When it comes to The Great Allentown Fair, the main mission of its 171-year-old tradition is putting a spotlight on agriculture, horticulture, livestock, domestic and mechanical arts.
Placement ribbons and cash prizes are awarded in hundreds of categories that range from hay, jams, flowers, quilts and more. The best in show rosettes are awarded to individuals who entered the best of the best in their given departments. The fair also hosted 10 culinary contests judged live on the fair’s culinary contest stage that were given blue ribbons and cash prizes. The winners of the PA Preferred Junior Baking Cookies, Brownies and Bars Contest, Homemade Chocolate Cake Contest and Blue Ribbon Apple Pie Contest will take their blue ribbons recipes to compete on a state level at the 2024 Pennsylvania State Farm Show in January.
The 2023 rosette Best of Show winners:
Hay and Grain – Kamryn Fink, Germansville, PA
Vegetables – Pat Gasper, Bath, PA
Organic Vegetables – Jason Emanuel, Laury’s Station, PA
Vegetable Market Basket – Blair Hower, Northampton, PA
Potatoes – Stan Tantsits, Fogelsville, PA
Fruits – Grant A. Lazarus, Germansville, PA
Edible Nuts – Grant A. Lazarus, Germansville, PA
Best Cookie Tray – Charlotte Pfenninger, Allentown, PA
Baked Products – Madison Stettler, Schnecksville, PA
Heritage Dessert – Madison Stettler, Schnecksville, PA
Lehigh Valley Cake Decorators Spectacular – Kaitlyn Moyer, Allentown, PA
Canned Foods – Marianne Slaby, Palmerton, PA Jams and Jellies – Evelyn Barone, Slatington, PA
Christmas Trees – Bob Spadell, Palmerton, PA
Houseplants – Joseph Veshinfsky, Catasauqua, PA
Cut Flowers – Joseph Veshinfsky, Catasauqua, PA
Artistic Floral Arrangement – Denise Kohn-Lesko, Bethlehem, PA
Clothing – Janet McKinnon, Bethlehem, PA
Needlework – Susan Galletti, Lansdale, PA
Needleart – Kerstin Klepzig, Bethlehem, PA
Quilts – Karen Hartzell, Allentown, PA
Fine Arts – Malita Diehl, Allentown, PA
Photography – Black and White – Joanne W. Stamm, Kutztown, PA
Photography – Color – Tracey Wigg, Easton, PA
Handcrafts – Linda Kelly, Zionsville, PA
Antiques – Doris Koenig, Slatington, PA
Wine – Robet Heilman, Orefield, PA
Homemade Beer – Ferando Esiobar, Trexlertown, PA
Commercial Brewery – Two Rivers Brewing Company, Easton, PA
Apiary Products – Jean Silberg, Allentown, PA
Wool – Roger and Nancy Bowman, Lenhartsville, PA
2023 Culinary Contest Winners:
The Buttered Crumb LLC, Crumb Cake – Ashley Troxell, Catasauqua, PA
Sweet Girlz Bakery, Fruited Cookie/Bar – Collette Gaugler, Fogelsville, PA
King Arthur Flour, Filled Cupcakes – Kim Troxell, Catasauqua, PA
PA Preferred, Junior Cookies, Brownies, Bars – Ben Weslosky, Schnecksville, PA
Clover Hill Winery, Homemade Candy – Kaitlyn Moyer, Allentown, PA
The Pampered Chef, Fruit Tart Contest – Sharon Kurtz, Emmaus PA
Bechdolt’s Orchard, Fresh Peach Dessert – Ashley Troxell, Catasauqua, PA
Parklane Jewelry, No Bake Dessert – Sarah Keppel, Easton, PA
Vynecrest Winery, Homemade Chocolate Cake – Lorrie Rauch, New Tripoli, PA
Grim’s Orchard, Blue Ribbon Apple Pie Contest – Cindy Hendershot, Danielsville, PA
