BUTLER, Pa. – The 76th Annual Butler Farm Show launched on Monday in the very field where an assassination attempt on former President Trump’s life occurred just over three weeks ago.
Vendors and event coordinators were busy preparing on Sunday for the festivities, which are scheduled from Aug. 5-10, while much of the law enforcement presence had calmed down in the meantime.
Ken Laughlin, president of the Butler Farm Show, expressed hopes late Sunday that he and the other organizers are eager to kick off the festival, but the events of July 13 and the aftermath still weigh heavily on their minds.
“We’re deeply saddened by the incident that took place here. A good man lost his life, and three others were injured,” Laughlin said, referring to the injuries sustained by Trump and two of his supporters, David Dutch and James Copenhaver, along with the death of Corey Comperatore.
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Drone images captured by the Fox Flight Team show the Butler Farm Show grounds being prepared for this year’s festivities. (Fox News Flight Team)
“It’s difficult to move past, but everyone here is thrilled to begin the Farm Show and return to a sense of normalcy.”
“It’s a family-friendly gathering, and everyone is eager to see it happen.”
Given the recent security concerns surrounding Trump’s rally, Fox News Digital inquired whether any enhanced measures were being implemented for the event.
“Absolutely,” he replied. “We’re receiving additional support from the Pennsylvania State Police this week.”
Vendors organized for the Butler Farm Show about two weeks after the assassination attempt on former President Trump. (Sarah Rumpf-Whitten/Fox News Digital)
In a separate announcement, organizers confirmed their commitment to work alongside the FBI in its ongoing investigation concerning the assassination attempt, emphasizing their intent to “heal and progress as a community.”
A public vigil was also held on the site Sunday evening, as reported by the Butler Eagle.
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Drone footage from the Fox Flight Team reveals preparations at the Butler Farm Show site for this year’s event, scheduled from Aug. 5-10. (Fox News Flight Team)
Dan Schall, a local minister from Zelienople, collaborated with Rev. Joel Benson from Butler Trinity Lutheran Church to lead the service.
Benson noted that the attendees gathered for the vigil aimed to “purify and reclaim the farm show grounds for its intended use,” as mentioned in the report.
With Butler County ranking among the leading agricultural producers in Pennsylvania, the farm show, as it traditionally does, will celebrate the area’s agricultural history.
A flag is displayed at half-mast at the entrance of the Butler Farm Show in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Monday, July 22, 2024. (Derek Shook for Fox News Digital)
Though both major political parties are set to have kiosks at the fair, the actual exhibits are expected to maintain a politically neutral stance, and there will be no particular exhibit dedicated to Trump or his event, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Pennsylvania has a rich tradition of celebrating its agricultural heritage at both local and state levels.
Numerous counties, like Butler, organize local events, while the Department of Agriculture facilitates the largest indoor agricultural fair in the United States every January.
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Drone images by the Fox Flight Team show preparations underway for the Butler Farm Show. (Fox News Flight Team)
In his first appearance in Pennsylvania following the Butler rally, Trump held a significant indoor event at the very Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg last week.
Trump humorously remarked that the vast arena he spoke in—which usually hosts rodeos, tractor square-dancing, and events for Future Farmers of America during the annual agricultural showcase—brought to mind Madison Square Garden.
Meanwhile, in Butler, farm show organizers have published a flyer on their website announcing the opening of fairground rides at 4 p.m. on Monday, highlighting a schedule for the day that includes hog showmanship, a log-pulling competition, and a watermelon-eating contest.
