The Washington County Agricultural Fair is celebrating its 225th anniversary this summer.

It’s Pennsylvania’s oldest fair, dating back to October 1798 — back when John Adams was president and there were only 16 states. Cattle and sheep were exhibited at what was then known as the Morganza Fair.

Today, the fair is an eight-day event that attracts more than 65,000 spectators each year, according to fair organizers. This year’s fair is scheduled to run from Aug. 12 through Aug. 19.

“While we are celebrating the 225th Washington County Agricultural Fair, the foundation of this event is timeless,” said Jeff Kotula, who chairs the fair’s 225th anniversary planning committee.

“It has always been a way to honor our county’s rich farming heritage and, more importantly, the generations of families that have raised the crops and livestock that we depend on every day,” Kotula added. “It’s a way for us to appreciate what those families and farms mean to our county and country.”

Agriculture is the largest industry in Washington County, which is home to 1,760 farms, fair organizers said. The fair and fairgrounds — which include five exhibit stalls, ten barns, a grandstand, a show arena, a show tent and a picnic pavilion — are key economic drivers for the community.

To mark the event’s milestone anniversary, fair organizers said they have planned a series of special events.

They will build and dedicate the 225th Memorial Plaza. It will feature fair history, images and commemorative personalized pavers, which will be sold for $225 for a 4-by-8-inch paver and $425 for an 8-by-8-inch paver. Proceeds will benefit the fair, which is designated as a nonprofit.

Fair officials said they have commissioned a local artist to create a mural that will showcase the county fair’s history and evolution. The permanent display will be on the outside of a building near the new 225th Memorial Plaza.

Past and present fair exhibitors are slated to participate in an opening parade that will showcase the traditions and history of the event.

This year’s fair also will feature an antique truck and tractor exhibit that will demonstrate the evolution of agricultural and farming practices in Washington County.

Fair organizers said the anniversary celebration will include a concert featuring a “popular country artist” who has not yet been announced.

They also are producing commemorative magazines and tickets for the event.

Daily admission will be $10, including carnival rides. Parking is free.

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