Fun at the fair

Annual Washington County agricultural event under way

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Alex and Karen Jardine enjoy a plate of onion rings at the Washington County Agricultural Fair. Alex Jardine's smoked Korean pulled pork recipe earned a second-place ribbon in the fair's cooking competition. [Karen Mansfield]

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Lucy Vaughan, 4, visited the fair with her grandparents, Trevor Vaughan III and Ginger Vaughan, and her brother, Trevor, 6. [Karen Mansfield]

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Dennis Dunmire of Tower Lane Farm of Monongahela shears a goat at the Washington County Agricultural Fair. [Karen Mansfield]

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Lee and Shirley Bedillion of West Alexander, with their grandson, Lane Bedillion, 7, are taking part in the Washington County Fair this week, where they are showing draft horses. [Karen Mansfield]

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More than 2,000 animals and agricultural exhibits are shown during the weeklong Washington County Agricultural Fair. Here, a cabbage took first place in a vegetable category. [Karen Mansfield]

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The Pennsylvania Trolley Museum, voted the Best Small Town Museum, is providing transportation to the Washington County Agricultural Fair. A ticket to and from the fair also includes admission to the museum. [Karen Mansfield]

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The Washington County Agricultural Fair, the oldest-running agricultural fair in Pennsylvania, kicked off on Saturday, marking the start of a week of fun at the Washington County Fairgrounds.

The event, which runs through Aug. 22, features agricultural exhibits, livestock shows and auctions, entertainment, food, and craft vendors.

“I’ve been coming here every year since I was a kid,” said George Cholak of Washington, who was enjoying a hot sausage sandwich. “I like the food, the rides, the entertainment. I look forward to it every year.”

Among Saturday’s events were the demolition derby, the pedal power tractor pull, and a Fleece to Shawl exhibit, showcasing the process of turning raw animal wool into a finished, hand-woven fabric item.

The weather has impacted the fair, with organizers canceling the rodeo on Sunday due to extreme mud and rain. Organizers also were encouraging fair attendees to park at the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum and ride the trolley to the fairgrounds because of the muddy fair parking lots.

A full fair schedule can be found at washingtonfair.org. Admission is $15.