Traditionally the third week in September, word has just been put out the Preble County Pork Festival will NOT happen this year. Here’s what was posted on their website and Facebook page:

“The Preble County Pork Festival Board of Directors has made an incredibly difficult decision to suspend the festival for 2022. The continuing rise in cost of products has made it impossible to maintain our aging equipment, purchase new equipment and continue the festival in a traditional fashion. As with the rest of you, we continue to question the economic stability of the future and have financial uncertainties in regard to our outlook. The lack of volunteers, start up cost and overhead costs have forced an uncomfortable situation for all who have dedicated time, talent, and money to the festival.

This decision was not made easily, nor spontaneously. We are truly thankful for all who have volunteered endless hours, donated products and services, and supported the festival over the last 50 years. The Board of Directors will continue to discuss future festivals.”

The History of the Festival:
The Preble County Pork Festival, as we know it today, was born in 1970 when the committee that organized Farm-City Day (the precursor of the Pork Festival) met to discuss ways to improve or redefine the annual event. It was decided that a grand Pork Festival celebrating Preble County’s proud pork-producing industry and history was the way to go.

In 1975 to honor former Preble County Extension Agent, Wilbur Bruner, Bruner Arena was constructed. Today Bruner Arena is used during the Preble County Fair to house the swine department. During the Pork Festival Bruner Arena is used to house the education aspect of the festival.

Wilbur Bruner, who later became a swine specialist with The Ohio State University cooperative Extension Service), we have been known as The Home of Swine Improvement in America. The early efforts of Bruner and participating local farmers helped bring leaner, higher-quality, more nutritious pork to the world.

In 1978, the Festival enclosed the swine barns off the back in of the Bruner Arena. In 979 the festival financed the electrical distribution system for the fairgrounds. 1984 saw Two Pavilion-Type Building constructed on 27-acre tract of land on Wayne Trace Road.

In 1992, a festival storage building was build and another building on the fairground was refurbished for a kitchen facility. In 1994, an addition was added to provided meeting and office space along with an expanded restroom facilities. The addition was completed in 1995.

Construction began in 2002 on the Expo Building. Once it was finished in 2004, the Preble County Fair housed its beef cattle department in the barn. That same year, the festival began using the building for vendors, along with selling some of the festivals foods. In 2019 Committed $50,000 to the Expo addition. Financed lighting upgrade to the Expo.