ALLENTOWN, Pennsylvania — There’s plenty to do at the Allentown Fair, which kicks off its 172nd year on Wednesday, Aug. 28, from its Agri-Plex full of agricultural and related exhibits to its sprawling county fair to its outdoor livestock displays.
But the fair’s main stage is undoubtedly one of its biggest attractions – offering world-class music, performances and other acts in the Lehigh Valley’s largest capacity arena.
(It offers more space than the PPL Center in Allentown and has a capacity of 10,500 seats and up to 14,000 standing room in the track area.)
This year’s lineup is no exception: it features classic rock, country, a successful a cappella performance, and even a top-notch ventriloquist/stand-up comedian.
But the trade fair has undoubtedly lost its biggest crowd puller this year.
A great catch for the show was 1970s and ’80s sister duo Heart, a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame duo who pioneered female leaders of a hard rock band (and recently reunited after a nearly eight-year hiatus).
The show was cancelled when singer Ann Wilson had to undergo cancer treatment.
Heart’s planned opening act – the 1970s and 1980s new wave rock band Cheap Trick – was chosen as a replacement and Blue Oyster Cult was added to the program.
The show is still our choice for the top show on this year’s trade show grandstand.
The fair runs through Monday, September 2nd, Labor Day. Tickets for all headliners are still available on the fair website.
This is how we rate the lineup.
Decency
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Blue Oyster Cult
1. Cheap Trick, featuring Blue Oyster Cult | Wednesday, August 28th.
Let’s face it: Neither band is anywhere near their peak. Cheap Trick is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and has sold more than 10 million albums in the United States alone. But they haven’t had a hit since 1988. For Blue Oyster Cult, it’s been even longer (43 years). But both groups still have their original singers (though the voices have probably weakened) and guitarists. Between them, they have a ton of hits: Cheap Trick’s “Surrender,” “I Want You to Want Me,” “Dream Police,” and “Ain’t That a Shame”; and Blue Oyster Cult’s “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” and “Burnin’ for You.” Add in a healthy dose of nostalgia and you have more than enough to please.
Decency
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The Great Allentown Fair
2. Pentatonix, with David Archuleta | Saturday, August 31st.
A cappella music isn’t as new as it was a decade ago, when the “Pitch Perfect” movies were hot and Straight No Chaser had a hit with his cover of Toto’s “Africa” and “12 Days of Christmas.” But Pentatonix has withstood the drop in popularity by being among the genre’s best and releasing its own songs. Its last show at the fair in 2018 was not only sold out, but the crowd sat in the pouring rain and still came away satisfied. An unexpected bonus may be Archuleta, whose rich voice should have easily won “American Idol” in 2008 (he lost to David Cook). He had a good hit with “Crush” and enjoyed success with his Christmas carol tours.
Decency
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The Great Allentown Fair
3. Jeff Dunham | Sunday, September 1st
He’s not everyone’s cup of tea (who is?), but Dunham’s popularity — especially at the Allentown Fair — is unquestionable. He has sold more tickets than any other comedy performer in the fair’s history. This will be his sixth headlining show at the fair, and in 2009 he played two headlining shows in the same year, selling a total of 19,000 tickets — another fair record. He has now had a record-breaking 11 TV comedy specials. So there are fans of the characters Walter, Peanut, Achmed the Dead Terrorist, Bubba J and Jose Jalapeno out there, and Dunham is constantly delivering fresh material.
Jim Shea
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Courtesy of Allentown Fair
4. Brad Paisley | Friday, August 30th
Country singer Paisley may not be at the top anymore, but he has an audience, too. He has sold more than 10 million albums and won three Grammy Awards, 14 Academy of Country Music Awards, and 14 Country Music Association Awards. His last hit was a decade ago, but he has enough well-known songs to fill more than one concert and delight his fans. Another bonus: The show will be opened by George Birge, whose song “Beer Beer, Truck Truck” went viral on social media in 2021 and who hit No. 1 in 2022 with the song “Mind On You.”
Blippi: The Wonderful World Tour Poster
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5. Blippi: The Wonderful World Tour | Thursday, August 29th
One measure of the depth of this year’s fair lineup is that Blippi is at No. 5. It’s a kids’ show that’s usually a reliable middle-of-the-road draw for the fair (such as Fresh Beat Band in 2019). But Blippi is quite popular with the fair’s youngest attendees – a curious and colorful character who has taught preschoolers on YouTube, Netflix and HBO Max and whose energetic and educational antics have made him a worldwide sensation. It will attract the attention of parents who want to give their kids something popular, but also educational and entertaining.
Jay Bradley
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LehighValleyNews.com
Honorable Mention: J&J Demolition Derby | Monday, September 2nd
The Demolition Derby is an annual tradition at the fair that pretty reliably draws a crowd in the stands. (Since it uses the race track, seating is limited to the stands.) It’s nothing new or special, but watching cars crash into each other pleases young and old alike and is another entertainment offering you can count on.
