Celebrity Chef Sandra Lee Is Hosting America’s Oldest State Fair—and Then Kicking Off an 18-Month Tour of Fairs Across the Country
"Celebrating its 260th anniversary as the oldest state fair in the United States (its legacy predates the nation by a decade), this southeastern Pennsylvania fair runs July 18–27 and launches a special partnership with Emmy- and Gracie-award-winning celebrity chef Sandra Lee, who will cut the opening ribbon, crown the Fair Queen, and host festivities over the first two days while kicking off her 18-month “Best in Fair” tour. The event blends classic, family-focused, homespun fun with large-scale attractions—hundreds of food vendors, best-in-class livestock shows, a home-brewed beer contest, a moving heroes parade recognizing veterans, and the fair’s first-ever drone show—alongside major music acts such as Good Charlotte, Alabama, Rascal Flatts, T-Pain, and Foreigner. Easily accessible by car from hubs like Baltimore, New York City, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C., it has become a regional tourist draw that benefits local hotels, restaurants, and the community economy. Traditional Blue Ribbon competitions (chocolate cakes, angel food cakes, and kids’ entries like jams, brownies, and blondies) tie directly into Lee’s baking-focused work, and she brings a personal connection to fair culture—having won a blue ribbon at the LA County Fair in 1992—and playful enthusiasm (she plans to start with pink cotton candy and is game for a cow-milking contest)." - Jessica Vadillo Jessica Vadillo Jessica Vadillo is the editorial assistant at Travel + Leisure. She joined the team in 2022 and often works on packages and front-of-book items, as well as writes, edits, and assists with other editorial operations. She is a graduate of Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism and currently resides in New York City. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines
