Form follows function. That’s true for automobiles, and especially true for farm machinery.
But an assembly of gears, wheels, spark plugs, gauges, and gearboxes working together can create a kind of beauty that goes beyond a machine’s basic use.
That beauty was on display Saturday morning at the Lebanon Fairgrounds as the 2024 Lebanon Area Fair got underway with the Special Olympics Car and Tractor Show.
Fair goers, including 2023 Fair Queen Madison Copenhaver, browsed through rows of antique vehicles showcasing more than a century of American automotive and agricultural design.
The car and tractor show was just the start of the fair’s jam-packed slate of events running through Saturday, July 27. Over 8,000 exhibits will be judged throughout the week in the various halls and barns on the fairgrounds.
The non-profit Lebanon Valley Exposition Corporation, the Lebanon Area Fair Board, and an army of dedicated volunteers are responsible for the Fair’s success. Plans and preparation go on year ’round.
More 50,000 attendees visit the fair annually to celebrate Lebanon County agriculture, and to enjoy food, carnival rides, track events, and live entertainment.
The inaugural Lebanon Area fair was held in 1957. Before 1970, it was known as the “Lebanon County 4-H Fair,” and held at different venues, including the Ebenezer School, Fredericksburg Fireman’s Park, and H&H Tack Farm in Annville.
Read More: For 60+ years, the Lebanon Area Fair has been one of county’s biggest attractions
In 1969, a group a 4-H leaders bought the land at Cornwall and Rocherty Roads in North Cornwall Township, now known as the Lebanon Area Fairgrounds. The fair has been held there ever since.
Two of the more unusual antique cars on display were a 1913 Velie and a 1937 Cord 812.
Velie Motors built cars between 1908 and 1928. The company was founded by Willard Velie, John Deere’s maternal grandson. Like Deere, its factory was in Moline, Illinois.
Cord made luxury autos in Indiana between 1929 and 1932, and again in 1936 and 1937. It pioneered a number of automotive innovations, including front wheel drive.
If you’re going to the Fair
Firearms, alcohol, and pets are not permitted on the Fairgrounds.
Daily admission is free between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. Daily admission after 3 p.m. for ages 10 and up is $5. Admission charges allow entry to a variety of free entertainment and activities. Their are special admission offers for senior citizens, military, and children.
Admission to the events held at the track requires a separate ticket. Pre-sale tickets (which include main gate admission) are available online and in the Fair Office.
Complete admission details can be found on the Fair’s web page.
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this article identified Madison Copenhaver as the 2024 Lebanon Area Fair Queen. In fact, she is the outgoing 2023 Lebanon Area Fair Queen. We sincerely regret the error.
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