New to the GDS Fair in Newfoundland this year is a Johnny Cash tribute

The Greene-Dreher-Sterling (GDS) Fair in Newfoundland is known as a small country fair, but big on what it offers, Fair President Anne Fox says.

The 2024 fair features a Johnny Cash tribute, new to the fair, and many other performers and acts, large and small.

The fair opens at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23, and runs through Sunday evening, Sept. 1. The fairgrounds are behind Wallenpaupack South Elementary School off Main Street (Route 191/507) with free parking across the street in Carlton Drake Memorial Park.

Fox said that planning for the fair goes on all year, starting in earnest with the fair convention in Hershey in January, where many of their performers are booked. Volunteer committees are assigned to various roles to ready the fairgrounds and line up the schedule.

She said their theme this year is "Flourishing with Opportunity, Rooted in Agriculture." She affirmed they have stayed faithful to their roots, back to the beginning in 1917 as a Newfoundland School project.

Noting how rain has dampened other fairs in the area, Fox commented, "Hopefully we will have fine weather this year, as always."

More: 'Rain County Fair' had just 69 attend on Friday; sunshine greeted almost 17K the next day

Popular as ever are the demolition derbies, held both Saturday evenings at 7 p.m. ($10 extra admission). Other arena events this year are a miniature horse pull Friday, Aug. 23, at 6 p.m.; the Johnny Cash tribute Monday at 7 p.m.; the Pull Off Products Championship Truck & Tractor Pull Tuesday at 7 p.m.; the Moore Brothers concerts Wednesday at 6 and 8:30 p.m.; a diesel tractor pull Thursday at 7 p.m.; and an antique farm tractor pull Friday, Aug. 30 at 6 p.m. There is also a horse show at 9 a.m., Friday, Aug. 30, in the arena.

The Ole 97 Johnny Cash June Carter Cash Tribute Band hails from Johnstown, Pennsylvania, performing concerts across Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland and other places. Manager Paul Carpenter said that they have played Scranton before, but this is an introduction to the Poconos, where they hope to spread their tribute to more fans of the beloved, late country and western singer Johnny Cash.

Randy Hunter performs as Cash. Charlene Bolbin is by his side as June Carter Cash, who Carpenter described as a "powerhouse in her own right" performing other notables as well, such as "Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, and even Janis Joplin."

Cash died in 2003. A biographical drama about him, "Walk the Line," came out in 2005. Hunter, a long admirer of Cash, was frequently told by others that he looked and sounded like Cash, and in 2008 started doing tribute performances, Carpenter said.

The GDS Fair has also scheduled Heather Olsen, performing a Patsy Cline tribute, Monday at 7:30 p.m. in the Entertainment Pavillion.

Numerous other musicians are scheduled as well.

Among other attractions are livestock shows, a car show, Balloons the Clown, Glenn Miller One-Man Band, the GDS fair queen pageant, a garden tractor pull, Clydesdale horses, Wallenpaupack and Western Wayne marching bands, farm crop auction, and a gas and semi-truck pull.

GDS Fair is famous for its contests. These include the baby pageant, frog jumping, turkey calling, milking cows and pie eating.

The pay-one-price ticket is $8 Monday through Thursday and $10 Friday through Sunday, with discounts for military, farmers and senior citizens on scheduled days. For more information, including the full schedule, visit gdsfair.org .

Peter Becker has worked at the Tri-County Independent or its predecessor publications since 1994. Reach him at pbecker@tricountyindependent.com or 570-253-3055 ext. 1588.

This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: New to the GDS Fair in Newfoundland this year is a Johnny Cash tribute