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FOX43 examines the change in food prices over the last few years and sees how you can stay on budget while at the Farm Show.

HARRISBURG, Pa. — The Food Court at the Pennsylvania Farm Show is buzzing with activity as people try some of the best food Pennsylvania’s farms have to offer. But affordability remains a top priority as people look for a place to sit and eat.

That’s why FOX43 is revisiting the following question: how much will $20 get you at the Farm Show Food Court?

In 2017, FOX43 was able to purchase a mushroom blended burger ($5.50), cheese cubes ($4.75), potato donut ($0.75), goat taco bowl ($5.00), and a milkshake ($4.00) for $20. Those same items, substituting a goat taco bowl for a goat sloppy joe, cost $34 today.

“I try to stay within a budget, try not to overspend. But it’s a little difficult here or there because you want to try everything,” Christine Ricci, an attendee, told FOX43.

Jennifer Reed-Harry with PennAg Industries said their stand has been trying to help Farm Show goers stay on budget by keeping their prices the same three years running.

“We want to make sure that we have budget friendly options for all the people who come here, especially those with young kids, because feeding a family can be quite expensive here,” Reed-Harry said.

She added that the group examines their pricing each year to ensure they can keep their menu affordable.

“It’s about coming here, sampling all the great food at the Farm Show, and be able to feed your family safe, nutritious food without breaking the bank,” she said.

Patrons said they’re still able to get a hot dog ($3.00), milkshake ($7.00), grilled cheese ($5.00) and pierogies ($5.00) while staying on budget at the food court.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHP) — Close to 150 adults and kids took the stage in the Pennsylvania Farm Show's mullet competition on Monday—the biggest turnout the contest has seen it began three years ago.

That's according to Pete Brubaker, the self-proclaimed "Emcee Mullet," who helped call contestants to the stage and provided commentary during the show.

Brubaker said it's the people that made the competition special, along with the comradery and kindness.

“I just like kind of how everyone is accepted, 'cus like for real sometimes they get treated like trailer trash, like for real," Brubaker said. "It’s just kind of cool to see like, we’re not trailer trash just 'cus we have a mullet, you know what I mean.”

This year, along with crowning first, second and third place for each age category and then the overall "Best in Flow," the competition featured a "Flow of Freedom" award for the most patriotic mullet.

Winner of the "Flow of Freedom" award was 7-year-old Kamden Cunningham.

“I really wanted it my whole life and I finally got it,” Kamden said after the show, adding that it took him three years to grow his current ‘do.

Kamden’s mom, Kelsey Cunningham, said Kamden has spent the last three years competing with his mullet on a national level. She said he won first place in the national competition in 2024.

“During that time he has raised just under $20,000 for wounded veterans, so it’s a nice little full circle moment there,” Kelsey Cunningham said.

According to Matt Schwalm, director and owner of the Barber Styling Institute in Camp Hill, a good mullet is short on the sides, short on the top and long in the back.

“I think flow of the way it all comes together on the sides, that makes a mullet," Schwalm said after the show. "And also maybe some texture in it, either all over or definitely in the back to give it some dimension.”

With that in mind, how did this year’s contestants measure up?

“I think they were awesome," Schwalm said. "I mean, it was really hard to judge All the contestants that came out, they did a great job with presentation and the styles they had going on. It was awesome."

HARRISBURG, Pa., Jan 10, 2026, 08:12 (EST)

Pennsylvania’s annual Farm Show opened in Harrisburg on Saturday with a 1,000-pound butter sculpture that leans hard into the U.S. 250th anniversary theme, pairing the state’s founding-era history with its modern dairy industry. Pa

Organizers are selling it as more than a winter fair. The 110th edition runs Jan. 10 through Jan. 17 and serves as the official kickoff for America250PA, the state commission coordinating events tied to the nation’s 250th birthday. Admission is free and parking is $15 per vehicle, the state agriculture department said. Pa

The timing matters for Pennsylvania’s farm groups, which use the show’s biggest magnet — the food court — to raise money for commodity organizations and youth programs. The Farm Show site said new offerings this year include pickle pizza, chocolate-covered strawberries, a mushroom breakfast burrito and Lion’s Mane coffee — coffee blended with an extract from a mushroom used in some supplements. Pa

The food court also opened a day early on Friday, a tradition for some visitors looking to get in before the show’s main events ramp up. WGAL reported long lines Friday night for staples like potato donuts and noted the preview day only opened the food court, not other areas. Wgal

The butter sculpture itself is staged as a 1776 Philadelphia scene, with Franklin and other Founding Fathers at the signing of the Declaration of Independence, plus the Liberty Bell and a nod to Betsy Ross. The sculpture has been part of the Farm Show for decades and has leaned into pop culture in past years, including a version that featured the Flyers’ mascot Gritty, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported. Inquirer

Redding said the display “takes on a deeper meaning” this year, tying farming to the country’s origins. Dairy farmer Carolyn Eaglehouse said the state’s dairy producers were “building a strong dairy industry” even as the country was being formed, calling it “a legacy” she was proud to be part of.

America250PA also set up a booth inside the food court area, with games and a recording station for visitors to share their own Pennsylvania stories, according to CBS 21. “Farmers were always at the heart of that story,” America250PA executive director Cassandra Coleman said. Local21News

But the show’s draw can work against it. WGAL warned Saturday that traffic and parking can get tight at the Farm Show Complex, with some visitors needing to shuttle in from other lots as crowds build. Wgal

The Farm Show runs daily through Jan. 17 at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center in Harrisburg, with livestock shows, competitions and commercial exhibits layered around the food court and its fundraising booths.