NEWS INFORMATION FROM

THE OFFICE OF MAYOR STEPHEN R. REED
City of Harrisburg
King City Government Center
Harrisburg, PA 17101-1678
Telephone: 717.255.3040

FOR IMMEDIATE USE
16 June 2004

NEW KEYSTONE CAPITAL FAIR SLATED FOR FARM SHOW COMPLEX JULY 9–18; FEATURES RIDES, GAMES AND FUN FOR ENTIRE FAMILY — OPERATED BY NATIONALLY RENOWNED STRATES SHOWS

Harrisburg, PA — Mayor Stephen R. Reed today cut the ribbon to open the inaugural Keystone Capital Fair, a major new special event being held at the State Farm Show Complex beginning today, Friday, July 9, through Sunday, July 18. It will be conducted by the nationally-renowned Strates Shows, one of the finest amusement ride and fair companies in the world, and the only major fair company that moves by rail.

Reed said the new event is designed to appeal to families and children, with admission to the Fair and parking at the Farm Show both free. The Fair features nearly one hundred state-of-the-art amusement rides and games and other enter- tainment. Tickets for the many rides and games are very nominally priced to provide affordable family entertainment, and discounted advance purchase tickets are available at most area Giant Stores.

The Mayor said the Keystone Capital Fair is open weekdays from 5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., and on the weekends, which are GIANT Food Stores Family Fun Days, from Noon to 11:00 p.m.

Reed said Fair attendees are also encouraged to bring non-perishable food items to the Fair for donation to the South Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, which will then distribute the goods to needy midstate families. Food stocks at area food banks are traditionally very low during mid-summer, though demand by area hungry remains strong. Special donation receptacles for the canned or boxed food items are conveniently placed at the entrance to the Fair.

The Mayor said many other area charitable groups will also benefit from the Fair, with the City Department of Parks and Recreation, the Harrisburg Parks Partnership, the Levitt Pavilion for the Performing Arts, the Harrisburg Public Schools Foundation and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Harrisburg all designated to receive funds from the Fair.

Reed said Strates Shows is one of the finest amusement ride companies in the world, and has been in business for nearly three-quarters of a century. The company specializes in large state fairs and similar extended events, and is the only remaining amusement ride company in the world to travel by rail, using a private 60-car train to transport its rides, games and animals to event sites.

The Mayor said Strates Shows utilized the Enola rail yards for unloading, and then trucked the Fair to the Farm Show on Wednesday night, with city police providing escort for more than a dozen large caravans of rides and games. It took over seventeen hours and the concentrated efforts of hundreds of Strates workers to completely unload and transport the Fair to the Farm Show from the railyards, with work finally completed at 4:00 a.m.

The Mayor said the Keystone Capital Fair is a major new special event for the city, which it hopes to help grow into a major new State Fair for Pennsylvania’s Capital City. “Through a unique partnership with the distinguished Strates Shows, the state Farm Show Complex, and the city, we hope to see this event grow into a major new entertainment attraction for both residents and visitors,” said the Mayor.

Noting that Strates Shows is making an initial three-year commitment to hold the event in Harrisburg, Reed said: “The rides, games, personnel and operations of Strates Shows are first rate. This will be a 10-day event unlike anything citizens have seen here. All in Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic states are invited. This is a truly family-oriented event, so children, young adults, parents and everyone can come.”

“Local residents have an advantage because they can easily attend multiple times, even every day. Out of town visitors will find that when coming for the Fair, they can stay over to see the other many attractions that now exist,” the Mayor said.

Monday, July 12, will be Mayor’s Day at the Fair, with city youth participating in the city Department of Parks and Recreation Summer Recreation Program being provided free transportation to the Farm Show and then free rides from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. that day.

The Mayor noted that multiple area news and broadcast media have agreed to promotional sponsorships, including WINK 104 FM, 1400 The Touch and WHBG Comcast Cable TV-20.

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