It’s that time of year again in Centre County for one of the nation’s only remaining agricultural encampment fairs. Bust out the flannels because the annual Grange Fair is set to kick off today in Centre Hall.

The 136-year tradition of Centre County’s most talked about end-of-summer attraction is hard to categorize. Visitors come for the rides, food, music, games, livestock competitions and machine shows; but the locals rave about the Grange Fair’s unique “hometown” experience.

Diehard fair-goers crash in cozy (kind of) tents and RVs for the entirety of the event, giving the expansive grounds a sort of redneck music festival appeal. It’s almost like walking down the dorm halls, except instead of hearing Enrique Iglesias and freshman puking, you’ll hear country music and fishing stories.

Fun kicks off bright and early today at 9 a.m. but things start to heat up around 4 p.m. with horse and tractor shows carrying on until the late evening. Don’t have time to stop by today? That’s alright because the farmers of Central PA know how to party. The Grange Fair is a week long event, concluding next Thursday with a set from Satisfaction, a Rolling Stones tribute band.

If goats, poultry exhibits and truck pulls don’t sounds like your idea of a rager, you’re clearly not living (or Amish!) Take that short ride out to Centre Hall and see how the permanent residents of Centre County get down.

When: Thursday, August 25-Thursday, September 1
Where: Grange Fairgrounds, 169 Homan Lane, Centre Hall, PA, 16828 (map)
Grange Fair website
Grange Fair on Facebook
Photos from past fairs