In this photo taken last year, Eve Martin of Ephrata buries herself in corn kernals while visiting the Family Living section of the Pennsylvania Farm Show. (Daily Record/Sunday News -- File )
The 2013 Pennsylvania Farm Show, which runs through Saturday, features old favorites and new attractions for all ages.

The theme of the 97th edition of the show, "Made in Pennsylvania, It Makes A Difference," puts the focus on how agriculture drives the state's economy as part of PA Preferred, the official program of agriculture commodities grown or made in Pennsylvania.

The Culinary Connection will feature cooking demonstrations and contests, as well as special events such as the Celebrity Best Cheeseburger Showdown; demonstrations by a number of chefs, including Justin Miller and Dave Lieberman; and demonstrations by honey and maple syrup producers.

Also new this year is the Great Grape Stomp, with teams of barefoot celebrities competing for top honors and the chance for audience members to vote for their favorite team. Attendees can also enter to win a winery tour and visit the wine-tasting area in the Main Hall, which features free samples of wine from across the state and wine available for purchase.

The food court returns with its popular beef and pork sandwiches, baked potatoes and milk shakes, as well as several new items such as veal meatball sandwiches, grilled sausage with peppers and onions, pumpkin funnel cakes, and cherry pie offered by commodity groups from around the state.

Visit the new Hobby Lobby exhibits in the family living center that feature competitions from a duct-tape contest to decorated bowling pins and sneakers, as well as gourd crafts, clay flowerpots and pincushions.

In addition to the always-popular apple pie and chocolate cake judging, fudge and cupcake contests have been added this year. New honey products to be judged include sauces, beverages and salad dressings.

Young beef farmers and their prize-winning cattle will be recognized thanks to the new Junior Beef Breeding Supreme Champion Pageant.

The event also includes show favorites such as livestock judging and horse pulls, square-dancing tractors and

LOCAL. Samantha Laughman of Gettysburg snuggles with Ralph, her dwarf hotot rabbit, while the duo wait for him to compete in the Large Arena of the Pa. Farm Show on Friday, Jan. 6, 2012. YORK DAILY RECORD/SUNDAY NEWS--JASON PLOTKIN (YORK DAILY RECORD/SUNDAY NEWS--J)
a horseshoe-pitching contest, the butter sculpture, a high school rodeo, a fashion show, carriage racing and an outdoor power equipment showcase.

Schedule

Today's attractions:

8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., agricultural education demonstration

9 a.m., Pennsylvania Farm Show Scholarship Foundation Awards

9 a.m., 4-H potato grading and identification

9 a.m. to 7 p.m., family living demonstrations

9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Shaver's Creek Environment Center exhibit

9 a.m., championship pony pulling contest

9 a.m. to 2 p.m. outdoor power equipment showcase featuring the Skid Loader Ride and Drive

9:30 a.m., sale of champions

10:30 a.m., junior market lamb sale

Noon, 1, 2 and 3 p.m., cooking demonstration

12:30 p.m., junior market goat sale

1:30 to 2:30 p.m., arena carriage racing

1:30 p.m., junior market swine sale

3 to 5 p.m., Delaware Valley Equine demonstration

3 p.m., championship horse pulling contest

3:30 p.m., junior market steer sale

4 p.m., culinary school demonstration

4 p.m., gingersnap cookie contest

5 p.m., school cooking challenge

5 p.m., draft horse hitch and drive

6 p.m., celebrity draft horse team driving

Wednesday's attractions:[chi: cut as needed : ]

8 a.m. to 3 p.m., antique tractor display

8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., agricultural education demonstrations

9 a.m. to 7 p.m., family living demonstrations

9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Shaver's Creek Environmental Center exhibit

