The 2025 Solanco Fair was held from Sept. 17 to 19 at the Solanco Fairgrounds. After withstanding some drizzly weather for the parade on Sept. 17, fairgoers enjoyed sunshine for the remainder of the fair, enjoying an assortment of activities and contests, like various baking contests and the Baby Parade.

The Baked Products Section at the 2025 Solanco Fair had a total of 164 exhibitors with 345 entries, and 35 of those exhibitors participated in the annual baking contests. Four bakers were selected in these special competitions on Sept. 17.

The Homemade Chocolate Cake Contest is sponsored by the Pennsylvania State Association of County Fairs (PSACF), and the winner this year was Bethany Osborne of Holtwood with her chocolate marble s'mores layer cake.   

The PSACF also sponsors the Blue Ribbon Apple Pie contest, and the winner for 2025 was Neve Haun of Lancaster.

Pennsylvania's Incredible Angel Food Cake contest was once again co-sponsored by the Pennsylvania Egg Farmers and the PASCF.  Lauren Osborne from Holtwood had the winning entry this year with her strawberry angel food cake.

Nine-year-old Annelise Hrovath of Millersville won the Cookies, Brownies and Bars Junior Baking contest with her never box brownies again. This contest is sponsored by the PA Preferred program, which is part of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and encourages youths to find locally grown or produced ingredients for their baking.

All four of these certified contest winners are eligible to enter the Pennsylvania State Farm Show in January of 2026, where first-place winners can receive prize money.

Additionally, the 2025 Solanco Fair Baby Parade was held on Sept. 18. Winners are as follows:

In the Walking Division, first place for Best Characterization went to "Pick of the Patch," Findley Dean, and first place for Best Team went to "Wizard of Qville," Harvey Wagner, age 4; Ruby Herr, age 4; and Lucs and Myron Evans, ages 5 and 1.

Prizes were given out in the Vehicle on Wheels Division as well. Best-Carried-Out Theme winners were "My Fair Ladies," Scarlett and Piper Sensenig, ages 4 and 10 months, first place; "Winniesaurus," Winnie May Miller, 20 months, second place; and "The Circus," Miles Jordan Parsons, 6 months, third place. In first place for Nursery Rhyme, Fairy Tale, or Storybook was "Frozen," Lexi and Hailey, 3-year-old twins. Miscellaneous winners were "On Top of Spaghetti," Archer Lutz, 7 months, first place; "Solanco's Cutie Cherry Pie, Sophia DiMatteo, age 5, second place; and "Little Chick," Everly DeHoff, 6 months, third place.

The Mini Float Division featured an assortment of entries. Best-Carried-Out Theme awardees were "Little Rascalls," Parker and Harper Krishnakurup, age 3, first place; "Miles to the Rescue," Miles Troop, age 3, second place; and "Scooby-Doo," 3-year-old Colton Woerth, 1-year-old Parker Woerth, 2-year-old Owen Petersheim, 2-year-old Maeve Kreider, and 2-year-old Maeve Cross, third place. First place in Nursery Rhyme, Fairy Tale, or Storybook went to "Little Bo Peep," Ella Tollinger. In the Miscellaneous category, first place went to "The Hocus Pocus Sisters," Hadlee Ream, age 3; Hazel Hunsenburger, age 4; and Harlow Hunsenburger, age 2.

In the Float Division, Best Characterization winners were "Myleigh's Market Bouquets," Myleigh Jo Willis, 11 months, first place; "Fairy Garden," Emily Fry, age 5, second place; and "Wizard of Oz," 4-year-old Carter Shissler, 4-year-old Penelope Shissler, 2-month-old Parker Shissler, 4-year-old Bentley Heiselman, 1-year-old Brynnley Heiselman, 3-year-old Hudson King, and 6-month-old Josie King, third place. First place in the Miscellaneous category went to "Little Pilot, Big Dreams," Hudson Frackman, 19 months.

Grand Prize Best of Show winners were "Pick of the Patch," Findley Dean, age 1, Walking Division; "On Top of Spaghetti," Archer Lutz, 7 months, Vehicle on Wheels Division; and "Myleigh's Market Bouquets," Myleigh Jo Willis, 11 months, Float Division.

To relive more moments from the fair, visit http://townlively.engleonline.com/in-the-community/solanco-fair-5/.