web1_Gibbons.jpg

Hurricane Irma also affecting natives of Wyoming Valley

web1_TTL082417Courthouse-restore2.jpg

Luzerne County Courthouse restoration will cost $2.1 million

<p>LEHMAN TWP. &#8212; Despite a gloomy kickoff on Wednesday, the 55th Luzerne County Fair saw a &#8220;fantastic&#8221; weekend to wrap up the event.</p><p>Brenda Pugh, chairwoman of the fair, said the grounds were packed over the weekend. She said she and her husband, Alan Pugh, the fair&#8217;s president, couldn&#8217;t be happier with the turnout this year.</p><p>Although a final attendance figure for the five-day event won&#8217;t be available for a few days, Brenda said Sunday: &#8220;It&#8217;s been fantastic.&#8221;</p><p>Alan said both the main and overflow parking lots were full Saturday despite cooler temperatures and cloudy skies.</p><p>&#8220;(The fair) is about families spending time together,&#8221; Brenda said.</p><p>A sunny, seasonal Sunday served as Family Fun Day. Children 12 and under were admitted for $6, and children under 2 got in free. Brenda said proceeds from the fair are spent and donated back to the community &#8212; usually to the organizations that volunteer at the fair. The proceeds figure won&#8217;t be available for two weeks, she said.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s amazing that an event like this is run 100 percent by volunteers,&#8221; Brenda said.</p><p>Organizations such as the Boy Scouts, area high school bands and Kiwanis clubs volunteer their time working stands, cleaning the grounds and working admission booths.</p><p>&#8220;This event is about the community,&#8221; Brenda said.</p><p>Families slowly poured in Sunday afternoon to enjoy the food, rides, games and vendors across the Luzerne County Fairgrounds. Vendors sold goods such as specialty popcorn, jewelry, candles and basket raffles.</p><p>Karina Livingston, of Olyphant, was at the fair for the first time with her husband and stepson.</p><p>&#8220;It was great weather today,&#8221; she said. &#8220;The food is really good. We&#8217;re having a great day.&#8221;</p><p>Livingston&#8217;s stepson, Nate, 6, finished first in the children&#8217;s tractor-pull competition, but he said his favorite part of the day was the rides, especially the one similar to the classic Disney World ride Dumbo.</p><p>For Brenda, the fair symbolizes the strength of community in the area and the coming together to support the grounds, which are used year-round for different purposes, such as trunk-or-treat around Halloween, and even as an evacuation site for the local high schools.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s about community giving back to community,&#8221; she said.</p><p>The Times Leader Media Group was named the fair&#8217;s Sponsor of the Year.</p><style>
.neFileBlock {
	margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
	margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
	border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
	padding-bottom: 5px;
	padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
	font-size: 85%;
}
</style>
<div class='neFileBlock'>
<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/web1_TTL091117LuzCoFair_2-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Three-year-old Brody Balas, of Nanticoke, points out something interesting while sitting on the shoulders of his dad, Tom, during the Luzerne County Fair on Sunday.  (Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader)</div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/web1_TTL091117LuzCoFair_2-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Three-year-old Brody Balas, of Nanticoke, points out something interesting while sitting on the shoulders of his dad, Tom, during the Luzerne County Fair on Sunday.  (Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader)</caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/web1_TTL091117LuzCoFair_3-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Fair-goers ride 'Pharaoh's Fury' Sunday on the final day of the six-day event. (Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader)</div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/web1_TTL091117LuzCoFair_3-1.jpg</photo1><caption1>Fair-goers ride 'Pharaoh's Fury' Sunday on the final day of the six-day event. (Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader)</caption1><photoCredit1></photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/web1_TTL091117LuzCoFair_1-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Adam Walp, left, Aidan Chapple, Hunter Palka and Andrew Chapple, all of Shavertown, ride the 'Hurricane' on the last day of the 55th annual Luzerne County Fair in Lehman Township on Sunday.  (Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader)</div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/web1_TTL091117LuzCoFair_1-1.jpg</photo2><caption2>Adam Walp, left, Aidan Chapple, Hunter Palka and Andrew Chapple, all of Shavertown, ride the 'Hurricane' on the last day of the 55th annual Luzerne County Fair in Lehman Township on Sunday.  (Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader)</caption2><photoCredit2></photoCredit2></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Brigid Edmunds</p><p>bedmunds@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Brigid Edmunds at 570-991-6113 or on Twitter @brigidedmunds</p></shirttailMeta></div>

On a sunny Sunday, ‘fantastic’ end to 55th Luzerne County Fair