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Covered Bridge Festival no longer at Knoebels

For the first time in the festival's nearly 40 year history, it will now be held at the Bloomsburg Fairgrounds.

ELYSBURG, Pa. — The beginning of October was always a busy time at Knoebels Amusement Resort as the park near Elysburg hosts the Covered Bridge and Arts Festival.

But for the first time in the festival's nearly 40 year history, it will now be held somewhere else.

Starting this year, the Covered Bridge and Arts Festival will move to the Bloomsburg Fairgrounds.

"The festival itself has just really outgrown Knoebels Amusement Resort and I think the family would be the first to tell you that," said Otto Kurecian, Columbia Montour Visitors Bureau Executive Director.

"It's just become such a large event that the logistics to host it at the Bloomsburg Fairgrounds is a much better idea," added Brian Knoebel, Knoebels Amusement Resort.

The four-day event typically draws more than 150,000 people to the resort.

Once the parking lot fills up people must get bussed in from nearby Southern Columbia High School and the Elysburg Gun Club.

The Columbia Montour Visitors Bureau puts on the event and says the venue change was inevitable.

"It would have been difficult at best to try to safely put on an event that draws 150,000 people at Knoebels this year," said Kurecian.

"We don't have enough staff this year. How are we going to bring everyone in with all the turnover because some people only come for an hour or two. It's the parking places; it's a lot of things," Knoebel explained.

Instead of the Covered Bridge Festival, Knoebels will start its annual Hallo Fun event one week early.

The Covered Bridge and Arts Festival will be held October 7-10 at the Bloomsburg Fairgrounds.

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