ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. — As the summer rounds its final corner, it's fair to say the Elizabethtown Fair is the grand finale in western Lancaster County.
For half a century, the annual carnival has capped the season with crowds, crowns and carnival foods. Chief among them are the Elizabethtown Grange milkshakes, which have been a staple for the last four decades.
"A lot of them come just for the milkshakes," Elizabethtown Grange Treasurer Sandy Witmer said.
On opening night, the clicks and clings of the old register rang out virtually nonstop. Witmer says long lines and a lot of business helps the organization give back.
"This is our main fundraiser for the year," she said. "This is what helps us do everything. It just gives back to the community."
Like the line, the fair has come a long way. Fair president Kenny Myer has been at every single one.
"[My mother] started with it in 1973," Myer said. "She continued with it until she was 96 years old."
What started out as a little gathering has since grown into one of the borough's biggest events.
"The Jaycees of Elizabethtown had a festival in the park every year," Myer said. "When we started, we had one food stand, one tent, and no entertainment. No animals. And gradually we kept building it up."
Gradually, over fifty years of familiar faces and a friendly disposition.
“This is a community fair," fairgoer Richard Stone said. "This is a neighborly community fair."
"We’ve come a long way since we first started," Witmer said.
The 2023 Elizabethtown Fair runs until Aug. 26.