9 to 11 a.m., speed horse demonstration

9 to 1:30 a.m., Berg USA test driving

10 a.m., youth Fleece to Shawl contest

Noon, honey extraction demonstration

Noon, hitch and drive

12:30 to 2 p.m., youth pedal tractor pull

1 p.m., old-fashioned fudge contest

1 p.m., Farm Safety Quiz Bowl

1 p.m., cooking demonstration by First Lady of Agriculture Christine Gregg

2 p.m., preferred best burger showdown

2 to 3 p.m., arena carriage racing

3 p.m., 33rd annual Sheep to Shawl contest

3 p.m., cooking demonstration

4 p.m. Culinary School Demonstration

4 to 6 p.m., Legislative Dairy Showmanship contest

5 to 9 p.m., antique tractor pull

5 p.m., maple

LOCAL. The eye of a horned dorset ram peers out as Mike Torrone Jr., with the Willow Manor Farm of Palmerton, Pa., shears his coat at the Pa. Farm Show on YORK DAILY RECORD/SUNDAY NEWS--JASON PLOTKIN (YORK DAILY RECORD/SUNDAY NEWS--J)
production demonstration

5:30 to 8 p.m., bid-calling contest, Pa. Auctioneers Association

6 to 8 p.m. speed horse demo continued

6:30 p.m., Sheep to Shawl auction

7 p.m., fleece auction

Thursday's attractions:

8 a.m., junior dairy goat showmanship contest followed by junior dairy goat judging

8 a.m. to 3 p.m., horseshoe-pitching contest

8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., agricultural education demonstrations

9 a.m. to 9 p.m., family living demonstrations

9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Shaver's Creek Environmental Center exhibit

9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., draft horse pleasure show

Noon, maple production demonstration

1 p.m., Exceptional Kids Rodeo

1, 2 and 3 p.m., cooking demonstration

4 p.m., culinary school demonstration

4:30 p.m. Polo Demonstration

5 p.m., junior meat breeding goat judging

5 p.m., honey extraction demonstration

5:30 p.m., Celebrity Great Grape Stomp

6 to 9 p.m., Pa. Equine Showcase

7 p.m., Circuit Finals Rodeo

Friday's attractions:

8 a.m., sheep judging

8 a.m.to noon, dairy cattle judging

8 a.m., open dairy goats judging

9 a.m. to 7 p.m., family living demonstrations

9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Shaver's Creek Environmental Center exhibit

10 a.m. and noon, tractor square dance

10:30 a.m., Supreme Champion Wool

11 a.m. and 5 p.m., Hitch & Drive

1, 2 and 3 p.m., cooking demonstration

2 p.m., Supreme Champion of Dairy Breeds

2:30 p.m., celebrity cow milking contest

3 p.m., junior breeding sheep show

3 p.m., Best Doe of Show

3:30 p.m., Junior Dairy Cattle Showmanship

4 p.m., culinary school demonstration

5 p.m., sticky-bun contest (Stage I)

5 p.m., maple production demonstration

6 to 9 p.m., PA Equine Showcase

7 p.m., Circuit Finals Rodeo

Saturday attractions

8 a.m., sheep judging

8 a.m., open meat goat judging

9 a.m. to noon, family living demonstrations

9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Shaver's Creek Environmental Center exhibit

9 a.m., PDCA Dairy Judging School

9:30 a.m., farm class horse pulling

11 a.m., maple production demonstration

Noon, cooking demonstration

12:30 to 4 p.m., PA Equine Showcase

1 p.m., Supreme Champion Sheep, Meat Breeds

1 p.m., apple auction

1 p.m., cooking demonstration

1:30 p.m., Ag Career Connections FFA Awards

Complete schedule

More information is available online at www.farmshow.state.pa.us.

If you go

THE PENNSYLVANIA FARM SHOW will continue through Saturday at the Pennsylvania Complex & Expo Center, North Cameron and Maclay Streets, Harrisburg.

Show hours are 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. except for the final day, when things end at 5 p.m.

Parking is available in the north lot.

Off-site parking is available at Elmerton Avenue and Sycamore Street; watch for signs off Cameron Street. Parking cost is $10. Take the free shuttle to the Cameron Street entrance of the complex.

Quick tips

· Best time to arrive: between 9 a.m. and noon

· Busiest time of day: 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.

· Parking is $10 at all lots operated by farm show complex.

· Two off-site parking lots are available east of the complex at Elmerton Avenue and Sycamore Street; and at Harrisburg Area Community College on Wildwood Park Drive, directly north of the complex.

· Handicapped parking is available at all parking lots operated by the farm show.

· Complimentary shuttle service is available. Shuttle busses are identified by the name of the parking area.

· Write down the name of the parking lot and the general location of your vehicle.