SCHUYLKILL HAVEN, Pa. — The fair food, livestock auctions, and farm animal exhibits draw folks to the 41st annual Schuylkill County Fair near Summit Station, and a hot day was not going to stop them.
Tami Campbell, a former dairy farmer from Dauphin County, says, "Oh man! When it's farming, it's in your blood, and you're showing here! It doesn't matter how hot it gets."
Thomas Junker, a farmer from Pine Grove, stands true to that statement.
"Well, it's hot, but I'm used to it. It's when it gets like real hot or hotter then I go inside and just lay off."
Despite the heat, trying fair food and upholding family traditions was more important than staying cool.
Riley Zeigenfuss, came from Tamaqua with her family to be at the Schuylkill County Fair.
"It changes every year, but it gets hotter every year, so we definitely pack the fans. We make sure our animals have plenty of water, and we bring fans for our animals. We make sure they're always in the shade and cool, and we just try to stay in the shade."
Zeigenfuss and her family have been showing at the Schuylkill County Fair since its first day in 1983. They say the heat will never deter them from attending.
"The kids put a lot of effort into these animals all year round, so the hard work definitely does pay off when they come to the fair and they show," Zeigenfuss added.
Schuylkill County Fair Association President Paul T. Kennedy says farm life is what the Schuylkill County Fair is all about.
"41 years rooted in agriculture, right here, in Schuylkill County. We're the biggest show in our little county, and boy, is agriculture really flourishing this week. We are going to set records tonight at our livestock arena at our youth sale. I am so excited about the records we are breaking this year."
The Schuylkill County Fair continues through Saturday, August 3.