Arts & Entertainment Neighbors

70th Middletown Grange Fair To Kick Off Wednesday


Credit: Tom Sofield/NewtownPANow.com

The 70th outing of the Middletown Grange Fair will kick off Wednesday in Wrightstown.

The Bucks County tradition will run from Wednesday, August 15 until Sunday, August 19 at the fairgrounds at 576 Penns Park Road in Wrightstown.

Between 4-H displays, amusement rides, business displays, food vendors, and farm animals of all sizes, the 70th anniversary of the Grange Fair promises to feature all the stapes of past years, including the popular chicken dinners.

Admission to the Grange Fair is free, but parking will cost $10 for a daily parking pass or $30 for a five-day pass.

Local 4-H clubs will have numerous events at the Grange Fair. In addition, the popular pig races and various competitions will be returning.

Credit: Tom Sofield/NewtownPANow.com

The exciting and sometimes off-the-wall series of events began in 1948, according to organizers, as an entry to a national contest that challenged groups to grow 300 bushels of corn. Middletown Grange members planted the corn for the contest in nearby Yardley before inviting the public to attend and participate in the harvest.

By 1966, the Middletown Grange purchased the Wrightstown tract of land. Over the years, the fair and permanent facilities have grown to accommodate the large crowds that attend the Grange Fair.

The annual festival that draws people from around the region to the fairgrounds in Wrightstown will kick off at 10 a.m. Wednesday when the Bucks County Commissioners hold their business meeting at the entertainment tent.

Credit: Tom Sofield/NewtownPANow.com

From noon on Wednesday, the Grange Fair will be open and holding a variety of entertainment and agricultural displays and demonstrations. Rides from Skelly’s Amusements will be at the fairgrounds and open from 1 p.m. until 10 p.m.

The annual Chicken Dinner will take place Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. The cost per ticket is $15 and child-sized portions are $12.

Sunny skies and a high around 90 degrees is expected for the first day of the Grange Fair.

Entertainment Schedule:

  • 12:00 p.m. – Hot Dog Pig Races
  • 12:45 p.m. – “Big Tiny Young” Show
  • 1:30 p.m. – Johnny Peers & Muttville Comix
  • 2:00 p.m. – Tinsmithing Show
  • 2:30 p.m. – Belmont Magic & Illusions
  • 3:00 p.m. – Hot Dog Pig Races
  • 3:30 p.m. – “Big Tiny Young” Show
  • 4:30 p.m. – Johnny Peers & Muttville Comix
  • 5:00 p.m. – Hot Dog Pig Races
  • 5:30 p.m. – Tinsmithing Show
  • 6:00 p.m. – Belmont Magic & Illusions
  • 7:00 p.m. – Hot Dog Pig Races
  • 7:15 p.m. – “Big Tiny Young” Show
  • 7:30 p.m. – Tinsmithing Show
  • 8:00 p.m. – Josh Squared Band
  • 9:00 p.m. – Belmont Magic & Illusions
  • 9:30 p.m.  Hot Dog Pig Races
  • 12 p.m. – 9 p.m. – Wildlife/Science Pavillion Show

Activity Schedule:

  • 10 a.m – Opening Ceremony
  • 10 a.m. – 4-H Rabbit / Cavy Show
  • 10 a.m. – 4-H Poultry Show
  • 11 p.m. – 8 p.m. – Penn State Ext. “Ask a Master Gardener” Booth
  • 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. – 4-H Project Judging
  • 3 p.m. – 4-H Poultry Stockman’s Contest
  • 3 p.m. – Mule Demonstration
  • 4 .pm. – Meet the Belgian Draft Horses
  • 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. – Horse Drawn Wagon Rides
  • 6 p.m. – 4-H Alpaca & Llama Show
  • 6 p.m. – 4-H Market Hog Show
  • 7 p.m. – Tractor Parade
  • Various Times Tractor Games

Correction: Dancing diggers will not be at the fair this year. Organizers hope they return next year. 


About the author

Tom Sofield

Tom Sofield has covered news in Bucks County for 12 years for both newspaper and online publications. Tom’s reporting has appeared locally, nationally, and internationally across several mediums. He is proud to report on news in the county where he lives and to have created a reliable publication that the community deserves.