The Country Fair hosted on Friday, Oct. 4 from 8-11 p.m. was full of food, games and animals that gave Bucknellians a night of activity to end their week. Taking place at the McDonnell Amphitheater and Uptown Patio, Bucknell’s CORE club at the CAP Center put on this night of entertainment with the hopes of giving students a chance to relax, destress with some animals and hang out with friends over classic country food.
Amiable therapy goats dressed in Halloween costumes welcomed students to the fair. Groups of students were attracted to the goat pen to pet, hold and snap photos with the goats. The goats touched the heart of Ella Gerst ’28, who “[felt] at home because [she] misses her [own] goats” back home. Once students entered the pen, they fell in love, sticking by their new besties for quite some time.
Beyond the lovable goats, students had the opportunity to participate in axe throwing, mechanical bull riding and a high striker. Queues to try out these challenges wrapped around each setup; students were eager to partake in these tests of skill. Kat Liloia ’26 tried everything, but “[her] most favorite part was that [she] got a bullseye with the axe throwing.”
Students tested their strength on the mechanical bull and high striker in the hopes of winning the highly coveted prize of full-size candy bars.
According to students, the snacks available were a hit too—the buffet, complete with fried pickles, mini turkey corn dogs, sweet potato tots and apple slices with caramel sauce, satisfied attendees. Hailey Martchek ’26 highlighted the delicious drink offerings and thought that the “apple cider made all [her] exams this week worth it.”
For even more entertainment and competition, a pie-eating contest was held, too. The prize? A meet-and-greet with Murr, the upcoming guest performer for Center Stage. Contestant Nina Liloia ’26 was “so excited because [she] has never done [a pie eating contest] before.” She was able to “pick a cherry pie, [her] favorite,” which was an encouraging push to commit to the competition. Contestants faced off with Brent Papson, Director of Campus Activities & Student Media, as well as their peers; the lucky winner ended up being Jonathan Eckhardt ’27.
Courtney Ross, Assistant Director of Campus Activities and Programs, noted that “[her] favorite part about planning the Country Fair is seeing what new ideas the student planners can come up with, like the pie eating contest or mechanical bull. We’re constantly trying to bring different ideas to our events to keep it exciting each year, even if you’ve been before.”
Country Fair is an annual event that continues to provide opportunities for fun and relaxation on campus.