As the 250th birthday of the United States of America approaches in 2026, patriotic events are ramping up and even County Fairs are getting in on the action!
The Lebanon Area Fair is one of the “feeder” Fairs participating in the Pennsylvania State Association of County Fairs (PSACF) America250 Apron Contest—whoever wins will receive a $20 cash prize, rosette ribbon, and will represent Lebanon County at the state contest, held in conjunction with the 2026 Pennsylvania Farm Show, where the stakes are even higher—$250 for the first place exhibitor!
Rachel Siegel, Lebanon Area Fair Indoor Exhibits Chairman, explained that the America250 apron contest is open to people of any age. The competitor must sew an apron where the only colors are red, white and blue. The apron can be any style (bib, half, etc.), and it may be sewn, quilted, embroidered, or embellished in any manner, as long as it was created solely by the competitor (no premade aprons). There is no entry fee for this contest, but prospective exhibitors must pre-enter using the Fair’s website, or in person at the Fair Office by this year’s entry deadline day: July 4th.
“This year, the PSACF is proudly asserting that not only are Fairs big community gatherings, but they are a classic piece of Americana, which make them a logical setting to host some of the America250 Celebrations that are expected across the state and country in the coming year,” Siegel said.
The commemorative aprons are to be brought to the Fairgrounds on Friday, July 18 or Saturday, July 19 and results will be known at 4 p.m. on July 19 when the exhibit hall opens to the public.
Although some people might be expecting the Semiquincentennial celebrations to be limited to July 2026, some local celebration committees, like Lebanon County’s, are launching a year of service and learning this July 4th, 2025, with programming and events expected throughout the entire year leading up until the actual celebratory day on July 4, 2026. To help kick off the celebrations in Lebanon, the Lebanon County America250 Committee, in conjunction with the Lebanon Quilters Guild and area quilters, will have a space during the Fair in West Hall, where the public can come and put a few stitches into a large Lebanon County 250 Quilt to commemorate the milestone birthday of the United States.
“Quilts have a long history for being a living time-capsule of people, places and events, and what better place to capture the social fabric of America than at the Fair? I hope we have lots of people stop by to add their part to the Lebanon County America250 quilt,” said Jan Morrissey, member of the Lebanon County 250Committee and Lebanon Quilters Guild.
“We have a rich tradition of sewing in Lebanon, so I would hope that we have good participation in the Apron contest and Quilt stitching, too,” Siegel said. “Break out your fabric and sewing machine, channel your inner Betsy Ross, and enter your patriotic apron creation in the Lebanon Area Fair to mark this special occasion, which is ‘sew’ special, it only comes around every 250 years.”
Fair rules, additional information regarding the pre-entry process, and specific arrival times, are available by clicking on the Exhibit Tab on the Fair’s website, LebanonAreaFair.com/p/exhibit. The apron contest rules are found on page 83 of the 2025 Fair Catalog. Further questions? Please contact the Fair Office at 717-273-3795 during business hours.
