The Pennsylvania Farm Show

Every January thousands of people from all over the country flock to Harrisburg Pennsylvania, for the annual Pennsylvania Farm Show. The show is held the first week of January at the Farm Show Complex on Cameron Street.

So what is the Farm show? Glad you asked. It is the largest indoor agricultural exposition in the nation. The show hosts over 5000 live animals for you and your family to get up close to or to watch in competitions, and there are over 13,000 exhibits to view all under one roof! They have tractor pulls, a rodeo, sheep shearing, and don’t forget to see the butter sculpture!! Every day at the show there are endless events to watch throughout the complex and the show website has a full list of them all for each day.

The farming industry employs nearly half a million people, and contributes billions of dollars every year to not only Pennsylvania but all across our country. Farming and agriculture are vital to our country and our survival and the hard work that these men and women put in every day is many times overlooked. This show is a great way to learn all about the industry and how our food goes from farm to table.

And speaking of tables, I can not forget to mention the food at the show! There are so many choices to choose from in several different sections of the complex. The main food court is the busiest and most popular area to indulge a little. You will find amazing milkshakes (seriously good!), pulled pork sandwiches, huge baked potatoes with all the toppings, apple dumplings, ice cream, the list goes on and on. If you don’t come hungry, you will be after all of the walking and you will want to treat yourself.

There is one more thing to mention that you should not miss and that is the Butter Sculpture in the Main Exhibit Hall. Every year a new theme is chosen and it takes weeks to carve this marvel, all out of butter! The theme for 2020 was East Meets West at the Pennsylvania Farm Show and shows three of the most popular mascots from Pennsylvania professional sports teams; Philadelphia Flyers’ Gritty, Philadelphia Eagles’ Swoop, and Pittsburgh Steelers’ Steely McBeam.

The show is FREE to get into and if you use one of the sponsored parking lots there is a $15 fee to park. There are plenty of shuttles that will run you from the parking lots directly to the door for no additional cost. Keep in mind again that thousands attend this event each DAY, so be prepared for traffic as you get close to the complex and plenty of crowds inside. That being said, I went from highway to parking in less than 10 minutes and was at the show in under 20. They are a very well organized group! There are areas throughout to sit down and take a break from all the walking you will do and an abundance of restroom facilities. This is a family-friendly event and they do allow strollers for the little ones, but again, with all the crowds, it can sometimes be tough to maneuver if you bring a bulky stroller.

So, if you are going to be in the area during this first week of January each year, mark your calendars for a day trip to Harrisburg to visit the Farm Show!