St. Paul the Apostle Church Summer Bazaar

Each year during mid-June one can visit St. Paul the Apostle Church in Annville, PA to check out their traditional summer bazaar.  If you are not familiar with it, the word "bazaar" is of Middle-Eastern origin and describes a marketplace, or more commonly when used in the west, a charity fundraising event.  The latter is the case for St. Paul's which relies on its annual bazaar for a significant amount of income.  For example, last year the bazaar brought in over $70,000.00.

 

 

The bazaar has a long history that dates back to shortly after 1928, the time when St. Paul's first church building was officially acquired, where it initially existed as a flea market.  It started in an alley behind the church and moved to a much larger lot shortly before the construction of a new church which started on July 27th, 1980.  Since its initial conception, it has evolved into an event with a smorgasbord of different stands which incorporate games and activities such as cane toss, spin-art, darts, and many more.  There is also a great deal of delicious and traditional festival food such as funnel cakes, sausage sandwiches, hamburgers, chicken BBQ, and even the inclusion of a beer garden.  There is also live music  - this year performed by the bands "Flamin Dick and the Hot Rods" and "The Uptown Band."  Yet this summer carnival still keeps a connection with its initial design through a stand which operates in the manner of the flea market upon which the bazaar was built. 

 

 

 

I made sure to take pictures early before the crowds arrive - generally the bazaar grounds become swamped with so many people that it becomes difficult to see from one end to the other.

Because Sunday was Father's Day, I decided to interview my father who has worked to set up the bazaar for over ten years and who, for the last few, has played an instrumental part in keeping it running, along with a few other committed and long-standing volunteers.  He told me that the hardest part of the bazaar set up is finding people who are willing to commit their time to help.  Set up traditionally starts around 3 weeks before the actual event and construction happens about 4 to 5 times a week during weekday evenings; this year, however, Saturdays were included to accommodate church members who could not help during the week.

St. Paul the Apostle Church's bazaar, while being affiliated with a Catholic church, usually brings in a wide range of people who come to simply enjoy the food, the fun, and the company of others.  If you are ever in Annville, PA around the middle of June I would recommend checking out St. Paul's bazaar for both its great taste of summer fun and its endearing and old-fashioned festival feel.