The York Fair kicks off today, and Megan McDonald got here early this morning.
The Hanover native was hard at work at The Broken Cookie tucked underneath the grandstand hours before the gates were scheduled to open to visitors for the 251st year. And not just today—she’s been here all week, starting around 7 a.m. on Tuesday and baking well until the evening each day.
Cookies and Whoopies
“When the fair starts, this is your life,” said McDonald, who along with her sister and their family run the stand, one of more than 100 food vendors that are just as much a mainstay of America’s oldest agricultural fair as the butter sculpture (not to be eaten), livestock and prize-winning produce.
On Fridays—the Fair always kicks off the first Friday after Labor Day—they begin baking cookies, in an area that will eventually be mercifully shaded as temperatures soar into the 90s this weekend (and protected from the rains predicted for this afternoon). The Fair runs through September 18.
But all week until day, she has been baking whoopie pies … thousands and thousands of whoopie pies.
“Last year we sold about 30,000” whoopie pies, McDonald said while she worked on Wednesday afternoon, trays of perfectly imperfect little chocolate cakes stacked in front of her.
Chocolate peanut butter—peanut butter icing piped thick between two thin chocolate cakes—is their No. 1 seller.
“Oh without a doubt! Chocolate peanut butter by far!” she added again for emphasis.
The second best-selling flavor is Almond Raspberry, which admittedly is not one of the more traditional flavors for the classic Pennsylvania Dutch treat.
The Broken Cookie features about 15 flavors of whoopie pies overall, adding a new one to the menu each year. This year’s addition—Salted Caramel—is further proof of just how local tastes are evolving even while people still crave the classic fair foods they grew up with. If it’s well-received, it’ll be back next year.
McDonald’s sister also plans to have customers vote in advance over the next week on what special flavor to feature next year. This crowd-sourcing in advance is a new twist, and a fun way to engage the public, many of whom have become regular customers over the years.
“I think my favorite part of (the York Fair) is to see the same people every year. It’s cool to be a part of people’s tradition. They bring their kids and grandkids,” she said.
Famous Fries
Like whoopie pies, funnel cakes and lemonade, French fries are another midway mainstay—Brickers Famous French Fries, to be exact.
The company has been doing the York Fair for more than 40 years. It’s has grown into one of its largest vendors and an annual stop for countless fairgoers, said Julie Leas, the assistant to Mr. Bricker.
The West York-based concessionaire has six trailers and two kitchens on the Fairgrounds this year—and buys local York County potatoes by the truckload as it prepares for the annual onslaught. They started arriving earlier in the week.
Leas estimates each “trailer” at the fair (that’s industry speak for food truck, basically) will go through 8–10 hundred-pound tubs of potatoes a day. Yes, per day.
“On Sunday … each one will slice more than 1,000 pounds, if the weather is nice,” she said.
“Our fries—they’re unsalted—with just some old-fashioned ketchup is classic, but I’d say vinegar is also a staple at the Fair,” Leas answered when asked what is the top seller. “And Old Bay seasoning is starting to be a hot commodity. That’s what I personally love!”
As Seen on TV
Speaking of Old Bay, seafood is something people have started to notice more of over the past few years, as well as a mix of different regional and ethnic flavors, not to mention some unique trendy twists. Of the 13 new vendors this year, tacos, Cuban foods and even exotic jerky (think: alpaca, alligator and python) are on the list. There is also deep-fried ice cream, served alongside wontons, spring rolls and sweet-and-sour chicken.
And course, a sign of the times: a dose of reality television. Head down Cattle Drive North to booth 16191 and you can find Amish donuts served by cast members of Breaking Amish.
Uncle Paul’s Stuffed Pretzels has experienced its share of televised fame, too. Last year, the Bloomsburg-based pretzel purveyor was featured on The Food Network show Carnival Eats.
They cooked up a special Burger Bomb Pretzel—finished with a fried egg on top, for good measure.
Employee Kyle Beaver made sure to point out that’s not a regular menu item. But the six stuffed pretzels on the menu—including fan fave chicken bacon ranch—and the frozen lemonade are “all pretty popular.”
Beaver works full-time for Uncle Paul’s, doing all of their fair appearances … South Mountain, Northeast, Elizabethtown, York.
As an experienced and well-traveled fairgoer, what does he order each year when he’s in York?
“I get a Gyro once or twice while I’m here,” he said.
Another fair veteran, Mike Santillo, was orchestrating the installation of a towering new booth Wednesday with banners nearly three stories tall. He’s the third generation in a family from Rochester, New York, that has been doing the York Fair for about 60 years.
They may be debuting a new show-stopping marquee of a stand this year, but their Italian sausage remains the same. Some things you just don’t change.
What’s New
We’ve put together a list of new-this-year sweet-and-savory spots to try. Arranged by their location in the Fairgrounds, they are:
- On Cattle Drive N:
- Bob & Min’s—breakfast, soups and sandwiches
- Crazy Fried Food—deep fried ice cream and cheesecake, wontons, spring rolls, sweet-n-sour chicken, cold noodles and pork chop over rice
- Green Fusion—exotic jerky, including alpaca, alligator, python, ostrich, kangaroo and elk
- Validity—Amish donuts served up by cast members of the Breaking Amish reality show
- On Grandstand Blvd N:
- Finger Lickin’ Eats n Sweets—Walking Taco, grilled cheese, onion petals, mac-n-cheese bites and mini donuts
- Fudge-O-Lutely—classic homemade fudge in a variety of modern flavors
- Hammi’s BBQ—Bacon bomb, BBQ-loaded potato, pulled pork nachos
- Mi Adobo—Cuban, Tripleta, Combination and El Entregao subs, pina coladas
- Rita’s Water Ice—water ice and custard
- On Broadway S:
- Five Happy Lemons—Gyros, chicken and pork souvlakis
- In the Grandstand building:
- Olde Original Philly Hoagies—cold subs on Philly-style rolls
- Pork Ave @ York Fair—pulled pork and beef, chicken dinners
- On Central Ave:
- DeChellis Concessions—six varieties of Stromboli rolls
If You Go
What: The 251st York Fair
When: Friday, Sept. 9–Sunday, Sept. 18
Where: York Fairgrounds, 334 Carlisle Ave., York
Hours: Gates open at 11 a.m. on Friday–Sunday and at noon Monday–Thursday
Admission: $8 for adults, $4 for kids/teens (6–18) and students with valid ID. Children 5 and under are free. Admission is also included with Grandstand tickets
Parking: $7/day except on Sept. 18
Pro Tip: Check yorkfair.org for special days and deals, like a $20 flat rate per car-load on Sept. 18. Active duty service members (and one guest) are free on Sept. 11
- Photos: Matthew Vlahos
