The inaugural Carbon County Harvest Festival opened the gates Friday afternoon at the West End fairgrounds. The festival was planned after the annual county fair had to be canceled because of COVID-19.

The fair committee couldn’t have the event on the Carbon fairgrounds, so the event was moved to the fairgrounds in Gilbert.

More than 600 people came to the event Friday night, which included music, vendors and the crowning of Fair Queen Reilly Bauer, according to the Carbon County Fair president, Bob Silliman.

“We were pleased, and it seemed like everyone enjoyed the evening. On Saturday night at 10 o’clock we still had 25 die-hards with their jackets on, warming their hands in front of the fire as they listened to the Steel Creek Band play,” Silliman said.

Sixty vendors, some of them from the previous weekend’s West End Fall Festival, agreed to stay and work the Carbon County’s Festival before pulling out to another event.

“We have been so lucky, with everything that has been happening, people have really stepped up and volunteered,” he said.

Everything seemed to go with well with the Boy Scout Troop 209 and Troop 41 keeping the food tables wiped down and the garbage picked up in the picnic table area.

“They are even taking care of the restrooms for us,” Silliman said.

The fair committee didn’t have much time to get everything pulled together. “We only had a little more than two weeks, and that included getting the permits, insurance and more vendors. We were lucky we already had the 30 vendors registered from last weekend,” he said.

“People forget sometimes that having a yearly fair costs money, and this will make a difference for us. Even though there wasn’t the usual Carbon County Fair, we still have expenses and property upkeep,” Silliman said.

People came from throughout the region. Robert Edinger of Pen Argyl brought his grandson Sunday.

“We just wanted to have a good day and enjoy the weather before it gets cold,” he said.

Richard and Connie Banko said they came to see the old-time engines.

Silliman said, “We want to thank everyone who came and supported us and helped.”