Erie-area community fairs begin in August. Here's what you need to know

Erie Times-News

Editor's note: Admission price for Erie County Fair at Wattsburg updated to reflect changes this year. Albion Fair information updated.

It's that time of year again when home show exhibits, craft and food judging, livestock barns, funnel cakes, amusement rides, games, tractor pulls, live entertainment and more await tens of thousands of fairgoers.

Here's a look at northwestern Pennsylvania community fairs this summer in chronological order of when they begin:

Cochranton Community Fair

  • Dates: Aug. 1-6

  • Admission: Gate admission is free. Event/ride pricing varies and is separate from gate admission.

  • Location: 141 River St. Ext., Cochranton

  • Website: cochrantonfair.org

  • Phone: 814-573-4286

  • Notable: Live nightly music starts at 7 p.m. and includes the following: 50 Miles To Empty on Aug. 1; Rick Magee & Jack Adams Acoustics on Aug. 2; Dirty White Boys on Aug. 3; CHAZ band on Aug. 4; Bishop Road on Aug. 5; The Bitter Past on Aug. 6. The normal fair fare will be there, plus tractor pulls, livestock exhibits and more. Fireworks at dusk on Aug. 6.

Jefferson Township Fair

  • Dates: Aug. 9-13

  • Admission: Free admission; $8 fee for some grandstand events.

  • Location: 7409 Lamor Road, Mercer

  • Website: jeffersontwpfair.com

  • Phone: 724-301-2194 or 724-662-4734

  • Notable: Rides, truck and tractor pulls, cowpie bingo, horse show and more are in store for the 51st edition of the fair. Features live music during the week, including The Martin Boys, Basement Band, TakeSoloBand and The Wrangler Band. Fireworks at 10 p.m. on Aug. 13.

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Warren County Fair

  • Dates: Aug. 9-13

  • Admission: Gate admission is $10 per person, $7 in advance if purchased by Monday of fair week. Children under 2 are free. Gate fee includes free parking, midway rides, shows in KeyBank Pavilion and motorsports area (excluding Aug. 12 modified tractor pull main event).

  • Location: 371 Barton Run, Pittsfield

  • Website: warrencountyfair.net

  • Phone: 814-563-9386

  • Notable: The 91st year of the fair will have rides, truck and tractor pulls, a rodeo, drag races, stock car football and more. Live music acts include Travis Denning and Jake Worthington on Aug. 9, Kentucky Headhunters on Aug. 10 and Blue Morning (recreating the music of Foreigner) on Aug. 13.

Crawford County Fair

  • Dates: Aug. 21-27

  • Admission: Gate admission varies. Single-day admission prices are free, $5 or $8 depending on day and time. Children under age 5 are free. Event pricing varies and is separate from gate admission.

  • Location: 13291 Dickson Road, Meadville

  • Website: crawfordcountyfairpa.com or facebook.com/officialcrawfordcountyfairpa

  • Phone: 814-724-3022 or 814-333-7465

  • Notable: Rides, games and entertainment return to the Crawford County Fair after two years, now finally able to celebrate its 75th year. Entertainment includes singer/ventriloquist Darci Lynne and a Country Music Night featuring The Hillbilly Way and Country Redford. Tractor pulls, harness racing, a family circus and demolition derby are also scheduled. The fair was canceled in 2020 because of the pandemic, and a reduced version of it took place in 2021. It's the site of one of the biggest agricultural venues east of the Mississippi River. Fireworks at 10:45 p.m. on Aug. 27.

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Erie County Fair at Wattsburg

  • Dates: Aug. 29-Sept. 3

  • Admission: Gate admission is $10 for general admission, which includes the grandstand and rides except for special attractions. Price is $10 for a weekly button, which does not include rides ($5 for upgrade) or Thursday and Friday night grandstand; free gate admission for age 5 and younger and for military. There are additional fees for a Thursday night rodeo ($5) and Friday night truck pulls ($2) in the grandstand.

