Westmoreland Fair is back with movie night and prize bash to help charities
John F. Brothers
John F. Brothers In this 2016 file photo, Olivia Love (right) of Scottdale responds to a question from the judge Jason Mowry, during the 4-H Dairy Showmanship competition at the Westmoreland Fair.
John F. Brothers
John F. Brothers In this 2016 file photo, Matt Senft of Somerset gives his angus steer a bath at the Westmoreland Fair.
Kelly Tunney
In this 2016 file photo, Sawyer Swearingen, 4, plays the water race with his mom, Danielle, at the Westmoreland Fair.
The 63rd Westmoreland Fair will feature new attractions, including a movie night, a mascot party, truck races and a bash ticket with over 30 prizes to help a local charity.
The 2017 Westmoreland Fair will run Aug. 18 to 26 with admission price remaining at $7, which does not include admission to the grandstand for various concerts and events.
Fair Secretary Michelle Long said the only exception will be the free admission to the grandstand for the new movie night on Aug. 21 at dusk.
The movie will be “Star Wars: Rogue One”, and children ages 3 to 12 are encouraged to dress as their favorite Star Wars characters.
Armstrong Cable will be taking monetary donations for the charity Healing Heroes, which is a partnership with Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs to provide qualifying disabled veterans in local communities with highly trained service dogs.
“Armstrong came to us with this idea, and we thought it would be a good event for their charity,” Long said.
During the movie night, Long said the annual Mascot Party will take place where children will be able to have a meet and greet with mascots from local businesses.
Another new addition, the Tough Truck Races, will take place Aug. 23 beginning at 7 p.m. in the grandstand with admission of $5 for adults and $3 for children 3 to 12.
The races are in the spirit of the Baja truck off-road racing where participants must take to a course full of turns, jumps and obstacles and complete the course in the fastest time.
Long said the $20 pit pass for each participant will be collected and put in a pot with the racer with the fastest time winning the pot.
“We were looking for something new to put in the grandstand,” Long said, adding that similar popular events will return like the monster truck races on Aug . 18 and 19, the demolition derby on Aug. 20 and 26 and the hot tractor pulls on Aug. 25.
Long said they will have another new event that will benefit a local charity.
The Ultimate Bash will take place in the Show Arena from 7 to 10 p.m. Aug. 26 in the Y108 Show Arena.
A $10 ticket will put the ticket holder in the running for over 30 donated prize packages that are given away every eight minutes including, but not limited to, concert tickets, sporting tickets, autographed photos of Pittsburgh Steeler Antonio Brown, restaurant gift cards, museum passes, jewelry, Gateway Clipper Fleet tickets, Kennywood passes, lift passes to Seven Springs Resort, golf packages for Mystic Rock at Nemacolin Resort.
Long said a complete list of prizes can be found on the fair’s website, and they’re still collecting prizes.
Half of the $10 ticket price will benefit St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.
A new magic and music show that teaches children about agriculture, Farmer Ed, will be at the Westmoreland Fair this year for the first time as he will replace clown Dennie Huber, who passed away last year.
Long said the response to the new acts and returning acts have been positive, but she was also excited to say that the entries for judging have gone well as those numbers have been going up on an annual basis.
While the popular entries include photography and baking and micro brewing and wine making, a new category was entered in the baking contest for cupcake decorating based on the interest in television shows like “Cupcake Wars’.
Long added that it’s also good to see an increase in garden entries and more people slowly starting to get back into agriculture education, which is what fairs are all about.
“It’s really disheartening when you ask children where milk comes from, and they say the grocery store,” Long said.
Although some Westmoreland County schools are having classes resume for the new school year during the fair, Long said she hopes families can still find time to make it out to the fair.
“I just hope everyone comes out to see the fair one last time before the kids go back to school,” Long said.
Other notable events for during the fair include the annual Westmoreland Fair Queen Contest Aug. 18, the 4-H Modeling Contest Aug. 20, WISH Radio Game Night Aug. 22, Fireworks Aug. 22, Bicycle Rodeo Aug. 24, Animal Dressing Contest Aug. 25 and much more.
For more information and a schedule of events, visit www.westmorelandfair.com or call 724-423-5005.