CENTRE HALL — The final weeks of summer and back-to-school season have a different meaning in Central Pennsylvania.
In most towns, the last days of summer and start of a new school year mean that festivals, fairs and summer fun are a distant memory. However, in Centre County, this time of year means that the last blast of summer is finally here.
The 142nd annual Centre County Grange Encampment and Fair is coming to town, and with it comes a full slate of entertainment for both the young and young at heart.
The entertainment offerings at this year’s fair promise to appeal to people of all ages and interests. From magic acts to talent shows, from wing-eating contests to tractor pull competitions, from country bands to marching bands, everyone is sure to find something entertaining at the 2016 Grange Fair.
A wide range of performers will be entertaining crowds each day of the fair, with some taking the stage multiple times. Entertainment will be offered at the Jublilee Grove, on the Southside Stage, on the competition track or even roaming through the fairgrounds. And, of course, there will be headlining performers taking the grandstand stage each night.
Entertainment at the fair kicked off at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 17, with the crowning of the fair queen.
On the first official day of this year’s fair, Friday, Aug. 19, several different performers will be entertaining the crowds. First off, Bluegrass Redemption, a quartet that plays contemporary worship, gospel and traditional bluegrass music, will be on the Southside Stage. Also performing on the Southside Stage will be Brush Mountain Band, a five-piece bluegrass group made up of musicians from Centre and Mifflin counties, playing traditional bluegrass and gospel music. In the grove on Friday, Kenzie McCarter, former Grange Fair Idol competition winner, will be performing. McCarter, a young local musician, performs country music covers ranging from Reba McIntyre and Jo Dee Messina to Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood.
Other entertainment on the first day of the fair includes the truck pull, opening ceremonies on the Southside Stage and David Zentner and the Classic Country Band, local musicians who are popular in and around Centre County for their traditional country music style.
Jana Kramer will take the grandstand stage. Kramer, a television actress who has been focusing on her music career, is a country singer who has opened for Blake Shelton. There will also be karaoke with Stressbusters on the Southside Stage.
Entertainment on Saturday, Aug. 20, will start with a farm tractor pull and a twirling competition on the grandstand stage. Musical performances that day will feature the Adam Ernst Band on Southside Stage and Sgt. Bob in the Jubilee Grove. Ernst is a country singer and songwriter, while Sgt. Bob is a band whose style is more classic rock and country. Other performances include classic rock band Bandit and magician Ben Salinas. In addition, there will be a farm tractor and hot stock tractor pull and Grange Idol talent show. The grandstand headliner is country singer and Nashville recording artist Adam Yarger.
On Sunday, Aug. 21, the day gears up with a garden tractor pull and jazz musicians Big Band Sound performing on the Southside Stage. Gospel group True Heart will perform in the grove, followed by a tribute to farmers during James Wesley’s “Thank a Farmer” concert on the grandstand stage. Sunday will also feature a wing-eating contest, and the Grange Fair Idol contest will then continue at the grandstand.
The lineup of entertainment Monday, Aug. 23, begins with the bluegrass band the Alleycats performing on the Southside Stage. Penns Valley Area High School Marching Band will take the grandstand stage. Other music that day includes the MidLife Cowboys, a western band, and swing/jazz musicians Second Winds Band. Sgt. Bob will be back to perform in the grove, and on the competition track, there will be an interstate tractor pull. Country music singer and songwriter William Michael Morgan will be the featured performer on the grandstand stage, and other entertainment will be a showing of the movie “Minions” on the Southside Stage.
A youth talent show will kick off entertainment activities on Tuesday, Aug. 23, along with a pedal tractor pull. QWiK ROCK will be having a live broadcast from the fairgrounds that day. Ventriloquist Jimmy Swogger will be providing performances throughout the day, and JU-ST Proclaim, a band that performs oldies, country and contemporary music will also perform. The Bellefonte Area High School marching band will take the grandstand stage, and country performers Fred Myers and the Redneck Majority will take to the Southside Stage twice in the afternoon. There will be an interstate tractor pull on the competition track, and Matt Maher will be the featured performer on the grandstand stage. Maher is a Grammy-nominated Christian songwriter and musician.
Wednesday, Aug. 23, finds the entertainment getting started with a little king and queen contest at the Southside Stage, while local performers Dan and Galla will put on their musical show at Jubilee Grove, and then will stroll the fairgrounds. There will be another live broadcast by QUiK ROCK, with more performances by ventriloquist Jimmy Swogger, the Adam Ernst Band and Sgt. Bob.
It will be motor sports day at the park and a disco flashback on the grandstand stage will lead into a trip back into the ’70s in celebrating the music of pop sensation the Bee Gees in the tribute show “Stayin’ Alive.” Teen karaoke will be held on the Southside Stage.
On Thursday, Aug. 24, there will be a scooter pull on the Southside Stage, followed by the musical stylings of Dan and Galla in the grove. The Grange Fair Parade will be at the grandstand stage that afternoon, featuring the State College Area , Bald Eagle Area and Juniata Valley high school marching bands. Other events include the light tractor pull, and the showing of the movie “Jurassic World.” Four-man band Parmalee will be the headlining act on the grandstand stage. Parmalee’s country rock sound has its roots in the bluegrass, traditional country, southern rock and blues styles of music.
Dan and Galla’s musical show will once again be at the fair on Friday, Aug. 26, along with Sgt. Bob and David Zentner and the Classic Country Band. Bluegrass musicians Tussey Mountain Moonshiners will also take the Southside Stage. Also on the Southside Stage, a presentation for the Centre County Outstanding Young Woman is planned. A two-day spectacular Lucas Oil East Coast National Pulling Event with pro-stock tractors will be held at Competition Track. On the Grandstand stage, country music artist Collin Raye will perform.
The final day of the Grange Fair will get started with a 5K race, the Penn State Hershey Happy Camper 5K. The day will continue with Dan and Galla, and bluegrass band Mama Corn. The Little German Band, which plays both German and American music, will play multiple times during the day, as will classic rock/oldies group Backseat Boogie Band. Saturday, Aug. 27, will also finish up the two-day pulling event at Competition Track. Country artist Raelynn, a 2012 contestant on “The Voice” who has performed with Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton, will be the grandstand star on the final night of the fair.
