I grew up in a small town, moved to the metropolitan New York area after college and spent a dozen years traveling the New Jersey turnpike to and from work. While I loved the opportunities that big city life has to offer, I yearned to give my children the same kind of small town upbringing I had. After much planning and debating, we moved our family back to rural Pennsylvania ten years ago.
We settled in a small town called Dillsburg about 10 miles from Harrisburg. It’s a town that started as a farming community and, because of the readily available land, has become a growing community. Farmland is quickly being converted into housing developments as it becomes more lucrative for farmers to sell than to farm. Even so, farming is still a large part of the economic landscape in Dillsburg and its surrounding communities.
Even though the town’s population and demographics have changed, it still offers a bit of Americana in its small town feel. It’s a close knit community where you can chat with your neighbor at the high school football games, stop and talk at the market and, gasp, even hear Christmas carols in the town square during the holidays.
One of my favorite events in our town is the annual Farmers Fair. Yes, we actually have a fair celebrating the time honored tradition of farming! Think what your dinner table would look like without it. The Farmers Fair is held for five days in October. The time is filled with contests you would see at most county fairs; a fair queen, produce contests and baking contests. In addition there is a large craft fair and car show and any kind of food you care to eat. Friday features a children’s costume parade. Saturday’s events culminate with a large parade featuring high school bands, floats and tractors. People here love their tractors.
People flock from all over the area to experience Farmers Fair. While we may all be caught up in the rush of everyday living, we all can use a reminder of the foundation on which our country was built; small communities joining together to make their way in the world.
If you are in the Central Pennsylvania area from October 13th to 17th, you’d be remiss if you didn’t stop by the 94th Annual Farmers Fair. You won’t be disappointed. Visit http://www.dillsburgfarmersfair.org/ for more information and a schedule of events.
by: Karen Reese
Tags: fairs, Farmer's Fair, farming, growing up in a small town, Pennsylvania, rural town, small town, tractor
October 11th, 2009 at 9:43 pm
I grew up in a small town too and couldn’t wait to get out and move to the ‘big city’ when I graduated. Now that I am older I kind of wish I still lived there. I think it’s easier to make friends in a small town and there’s something special about small town communities. And they do love their tractors
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