HARRISBURG, PA — A swirl of patriotism, pageantry, and Pennsylvania farm pride filled the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex on Saturday as state leaders cut the ribbon on the 2026 Pennsylvania Farm Show, launching both the eight-day agricultural showcase and a yearlong commemoration of the nation’s 250th anniversary.
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding, joined by U.S. Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson, America250PA Executive Director Cassandra Coleman, and a host of state and local officials, officially opened the doors to the largest indoor agricultural exposition in the nation, marking the event as the first major public kickoff of America250PA celebrations across the Commonwealth.
“Today, we celebrate an enduring symbol,” Redding said as the ceremony unfolded. “One not stitched in fabric, but from soil and sweat, from orchards and barns, from classrooms and city gardens, from the hands and hearts of people who care and persevere and believe in the promise of tomorrow. Today, we celebrate agriculture’s role in ‘Growing a Nation.”
The opening ceremony, emceed by Deputy Agriculture Secretary Lisa Graybeal, blended Revolutionary-era flair with modern spectacle. Mounted Pennsylvania State Police rode in alongside the Revolutionary New Philly Fife and Drum Company, Betsy Ross, and a color guard from the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, while 14-year-old Carly Green of Schuylkill County, a winner of the Farm Show’s Star Spangled Sing-Off, performed the National Anthem.
This year’s theme, “Growing a Nation,” ties Pennsylvania’s agricultural heritage directly to the birth and future of the United States, spotlighting how farmers and food producers helped feed the early nation and continue to drive innovation and economic growth today.
“It feels exactly right to usher in the semiquincentennial year at the largest indoor agriculture exposition in the nation — alongside the people who feed our communities, care for the land, and keep Pennsylvania growing,” Coleman said, calling the Farm Show a powerful symbol of the values that have shaped 250 years of American independence.
A centerpiece of Saturday’s celebration was the unveiling of an America250PA Semiquincentennial Bell, a Liberty Bell replica painted with a quilt-inspired design by Pittsburgh artist Cody Sabol. The bell will travel throughout the Farm Show Complex during the event, while a second bell at the America250PA exhibit allows visitors to leave their own signatures in tribute to the anniversary.
The 2026 Farm Show runs through Saturday, January 17, featuring nearly 5,000 animals, more than 12,000 competitive entries from over 4,600 competitors, and more than 250 commercial exhibits spread across more than one million square feet of displays and demonstrations. Admission is free, with parking priced at $15 per vehicle .
Beloved traditions return this year, including the 1,000-pound butter sculpture, the Farm Show Food Court and Farm Market, sheep-to-shawl competitions, sheep herding, lumberjacking, cow milking, and live cooking demonstrations at the PA Preferred Culinary Connection, offering visitors a hands-on look at the industry that supports 593,000 Pennsylvania jobs and generates $132.5 billion annually for the state’s economy.
Hours, daily schedules, maps, and event details are available at farmshow.pa.gov under the 2026 Farm Show section.
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