About Westmoreland Fair

History of the Westmoreland Fair

The Westmoreland Fair celebrates its 54th anniversary in 2008. At the very beginning, which was the year of 1954, the Fair was held at Idlewild Park, located in Ligonier, Pennsylvania. At that time the Fair lasted only three days and was attended primarily by 4-H exhibitors, their families and by people who just happened to be attending the amusement park.

By 1957 there was a need to grow and the Fair's charter members purchased a 170 acre farm near the village of Mutual. That first year, organizers built a veritable tent city to accommodate all the exhibits and animals.

Over the years the Fair's Board of Directors focused efforts on adding permanent buildings to house a growing fair. Today, there are 20 buildings including barns, pavilions, and small arena - complete with stage. In 1990 the fair constructed a new grandstand arena complete with roof and with seats for 5,600 and room to expand audiences to more than 8,000.

Westmoreland Fairgrounds is the site of other attractions throughout the year including: the Labor Day Pennsylvania Arts & Crafts Colonial Festival, past Rolling Rock Town Fair Concerts, auctions, livestock shows, car shows, demolition derbies, rodeos, the Westmoreland Rib & Wing Festival as well as antique shows, gun shows, horse shows, Motocross racing, and the magical Overly's Country Christmas light display from November through January.

Directors of Westmoreland Fair

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