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Posted January 18, 2019

If you’re from Central Pennsylvania, you’ve likely had your fair share of Lebanon bologna. Regardless of whether or not you consider yourself a fan of the county’s most famous cured meat, there are plenty of reasons to check out the 2019 Lebanon Bologna Fest & Winter Carnival.

The 2019 edition of this event is taking place on Saturday, January 26, at the Lebanon Expo Center and is put on by the Lebanon Rotary Club.


For the first time in the event’s history, proceeds will benefit Girls On The Run Lancaster/Lebanon Chapter, an organization that helps girls in grades 3-8 develop important life skills and an appreciation of health and fitness.

“We’re super excited to support their efforts,” said co-organizer Victoria Layser. “They are sending a ton of volunteers and really getting involved.”

Also making their Bologna Fest debut will be the Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association and their famous milkshakes, a staple of the Pennsylvania Farm Show.


As the name implies, Lebanon bologna is the star of the 2019 Bologna Fest. Both Seltzer’s and Godshall’s bologna will be in attendance, and one of the afternoon’s marquee events is a bologna eating contest. Previous winners have wolfed down as many as seven and a half bologna sandwiches in only five minutes.

For the less bologna inclined, there is still plenty to do, see, and most importantly, eat and drink.


BOOM! Crafted Pickles will be on hand offering 14 varieties of pickles both on and off the stick. If you’ve got a bit of a sweet-tooth, you’ll be excited to hear that Lancaster Cupcake will be offering their wares for the first time in the Fest’s history.

Tickets are also available for the 4thAnnual Beer and Wine Fest. For $30, participants receive a five-ounce tasting glass and are able to sample beers and wines from over 20 breweries and wineries. Admission to the Bologna Fest is also included. Sara Bozich is giving away three pairs of tickets to the Beer and Wine Fest, which will feature breweries including Rotunda, Snitz Creek, and Troegs.

If you need to work off some of those calories, take part in cornhole competitions, dance to the music of Damaskus Road and The Neighborly, or get your picture taken with the festival’s cowboy hat-wearing anthropomorphic-sausage mascot, the Bologna Ranger.


The new family-friendly cornhole competition starts at 10:30am. The adult cornhole tournament begins at 3:00pm.

Admission to the Bologna Fest & Winter Carnival is $4, but free for those under the age of 16. Parking is available free of charge.

Davis Shaver contributed reporting to this article.