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Bears to baskets: Carbon County Fair has much to offer

Got your funnel cake — check. Got your sausage sandwich — check. Now, it’s time to check out the nonfood vendors at the Carbon County Fair — just follow the sound of the chain saw.

Darren Yurkunas of Lehighton has been carving sculptures from wood with a chain saw for 10 to 12 years. He and his wife, Louise, go to around six local fairs and festivals each summer with their hobby/business, Bearly Get’N By.

“He does the carving and I do the painting,” Louise Yurkunas said.

The business refers to bears, but they do all sorts of sculpture shapes.

“We like to come up with different things,” she said. “The customers give us ideas and ask, ‘Do you ever do this or did you ever do that,’ then he tries it.”

The business does take special orders. Louise Yurkunas said her husband recently did to horse heads for a client.

At the fair, they have three sculptures they are giving away in a raffle: a frog, a gnome and an otter. The gnome alone goes for $125. The raffle tickets are $2 each or three for $5. Outside of the fair, call 484-547-8127 to contact the business.

There are many other vendors at the fair also selling their handcrafted gift items. Check them out.

The fair also has a basket raffle with some of the items being way too big for a basket.

Ava Jany, a volunteer at the ticket table, said there are 365 prizes.

The large prizes include a 50-inch television, French door air fryer, toddler’s jump and climb, a children’s drivable Power Wheels Jeep, a pink bicycle, and a side table. And, of course, there are a multitude of baskets filled with wine, household items, books, toys, as well as numerous gift cards.

The basket raffle is in the Chance Raffle tent located near the arena. A sheet of 24 tickets is $5.

Darren Yurkunas of Lehighton uses his chain saw to carve wood into a giraffe at the Carbon County Fair. KRISTINE PORTER/TIMES NEWS
Darren Yurkunas of Lehighton uses his chain saw to carve wood into animals, gnomes and a variety of other shapes. KRISTINE PORTER/TIMES NEWS
Berry Get’N By offers three of their chain saw carved sculptures in a raffle at the Carbon County Fair. KRISTINE PORTER/TIMES NEWS
Fairgoers enjoy a basket raffle at the Carbon County Fair. KRISTINE PORTER/TIMES NEWS
A 50-inch television is one of several large prizes at the Carbon County Fair. KRISTINE PORTER/TIMES NEWS
The Chance Raffle at the Carbon County Fair has 365 different prizes. KRISTINE PORTER/TIMES NEWS