HONESDALE, PA — “There’s a little bit of something here for everybody,” said Roger Dirlam, president of the Wayne County Fair board of directors, on the eve of the historic local fair’s 160th anniversary. The fair this year runs from Friday, August 5 to Saturday, August 13.

Like many of the folks who run the show, Dirlam comes from a family with long-standing associations with the Wayne County Fair.

“My father Ronald started working there back in the 1930s,” he recalled. “I tagged along with him as a little kid.” He noted that his dad passed  away in 1978.

Since taking over the helm as president of the board in 1998, Dirlam said, “Everyone’s jumped in and things have gotten a little bigger... we’re trying to change the face of the fairgrounds, keep it going toward the future instead of behind us.” 

To that end, the directors of the popular county fair have in recent years acquired land to add parking, thus increasing what Dirlam called “making the footprint of the fair a lot bigger.” 

One of the fair’s top selling points is that everyone “pays one price” of $12 per person, a nominal fee that includes parking, small stage shows, most grandstand shows and “best of all, rides all day at no further cost.” 

The fair offers a reduced admission fee of $6 to seniors (age 62 and up) and military/veterans on Friday, August 5 and Wednesday, August 10.

“Back in the ‘80s we decided that everyone pays the same price,” said Dirlam. “You can go to the fair with a family, and ride the rides from noon until 11 o’clock.” At a lot of fairs, he said, “you’ve got to buy tickets for each thrill ride, so every half hour or thereabouts, you’re shelling out more of your hard-earned bucks.”

The Wayne County Fair offers a lot of entertainment for the whole family, and kids take a front seat when it comes time to get a thrill out of the 160th fair: a Wild West showdown; the speedy pigs of Rosaire’s Royal Racers; a strolling T-Rex named Dino Roar; Michael Griffin, aka  The Escape Guy; Buffalo & Brandy on the small stage; and, last but not least, Magic Man T.J. Hill strolling the midway.

In addition, for the younger generation, several kid-size rides are featured, in addition to the ever popular 4-H exhibits and livestock shows.

“It seems like everybody likes stuff on wheels,” said Dirlam. He said that the fair offers numerous two- or four-wheeled (or -footed) grandstand events, including horse pulls, harness racing, truck pulls, pony pulls, tractor pulls and crash-‘em-up demolition derbies.

On a historical side note, one of the attractions at the fair used to be girlie shows, where rather scantily clad young women offered a bit of spicy entertainment.

Reflecting on the long-past hoochie shows, Dirlam said, “They had those too, and I might have been up on the side hill trying to look in.” 

On what makes the Wayne County Fair, which traces its roots to the Wayne County Agricultural Society in 1862, such a success, Dirlam said, “It’s a great bunch of people giving something back to the community. It’s a good set of directors, associate directors and volunteers that make this fair a great event.” 

“I hope it goes on for another 160 years!” he said. 

The fairgrounds open at 9 a.m. and the midway and rides are open from 12 noon to 11 p.m. The exhibit buildings are open from 10 a.m to 10 p.m.

The Wayne County Fairgrounds is located on Route 191, 1.5 miles north of Honesdale. 

For information, visit www.waynecountyfair.com, email gotothefair@waynecountyfair.com, or call 570/253-2942 or 570/253-5486.