Monday, November 10, 2025
46 ° Cloudy
46 ° Cloudy
In August, the Middletown Grange Fairgrounds in Wrightstown came alive as Bucks County gathered to celebrate a milestone, the 75th annual Middletown Grange Fair. From August 13–17, thousands of visitors filled the grounds for five days of farm animals, tractor pulls, thrill shows, amusement rides, and the timeless traditions that have made the fair a cornerstone of the community.
For co-director Scott Dengler, who has been part of the fair for 43 years, the event was a reminder of why it has endured for three-quarters of a century. “The Grange Fair itself is a Grange organization, a family fraternity to support agriculture and rural life,” he said. “Our goal has always been to educate people about agriculture, let people know where food and sustenance come from. It’s also a nostalgic trip back in time to when Bucks County was all farms.”
The fair’s beginnings trace back to 1949, when it was first held at Heston Manor Farm on the border of Newtown and Yardley. Its origin was a simple contest sponsored by a farm journal magazine to see which farmer could grow the most corn per acre. “It was mostly farmers that first year,” Dengler recalled. “They had meals and vendors, but no amusement rides. That’s how it all started.”
By 1967, the event had moved to its permanent home in Wrightstown. Over the decades, the fair expanded, bringing in more vendors, food, entertainment, and exhibits, while deepening its role as a community tradition.
Animals, which were only a minor feature in the earliest years, grew into one of the fair’s biggest attractions. This year’s fair showcased between 400 and 500 animals, ranging from rabbits and guinea pigs to oxen, draft horses, and steers weighing thousands of pounds.
“Two-thirds of the animals were 4H projects, and the rest were part of open shows that anyone can enter,” Dengler explained. “Some of these animals end up as food, and exhibitors explain that process to visitors. It doesn’t grow under that cellophane in the supermarket. The barns show people where food really comes from.”
Dengler noted that fears of losing the animal exhibits decades ago had proven unfounded. “Back 40 years ago, when everyone was building houses, people thought we’d have fewer animals. The exact opposite happened. Hobby farming took off, and now we have more animals than we did years ago.”
The 75th anniversary fair featured a mix of new and traditional attractions. The tractor pulls, first introduced last year, returned as a crowd favorite, with everything from garden tractors to massive 12,000-pound farm tractors competed for bragging rights. “It’s just for fun, but people love it,” Dengler said.
The nightly tractor parade showcased 75 antique tractors rumbling around the grounds, while other highlights included the Fearless Flores Thrill Show, an Aim High Canine Stunt Dog Show, horse-drawn wagon rides, and the ever-popular 4H Market Hog Sale.
Inside the exhibit halls, visitors enjoyed photography, paintings, pies, preserves, and needlework, an “old-fashioned country fair” tradition that continues to thrive.
The fair also reinforced its reputation as a multigenerational gathering. “I see the same people here all five days,” Dengler said. “They bring their children, grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren. It’s a family tradition.”
For Dengler, the connection was personal. His wife and three children all volunteered at the fair, with his daughter managing food vendors after aging out of showing dairy cows through 4H. “It’s something we do together as a family,” he said.
Behind the scenes, the fair once again operated like a small town, complete with police, fire, EMS, and infrastructure to support thousands of visitors and hundreds of animals. Nearly all of the work was carried out by volunteers. “Nobody’s paid,” Dengler stressed. “As long as the volunteerism keeps up, we’ll be able to keep it up. That’s why getting young adults involved is so important.”
The fair also remained financially self-sustaining. Parking fees, food sales, and ride revenue covered the roughly $300,000 needed to operate the event. “Whatever profits we make go back into maintaining the grounds, 48 acres and 14 buildings,” Dengler explained.
As always, admission was free, with parking at $20 per car, madding the fair one of the most affordable events in the region. “Where else can you take a whole family for $20 and enjoy all of this?” Dengler asked. “All the shows, tractors, exhibits, and animal displays and were included.” Attendance this year was estimated between 50,000 and 60,000 visitors.
As the 75th anniversary came to a close, the fair’s future looked bright. “I can see the antique tractors and tractor pulls expanding, but for the most part, I think we’re on an even track forward,” Dengler said.
What will not change is the fair’s mission: honoring Bucks County’s agricultural heritage while educating future generations. “The fair reminds people where their food comes from, and it brings families together,” Dengler reflected. “That’s why people keep coming back, year after year.”
