Celebrating Old-Fashioned Fun at the Farm Show

Lois Polleck, a volunteer at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Milkshake booth, serves milkshakes to Andersen Brunst, 12, and his dad, Chip Brunst, of Butler, during the Fill a Glass with Hope campaign, which kicked off Friday at the 99th Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg. (Photo courtesy of the Pennsylvania Farm Show)

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If you have a hankering for some old-fashioned fun, you’re in luck: The 2015 Pennsylvania Farm Show starts Saturday.

The Pennsylvania Farm Show, held each year in Harrisburg, is the nation’s largest indoor agricultural exposition, boasting nearly 6,000 animals, 10,000 competitive exhibits and 300 commercial exhibits. The 2015 event is the 99th annual show.

The 2015 show aims to “Fill A Glass With Hope,” raising money for to get milk to Pennsylvanians in need, Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture George Greig said.

“We couldn’t have imagined the success of this program when we implemented it last year,” Greig said. “It’s proven good for farmers, for milk dealers, for food banks, and, most importantly, for families who are at risk for hunger. Now we encourage our Farm Show visitors to support this worthy program by giving as they are able through Fill a Glass with Hope.”

Guests can donate funds at designated collection areas in the Farm Show Food Court and the Weis Markets exhibit in the Expo Hall and online at www.centralpafoodbank.orgmilk, farm show officials said.

The show’s busiest times are between 3:30 and 5 p.m., Farm Show officials said, so if you go, you may want to arrive between 9 a.m. and noon, when crowds aren’t as heavy.

A food court featuring Pennsylvania foods — including local honey, milkshakes, and roast-beef sandwiches — will be open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. See a full list of food exhibitors and the Pennsylvania products they’ll be selling.

If You Go

What: The 2015 Pennsylvania Farm Show

Where: PA Farm Show Expo Complex, Harrisburg. Get directions here. Download a visitor’s guide to the farm show here; get a show map here.

When: Jan. 10 to 17

How Much: Show admission is free; parking is $10