Metal detectors will be part of the added security measures at this year’s Allentown Fair, which opens on Aug. 31.

The walk-through, open-gate detectors will be installed at all pedestrian entrances to the fairgrounds. There will also be some new configurations at some of the gates to ensure smooth entry and exit of the fairgrounds.

The fair — featuring Midway games and rides, agricultural and culinary contests, and Grandstand concerts — runs through Labor Day, a 170-year-old end-of-summer tradition. the Lehigh County Agricultural Society,

Unlike most other large-scale events around the Lehigh Valley, the Allentown Fair is entirely gated on the 48-acre fairgrounds along 17th and Liberty streets.

Jessica Ciecwisz, marketing and entertainment manager for the fair, said installing the metal detectors had been planned for a while but was pushed back due to the pandemic.

“This has been in play,” Ciecwisz said. “Safety has always been a standard part of our planning.”

Along with the metal detectors, a new, updated sound system has been installed that unifies announcements across the property and in the Agri-Plex building. Should there be an emergency, one announcement can now be made instead of separate ones for the fairgrounds and the Agri-Plex.

Those who attend the fair should keep in mind that all items including backpacks will be subject to search.

Info on tickets, safety and more: allentownfair.com/index.php/general-info/faqs