HARRISBURG, PA — A towering 1,000-pound butter sculpture celebrating America’s 250th anniversary was unveiled Thursday at the Pennsylvania Farm Show, blending dairy pride, patriotic history, and artistic spectacle into one of the event’s most beloved attractions.
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding, joined by Pennsylvania dairy farmers and industry leaders, revealed the 2026 Farm Show Butter Sculpture, titled “A Toast to Our Nation’s 250th Anniversary: Inspired by Founders. Grown by Farmers.” The scene places visitors in 1776 Philadelphia, depicting Benjamin Franklin and the Founding Fathers raising glasses of milk at the signing of the Declaration of Independence, surrounded by the Liberty Bell, Betsy Ross imagery, and red, white, and blue accents.
“The butter sculpture is a people-pleasing favorite every year at the Pennsylvania Farm Show,” Redding said. “In this America250 year, it takes on a deeper meaning reflecting how agriculture has been the roots of our nation’s growth and prosperity for 250 years, and how Pennsylvania farmers will continue to lead us forward.”
Chester Springs dairy farmer Carolyn Eaglehouse of Milky Way Farm joined the unveiling, noting that Pennsylvania farmers were building a thriving dairy industry even as the nation itself was being born.
“Pennsylvania’s agricultural roots date back to our nation’s earliest days,” Eaglehouse said. “While the Founding Fathers were shaping a new country, farmers here were building a strong dairy industry that continues to thrive today. I’m incredibly proud to be part of that legacy.”
The sculpture was created by Conshohocken artists Jim Victor and Marie Pelton, who have been crafting butter masterpieces for the Farm Show since 1995. This marks their 24th butter sculpture and the attraction’s 35th year as a centerpiece of the show. Victor said the project was especially meaningful in a milestone year for the nation, while Pelton called it a celebration of the Commonwealth’s deep dairy roots.
After the Farm Show concludes, the butter will not go to waste. Donated by Land O’Lakes in Cumberland County, it will be recycled at Reinford Farms in Juniata County and converted into renewable energy through a methane digester, giving the artwork a second life as clean power.
The butter sculpture reflects the 2026 Farm Show theme, “Growing a Nation,” and serves as part of the official kickoff of America250PA, the statewide commemoration of the nation’s semi-quincentennial .
The 2026 Pennsylvania Farm Show runs from Saturday, January 10, through Saturday, January 17, at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center. The largest indoor agricultural expo in the nation, the event features nearly 5,000 animals, more than 12,000 competitive entries from over 4,600 competitors, and more than 250 commercial exhibits. Admission is free, with parking set at $15 per vehicle.
More information, including hours, maps, and daily schedules, is available at farmshow.pa.gov under the 2026 Farm Show section.
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