First annual Myerstown carnival scheduled for Memorial Day weekend

The first annual Myerstown carnival is set to open on Wednesday, May 21, and run through Memorial Day, Monday, May 26, at Myerstown Community Park.

Daniel R. Ebling, president of the Elmer C. Ebling Memorial Charity and event organizer for the first annual Myerstown carnival, told LebTown about the free-admission event, which is one of many community events made possible — in whole or in part — by the charity.

Preparing for the carnival

Ebling, who is also the CEO of Dutch Valley Companies, said the community itself served as the inspiration for the carnival.

“Many people from the community really loved the carnivals that Myerstown used to have annually. And that came to an end,” Ebling said. “Once the Sestercentennial happened here in Myerstown [in 2018], they had their 250th anniversary. They had a carnival, and it just brought a lot of memories back for many people.”

The Elmer C. Ebling Memorial Charity started to organize the first annual Myerstown carnival around September 2024.

“It is a lot of work,” Ebling said. “The organizational process would consist of — there’s one main volunteer [who wishes to remain unnamed] that’s helping me with the carnival, and then, there’s many small pieces that people are assisting with.”

Ebling said the Ebling Memorial Charity collaborated with Myerstown Borough on the plan for the carnival, which was officially approved in December along with other requests by the charity.

Read More: Myerstown Borough Council approves 2025 budget, transfers carnival planning

In the months since gaining the borough’s approval and leading up to the carnival, Ebling and the main volunteer have continued to work on the placement of the various elements of the carnival around the carnival grounds.

What to expect at the carnival

As of LebTown’s interview with Ebling on Friday, March 7, the Myerstown carnival is scheduled as follows:

• Wednesday, May 21, 4-8 p.m. (rides open at 4 p.m.)
• Thursday, May 22, 4-8 p.m. (rides open at 4 p.m.)
• Friday, May 23, 2-10 p.m. (rides open at 2 p.m.)
• Saturday, May 24, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. (rides open at 2 p.m.)
• Sunday, May 25, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. (rides open at 2 p.m.)
• Monday, May 26, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. (rides open at 2 p.m.)

Coinciding with the carnival, the Myerstown Community Pool will open for the season on Saturday, May 24. Leading up to Saturday, the main parking for the carnival will be the pool parking lot. After Saturday, the main parking for the carnival will be the pond parking lot.

Ebling added there will be signage directing guests where to park and there will be ADA-accessible spaces available.

The carnival will feature 10 to 12 carnival rides, including a children’s section and an adult section, as well as various carnival games. Ebling told LebTown the charity is exploring the possibility of offering bingo at the event.

“We are working to see if the amusement company will do something for veterans, but that’s not confirmed,” Ebling, himself a U.S. Army veteran, said.

“What is confirmed is the amusement company offered half off of an all day ride wristband for someone who purchases a pool pass. So, we want to support the pool … since we’re going to be using the space, and we want to give back to the community any way we can.”

Each day of the carnival, except for opening day, the event will feature a stage with live music and entertainment. These acts will perform from 6 to 8 p.m., except for May 24, when they will perform from 5 to 8 p.m.

Although the carnival continues seeking acts for May 23 and May 26, the tentative entertainment schedule is as follows:

• Dave Meyer “Don’t Tell The Bishop” (May 22)
• The WingNutz (May 22)
• Solid Gold (May 24)
• The Ten String Travelers (May 25)
• Jeff Krick “Elvis Tribute” (May 25)

The carnival will also feature a lineup of food trucks in the Isaac Meier Homestead’s parking lot and one of the tennis courts set up with picnic tables to enjoy the food and beverages.

There will also be a section for sponsors and a space-rent-free section for nonprofits as well as activities for children, a petting zoo, special attractions, and other local vendors present at the event.

“I am most looking forward to seeing the community come together again, because the community’s been getting more distant, and I would like to see it come together again,” Ebling said.

He added that he hopes a lot of community members attend the carnival but did not have a number on how many are expected to attend.

This year’s carnival is sponsored by Endless Imprints (platinum sponsor), Bayer (gold), Lebanon Indoor Archery (gold), Mast’s Health Cupboard in Myerstown (gold), CME Golf Carts (silver), Country Fare (silver), Countryside Fuel (silver), Dave’s Dumpsters (silver), Dutch Valley Foods (silver), H&M Glass (silver), Holiday Inn/Hampton Inn in Lebanon (silver), Keller Bros. Ford in Schaefferstown (silver), Martin Companies (silver), The Wenger Foundation (silver), Visit Lebanon Valley (silver), A&H Industries (bronze), Bell & Evans (bronze), California Boys (bronze), DoGood’s Tavern in Myerstown (bronze), KOHL Bros. (bronze), Pennsy Supply (bronze), a sponsorship in love and remembrance of Trent Unruh by an anonymous donor (bronze), and Dutch Valley Company (undisclosed).

“The proceeds [from the carnival] will go to the charity for further events and for playground upgrades. Once we get enough for certain upgrades, we’ll donate that to the borough to purchase playground equipment,” Ebling said.

E&E, Don’t Tell The Bishop, Huckelbee Hollow, Reading Rocks, and Visit Lebanon Valley also made in-kind contributions to the event.

For more information on the event, visit its page on the Elmer C. Ebling Memorial Charity website. Ebling said this information is about 90% finalized as of Friday, March 7.

Ebling’s connection to Myerstown

Ebling’s connection to Myerstown runs deep. Although he was born in Schaefferstown, he was raised in Myerstown, surrounded by the legacy his family has left in the area.

The interviewee’s great-grandfather, Elmer C. Ebling, owned various properties in Myerstown, including land he acquired in the 1930s that would become Ebling’s Meat Market in Myerstown. The interviewee’s grandfather, Robert E. Ebling, co-owned the meat market for 50 years until his retirement in 2000, according to his obituary.

In the late 1940s, Elmer C. Ebling donated land to the Ulrich Playground Association, another connection of the family’s, to create a community playground “for the sole purpose of giving more to the community,” the interviewee said. Later, the playground association donated the land now known as the Myerstown Community Park to the borough.

Ebling told LebTown he created the charity, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, “in honor of [Elmer C. Ebling] and wanting to bring community together.”

The Elmer C. Ebling Memorial Charity works to make possible — in whole or in part — community events in and around the community park, including the carnival, the summer concert series, and an alcohol-free Oktoberfest.

“As a former mayor of Myerstown, I always valued the importance of bringing our community together. It brings me joy to see events like an annual carnival becoming a part of Myerstown, creating a tradition that strengthens our sense of community and brings excitement to local families,” stated Gloria Ebling, the interviewee’s grandmother who served as the mayor of Myerstown Borough from 2014 to 2021 as well as a council member for Myerstown Borough, in a press release about the carnival.

Proceeds from events hosted by the charity are used to fund future community events hosted by the charity. Alternatively, proceeds are saved by the charity to be donated to the borough to upgrade playground equipment.

“If we want to upgrade a piece of equipment, we’ll make sure we have it together, get the quote, make sure they approve of it, and then, donate it with the quote, that amount of money, and have them replace that piece of equipment in the park,” Ebling explained.

In a follow-up email to LebTown, Ebling said the Elmer C. Ebling Memorial Charity is searching for board members. Those interested can contact the charity through its website.