  • Location: 13993 Routes 8 and 89, Wattsburg

  • Website: wattsburgfair.com orfacebook.com/wattsburgfair

  • Phone: 814-739-2232

  • Notable: The 137th Erie County Fair features tractor and truck pulls, a rodeo on Sept. 1 and daily midway show of the Pompeyo Family & Their Amazing Dogs as seen on "America's Got Talent." Live music includes Jess Kellie Adams at 7 p.m. on Aug. 28 in the grandstand and The Joe Matczak Orchestra (polka music) at 5 p.m. on Aug. 31.

Daniel Byler of Cochranton and his Belgian horses Bud and Charlie compete in the horse pull competition Aug. 31, 2021 at the Erie County Fair at the Wattsburg-Erie County Fairgrounds in Venango Township.
Daniel Byler of Cochranton and his Belgian horses Bud and Charlie compete in the horse pull competition Aug. 31, 2021 at the Erie County Fair at the Wattsburg-Erie County Fairgrounds in Venango Township.

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Spartansburg Community Fair

  • Dates: Sept. 4-10

  • Admission: $4 for daily admission, free for age 12 and younger; $9 for weekly; additional fees for rides and some events.

  • Location: 231 Jefferson St., Spartansburg

  • Website: spartansburgcommunityfair.com or facebook.com/SpartaFairPA

  • Phone: 814-654-7608

  • Notable: It's the centennial celebration of the fair, which will include show exhibits, rides, games, lemon pie contest, tractor pulls and more. Features music by Concord Station on Sept. 7, Revolving Again on Sept. 8, Union Overdrive on Sept. 9 and Radioactive on Sept. 10.

Waterford Community Fair

  • Dates: Sept. 5-10

  • Admission: $4 for daily admission, free for age 8 and younger; $8 for weekly button; $25 for ride-a-rama, $20 in advance.

  • Location: 13012 Route 19 S, Waterford

  • Website: waterfordfair.org

  • Phone: 814-796-6923 or 814-651-3586

  • Notable: Held since 1937, the fair celebrates its 85th anniversary with amusement rides, games, a horse show, exhibits, tractor and truck pulls, live music nightly at the gazebo, and more. Live music nightly starting at 6 p.m. at the gazebo includes the following: Mountain Thyme Ramblers on Sept. 6; Earth Angel on Sept. 7; Loose Change Band on Sept. 8; Traditional Country on Sept. 9; Old Hat Band on Sept. 10; and Polka Relations on Sept. 11. The Misery Bay Dulcimer Club & Friends will perform Sept. 11 from 1-5 p.m.

From left, Taylor Kubeja, then 13, Mitchell Metzler, then 14, and Elise Honeycutt, then 14, compete in the market lamb showmanship division at the Waterford Community Fair on Sept. 7, 2021, in Waterford.
From left, Taylor Kubeja, then 13, Mitchell Metzler, then 14, and Elise Honeycutt, then 14, compete in the market lamb showmanship division at the Waterford Community Fair on Sept. 7, 2021, in Waterford.

Albion Area Fair

  • Dates: Sept. 13-17

  • Admission: $5 for daily admission for age 12 and older, $10 for week; additional fee for rides ($15 for rides wristband on Sept. 13; $20 daily for rest of week).

  • Location: 30 Academy St., Albion

  • Website: albionfair.com or facebook.com/albion.fair.16401

  • Phone: 814-756-3911

  • Notable: The 77th version of the Albion Fair will feature amusement rides, games, exhibits, livestock judging, tractor and truck pulls, king and queen contest, live music in the grandstand and more. Entertainment in the grandstand includes Mark Morris and Lucky Dog (7 p.m.) on Sept. 14; Johnny Lambert, The Misfits bluegrass band and Small Town Revolution (7:30 p.m.) on Sept. 15; Jay Baumgardner’s Band, Ralph Chamberlain Jr. Band and Lock Down (7:30 p.m.) on Sept. 16; and South of 90 and Theory of Evolution (8 p.m.) on Sept. 17.

People attend the Albion Area Fair on Sept. 16, 2021, in Albion.
People attend the Albion Area Fair on Sept. 16, 2021, in Albion.

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This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: 2022 Erie, Crawford county fairs: What visitors can expect this year

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