The Bloom Fair is something every Susquehanna student should experience. Located in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, the Bloom Fair is only about an hour away from Susquehanna University, making it a perfect distance to travel on a Friday night or Saturday morning. It starts this weekend, Sept. 20, and will be going on until Sept. 28. Students can purchase tickets online or at the gate for only $8.Â
Speaking from experience, the Bloom Fair is exciting and a great way to spend your weekend. There are countless tents and stands selling all sorts of food, drinks, and snacks. Last year, I went with several of my friends for the first time, and we had an absolutely amazing time. My friend is a local of Sunbury, so she’s very well acquainted with the fair and told us about the countless fun activities to do there. We spent a few hours roaming around, checking out the multiple barns where there were competitions for everything, including photography, art, vegetables and food, and more. The barns house lots of artwork done by locals, ranging from photos to drawings to paintings and sculptures. Several other barns feature beautiful, vivid flower bouquets or giant looming gourds. Take your friends and check out how much the biggest pumpkin weighs this year, or how vibrant the first-place bouquet winner is! There are a few barns full of animals as well. Some barns include cows, pigs, chickens, bunnies, goats, and sheep. It’s a bit stinky, but for animal and farm lovers, it’s a wonderful place to see some fluffy rabbits or hear a sheep baa.Â
The fair is packed with people and tents alike, so there’s always something to do. There are photo booths, so you and your friends can pose and capture the moment, as well as fair-like rides around the perimeter of the fair, not to mention claw machines and arcade games on the interior. My friends and I each won a small stuffed animal from the claw machines to savor the moment and keep the memories alive even after it was over. At only 50 cents for each time you play a round on the claw machine, you can play multiple rounds and not feel like you made a dent in your pocketbook.
From corndogs to ice cream to Boba tea, there are dozens of different options for dining at the Bloom Fair. Personally, I chose a corn dog, and it was the best decision of the day. Overpriced as most fair foods are, it was delicious with a crispy golden outside and a warm inside. But that’s not the only option at the fair. There’s also Chinese if you’re in the mood for something salty, or funnel cake if you need something sugary to satisfy your sweet tooth.Â
Not only are there arcade games and photo booths, but there’s also live entertainment. This year, several musical groups will be attending the fair to play for fairgoers. These include the Beach Boys, Riley Green, and Casting Crowns. The Grandstand also has bull riding, a truck derby, drag racing, and horse pulls. That being said, for the opportunity to experience some of the before listed, it might be worth it to spend another few bucks to get to see some bull riding.Â
The Bloom Fair makes for an awesome and memorable night out with family or friends, so if you’ve never gone because you haven’t felt like it or you don’t live in the area, try it! Trying new things can be daunting and anxiety-inducing, even if they’re fun activities, so grab some friends or family and don’t worry about all of life’s stresses. Enjoy yourself and make memories that will last at the Bloom Fair. I’ll be going back this year with my friends for another crispy, crunchy corndog and some earth-shattering live entertainment.