Category: Fairs
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How the Fairgrounds almost ended up in West Wyomissing
Read more: How the Fairgrounds almost ended up in West WyomissingThe earliest years of the Reading Fair were held at City Park and then a plot on North 11th street. During the early 1910s the Berks County Agricultural Society was tired of leasing the land at North 11th Street and wanted a more permanent location they could call their own. On April 3rd, 1914 it…
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Reading Fairgrounds & Speedway Plaque Dedication
Read more: Reading Fairgrounds & Speedway Plaque DedicationOn Saturday May 21st, 2022, a plaque commemorating the Reading Fairgrounds & Speedway was ceremonially dedicated to the drivers who lost their lives there. The brainchild of Jeff Hartman, Saturday’s event has been over a decade in the making, with a few bumps along the way. He originally pursued the idea back in 2010, when…
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The Apple Dumpling Festival
Read more: The Apple Dumpling FestivalThe Apple Dumpling Festival dates back to the summer of 1953. It actually came to be as a merging of two events; Spring Township’s 5-day community summer fair and the West Lawn Owls Baseball Club 2-day fundraising event. The Owls raised money for their club by selling Apple Dumplings and playing modest games like bingo.…
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Sammy’s Steaks
Read more: Sammy’s SteaksSammy’s Steaks was a pretty popular sandwich joint that was founded in 1946. The “Original” shop was at 12th and Buttonwood Sts. While under family ownership they sliced their own meats from fresh formed ribeyes and NEVER used anything but; unlike the emulsified meat that most others use today. They also made their own sauce…
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Monday Mystery: The Hot Air Balloon
Read more: Monday Mystery: The Hot Air BalloonFound this image in my family’s album, but no one seems to have a recollection of what, where or when this image was taken. It was likely taken in the late 60s/early 70s, and appears to be summertime by people’s apparel. It looks to be some sort of fair or carnival at a local park.…
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5th Street – 1971 Then & Now
Read more: 5th Street – 1971 Then & NowBelow are Aerials shots from 1971, showing what Fifth street highway/Route 61/Kutztown Road looked like just north of the city. A few of the notable structures are the Reading Fairgrounds, Bellevue Diner, and Gethsemane Cemetery. The Warren Street Bypass was also noticeably not extended past 5th street at the time of this photo. Five years…
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On this Day – August 17th, 1976
Read more: On this Day – August 17th, 1976Above the fold in the August 17th, 1976 Reading Eagle Local girl is crowned bowling champion.. Issues arise with city development… Kutztown Fair kicks off… Microwaving…the next big thing?
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Reading Hospital Garden Party
Read more: Reading Hospital Garden PartyThe Reading Hospital Garden Party has been a staple event in June for over 80 years. Though, some might say it is not the event it once was. The purpose of the event is to raise money for a variety of medical causes. Did you ever attend this event? A look into the Garden Party of…
