainage Ditching - 1982-1983-1984-1988
Motor Sports Arena - 1984
Ticket Booth at Second Gate - 1984
Dairy Cattle Barn - 1984
Oxen and Draft Animal Barn - 1984
Major Drainage for Parking Lots - 1987
Parking Lot Lights - 1987

And the story goes on

1987,we crowned our first Warren County Fair Queen and that continues to be a Monday night tradition at the fair.

1989, the fair moved into the communications era with its first Media Luncheon for the local radio station, newspapers and other media staff. Now several local stations attend the event and broadcast live at the fair throughout the week.

Also that year, the fair instituted the "Pay One Price" admission, which includes most shows and midway rides in the price of admission at the gate.
The year 1989 also brought improvements to the Motorsports Arena, with the addition of the announcers stand. Since then, we've added new bleachers, a pit building, safety wall and new food booths to handle the crowds, especially during our Grand American Sanctioned Tractor Pull.

1991,new computer programs made it easier and quicker to enter exhibits and pick up prize checks.

With all of this growth, the fair needed more parking lots! So the Anderson property across from the fairgrounds was purchased in 1992 for just that. A new access road to the fairgrounds was also created that year.

1993,volunteers were busy building a new dairy barn named after the grounds' long-time caretaker Veigh Barnett; and again in 1996 for a new EMT building called the Band-Aid Barn.

Since 1994, the fair has paved much of the grounds, making it very handicap accessible.
1999, the Warren County Fair made its way to the Internet and now proudly has its own Website, which debuted in 2003.

In 2003, we began planning for a new fair office. The old office had served its purpose, but just was not set up for the technical world as is now necessary. In June we held a “Summer Sizzler” at the track, a tractor/truck pull similar to our Friday night event during fair week. More concrete work was completed finishing the walkway down in the carnival area. Work on the sewage system began in the fall.

2004-2005 brought improvements to the Show Ring. These changes were made in memory of Mr. Walter Sweeney, who had entered horses for many years at the fair by his family. Plans for the new office were done by the Warren County Career Center. A new computer was purchased for entries. This system was a great improvement to our tracking and reporting system for our annual report. Also, all tickets for shows in pavilion and track are now able to be printed and tracked on our computer system.
2004 was the beginning of the Marge Taydus Memorial Award. Money was donated by her family to honor the adult and the youth who won the most ribbons in the still exhibit categories. This is a continuing award.

In November of 2004, the fair office was torn down. Plans were completed for the new office, and construction of the new office would begin after Jan. 2005. The foundations were completed in April, and the new office was delivered in May. Inside work continued during the summer, with the office officially opening at the fair in August. A ribbon cutting ceremony was held on August 9, 2005, which coincided with the 75th anniversary of the fair. Special events and contests were held all during fair week in honor of the 75th anniversary. The cattle walkway was also completed in the barn area. Improvements were made on food booths and barns. The Endowment Fund also began in 2005, allowing folks to honor loved ones with a donation to the fair. Plaques in honor or in memory of these people were placed in the fair office lobby. This is also an ongoing project.

2006, a new parking lot was added inside the Barton Run gate. This increased the number of handicapped parking spaces and created a van and bus unloading area.
This year was also the beginning of a new carnival at the fair. Bates Brothers Amusements provided rides for all ages.

During 2007 new restrooms and showers were completed in the area just outside of the track fence. The Shaddock Property, next to the fair grounds, was purchased and the house torn down. Walkways were added to the carnival area. The Woodsmen’s Competition was a popular new event added to the fair schedule on Thursday night. Rodney Atkins, country singer, provided a sell-out show on Tuesday night (only the second time in fair history, Box Car Willy being the first). Our computer systems were upgraded, using RAC software.

In 2008, our food booths were upgraded, and for the first time, premium books were printed by our local Warren Times Observer.

2009, renovations continued on the Cornplanter Pavilion Food Booth. The Motor Sports Arena celebrated its 25th year at the fair. The Friday Night Tractor Pull and Stockcar Football on Saturday night continue to be track favorites. Other events held at the track are the garden tractor pull, antique tractor pull, firemen’s water battle, and the farm tractor pull.

2010, also has its share of accomplishments. A new entry for carnival equipment was finished in the spring. Blacktop on the main thoroughfare of the fair has been replaced, and most lighting at the fair has been replaced by newer more energy efficient lighting. Renovations of the food booth at the Cornplanter continued also.

This amazing story will go on for years to come, thanks to hundreds of dedicated volunteers. TO BE CONTINUED as the fair grown and excels.

Date last modified: 7/28/10 Top of Page

Pittsfield, PA August 10-14, 2010

-About Us page last update 7/28/10

Pittsfield, PA
August 10-14, 2010