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Vendors Deal with Heat at Bloomsburg Fair

BLOOMSBURG — The temperature hit 93 degrees Monday at the largest fair in Pennsylvania. Typically, when you think of the Bloomsburg Fair, you think of coo...

BLOOMSBURG -- The temperature hit 93 degrees Monday at the largest fair in Pennsylvania.

Typically, when you think of the Bloomsburg Fair, you think of cool weather and rain. That's not the case this year.

Over the last two days, workers at the Bloomsburg Fair say dozens of people passed out from the heat. Monday was also Senior Citizens Day, so there was extra concern.

People tried to beat the heat any way they could. People stood under fans that misted water, walked with umbrellas, sat under canopies to get out of the sun, even went to special cooling stations set up by the fair.

But hundreds of vendors could not get out of the heat. They are working to serve up all that delicious food.

"Fryers are like 375-400 degrees, and you're caught back in that little hole sweating all day," Terry Stewart of Gage's Concession.

The last three days of the Bloomsburg Fair were much hotter than usual. Some vendors tell Newswatch 16 it's the hottest it's ever been.

"I can never remember this kind of heat," said Robert Kolar.

Most vendors had fans to keep them cool, but their equipment is so hot, the fans really don't help.

Some of the vendors tell Newswatch 16 over the last few days, the heat has been bad for business.

"Not too many people want to go around and eat hot food at all during the day when you're that hot," Stewart added.

But many places are still doing well. There are lines at almost all of the ice cream stands.

"Milkshakes are becoming our biggest thing because they don't melt quite as fast," said Betsy Divers of Becky's Soft Serve.

Quite a few people tell us at this point, they'd prefer rain. Longtime vendor Rober Kolar would too, but he's prepared for anything.

"It's something you've just got to deal with. It's part of the business," said Kolar.

Emergency officials say if you are coming to the fair, make sure you drink lots of water. There is free water available at four cooling stations around the fairgrounds.

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