BLOOMSBURG — The Bloomsburg Fair, which has gone high-tech this year with a new website, will be offering higher horse racing purses thanks to state gambling revenues.
The Website, at www.bloomsburgfair.com, contains information about entertainment, both free and paid, and a map of the grounds and of vendors, fair president Todd Lehman said Wednesday.
New this year will be a Website camera in front of the fair office where people will “get to see the fair built in two weeks,” he said.
Fair Treasurer James Burrows said they hope to have up and running a system for accepting credit cards as admission at the gates.
“This world is plastic, and this is the way we gotta go,” said the retired banker. Lehman said it will be a great addition to the gates.
Because of gambling money rolling in, purses for horse racing will be increased from $3,500 to $10,000, said horse racing director John Flick. “We will have more and better horses and better quality racing,” he said of the big purse racing scheduled for Wednesday of fair week with the fair starting Sept. 20. If it rains, the big races will be postponed until Thursday.
Also new are advanced reduced price ticket sales at Giant Markets with sales going well, according to Jeffrey Turner who is in charge of ticket collectors. As of Wednesday at 10:30 a.m., they sold 22,175 single tickets, 8,094 three-day tickets and 14,484 eight-day tickets. “I’m sure as it gets closer to fair time, this will increase,” he said. People will be able to buy those tickets the week of the fair at Giant stores.
A new main stage has been set up to replace a stage that was torn down. The fair is renting the stage, with better views and video screens on the side, until a permanent one can be built. “I’ve seen shows at these and they are fantastic,” Lehman said.
Grandstand director W. Cary Howell said ticket sales have gone well with only a couple hundred left for “Sugarland.” The fair website has tracked tickets sold in more than 25 states.
A veterans memorial is being built near the tank at the fair. Pavers are being sold for $100 with names and the branch of service engraved on them. In fewer than three weeks, 143 of the 640 pavers have been sold, said Vietnam veteran Rick Lynn who is helping with the event along with his brother Rob. Applications for pavers are available on the website or by calling the fair office.
“It’s a great thing for the area and it’s really looking nice down in that area,” Lehman said of the memorial.
Turner said the fair has added Armed Services Day on Monday of fair week where military personnel can get in free with proper identification. It is also Senor Citizens Day with seniors admitted free. On Tuesday and Friday, high school kids get in free. All week, kids 12 and younger are admitted free. General admission is $4, which is the same as last year.
George Sudol, of the Watsontown area who has designed collectible fair coins, presented the first set to Lehman. Ron Coleman has created fair collectibles of old car lots.
With at least 10,000 people visiting the animal barns daily, Lehman spoke of features this year including a Texas Longhorn a man rides, a team of horse-drawn wagons from Clydesdale Ridge Farm, miniature donkeys and Belgium Draft horses.
“The fair is agriculture-based and one of the biggest attractions is the animal barns,” he said.
Kenneth Carlson, agriculture director, said they hope to have a nearly 900-pound pumpkin compared with am 840-pound pumpkin last year. New will be an exhibit showing how grain used to be harvested and a decorating contest for kids. There will be a banjo contest Sept. 22, a fiddling contest Sept. 23 and barbershoppers Sept. 24, all at 7 p.m. on the free stage.
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