Outdoor venues Parks, State fairs etc

Janice Brooks · From: Pleasant Gap Pa

Wish i could approcht this subject from more then a fans point of view. Bill Neuman and Earl Ebb mentioned some of the fairs venues thay played in Pa.
Here in Centre county, we have grange fair the last week in August and you would know our venue as we are the only 8 day tent and
tralier encampment for about 2000 familys.
I have seen a lot of acts there over the years from including Archie Campbell, Bill Anderson, Boxcar Willie, Patty Loveless, Joe
Diffie, Carlene Carter, Highway 101(after
Paulette), Tracy Lawrence, and Ty England.

Also going way back before my time there was
a park on the west end of State College(1940's) that had a weekly show from Bob and Jane with the Western vagabonds.

So what were your experiences ?

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Earl Erb · From: Old Hickory Tenn

Wish I could be of more help with the names of places but it seems like central Penna. was a hot bed for country shows.Fairs and carnivals around Carlyle,Lancaster,Reading,
and Shippensburg to name a few.Nothing like the experience of working on a flat bed trailer for a stage under every weather conditions you could think of.The worst for me was the cold night shows.
Janice,I'm not sure I know where State College is located.

[This message was edited by Earl Erb on 16 January 2000 at 10:22 PM.]

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

I'm originally from Mechanicsburg, and there were a lot of country shows at parks around the Harrisburg area. Besides what I mentioned on the other thread, I remember Williams Grove Park, back in the 50's, as one of the main places in the area for country shows. I remember seeing Ernest Tubb for the first time at Williams Grove, and seemed like they would have a country act there every weekend. Either a Nashville or Wheeling act, and/or local bands. As far as local bands back then, the 101 Ranch Boys was probably the most known around central PA and appeared there quite a bit.

Willow Mills Park, was also in the Mechanicsburg area, if they had any music it was local bands. I remember playing there once around 64 or 65.

I don't recall any country music at Hershey Park back in the 50's, when it was open to the public and they didn't change admission to get in like they do now. If they had any music it was either big band or a marching band.

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