The West End Fair is back and so is all the food!

Last year’s fair was canceled due to the pandemic, and this year’s opening day on Sunday was shortened due to rain from Tropical Storm Henri.

But Monday’s sunshine and nice weather brought the crowd. A hungry and thirsty crowd indeed.

“We have seen a good turnout since the rain stopped,” said Sue Hill, a fair volunteer who helped coordinate this year’s first-ever beer and wine garden.

It is located inside the Everett Building and includes four beer and wine vendors.

“I love meeting new people here,” said Scott Douglas, who owns Stone Lake Winery with his wife, Jacki, and has attended the fair many times.

It’s their first time as vendors at the fair, and they sold their wine at last year’s fall festival held at the fairgrounds.

Patrons in the beer and wine garden seemed to be enjoying themselves and their beverages.

“I’m digging this. It’s a great idea,” said Stacy Pittenger of Nazareth.

The wine was helping her nerves as her boys prepared to race in the Dirt-a-Rama later in the arena.

Outside the Everett Building near gate 1 is Borger Farm’s corn on the cob, which has been part of the fair for almost two decades.

“I always get it when I come here. I love the whole taste of it and the seasoning,” said Kandice Counterman, a longtime fairgoer from East Stroudsburg.

Some call it the “sweetest corn in the Poconos,” said Dawn Borger, who was one of several family members running the stand Monday evening.

Elsewhere at the fair are stands selling pizza, French fries, ice cream, hamburgers, tacos, soups, salads, hot dogs, waffles and ice cream, peanuts, cotton candy, soda, bottled water, and many other delectable goodies.

“I came for the funnel cake, rides and performances, said Genevieve Stewart-King of Stroudsburg, as she purchased a lemonade from Dale’s Concessions.

There’s only one funnel cake stand at the fair, and it’s run by the Pleasant Valley PTO.

It has been a staple of the fair since Helen Meckes began selling them in 1971 and the stand was established in 1974.

“The funnel cake stand raises nearly $30,000 that is split among the PVE, PVI and PVMS PTOs based on student enrollment numbers and volunteer hours,” said PVE PTO President Brianna Frost. “Fundraisers like the funnel cake stand help us keep the fun parts of school alive for them, especially at a time when the district is struggling so much financially.”

Programs and services provided by the PTO in a typical school year include school supplies, assemblies, field trips, free family fun events, free field day shirts, cub closet and nurse’s office donations, student rewards and behavior incentives, PSSA fun supplies, staff mini grants and more, she said.

The fair runs through Saturday at the fairgrounds in Gilbert. Gates open at 3 p.m. and close at 9 p.m. Cost is $6 for those age 11 and up.

Today, Last One Standing will perform at 3:30 p.m., with The Cramer Brothers Band at 7 and 8:15 p.m.

The demolition derby will start at 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday is Senior Citizens Day and Veterans Day.

Admission is $3 for 65 and older.

Gates will open at 10 a.m. for the antique tractor pull. 3:30 p.m. Dean Hahn & The Hawks will perform at 3:30 p.m. American Bandstand Review will perform at 7 and 8:15 p.m. The demolition derby will start at 7 p.m.

For more information: www.thewestendfair.com.