Carnival & Fair News

Packers Concessions, headquartered in Centre Hall, Pennsylvania, began in 1968 with the purchase of a single ice cream truck by owner Chad Packer's parents. Their first carnival appearance was at Centre Hall's own Grange County Fair, an event the company still proudly serves each year.

Since those early days, the business has grown significantly while remaining rooted in its family-run traditions. Today, Packers Concessions operates a soft-serve ice cream trailer, two French fry trailers, a lemonade trailer, three fresh-dough pizza trailers, two sandwich trailers, and several lemonade carts.

In addition to traveling fairs and events across Pennsylvania, the company also manages concessions at Port Royal Speedway. There, Packers Concessions operates three permanent food buildings, with a fourth scheduled for completion by the end of April 2026.

The Speedway's concession offerings are as diverse as the company's mobile units, if not more so. Menu items include sandwiches, lemonade, pizza, chicken fingers, pretzels, popcorn, and fries. With the Speedway season running from March 1 through mid-September, the operation overlaps with the peak carnival and fair season, keeping the company busy throughout much of the year.

“We travel throughout Pennsylvania,” Packer says, “and this past fall we went to Virginia for the first time, accompanying our friend who operates Snyder's Attractions.”



The company's regular route includes eight fairs, several firemen's carnivals, and a wide variety of special events, ranging from car shows and art shows to tractor pulls.

Among their largest venues are county fairs, including the Union County Fair, the Juniata County Fair, the Huntingdon County Fair, and the Grange County Fair. Packer notes that their largest fair is the Juniata County Fair, which is held on the same grounds as Port Royal Speedway, where the company's permanent concession buildings are located.

While Packers Concessions typically brings most of its trailers and carts to each event, smaller venues may feature a reduced selection of concessions.

Operating permanent food stands at a racetrack is uncommon for a carnival concession company. Packer explains that this opportunity grew out of the company's long-standing relationship with the Juniata County Fair, which is held on the Speedway grounds.

“We worked the fair for many years, and about ten years ago I asked if the permanent concessions needed help,” Packer explains. “The Speedway said yes, and we started with one building on the infield, selling sandwiches, chicken fingers, fries, and pizza. From there, our concessions really took off and grew.”

In addition to classic concession favorites such as hot dogs, popcorn, and fries, Packers Concessions is known for several unique offerings. These include Italian sausage sandwiches with either sweet or hot sausage, as well as their fresh-dough pizza, a product that sets them apart from many other concessionaires in the region.



Some of the company's specialty pizzas feature creative toppings such as macaroni and cheese or a breakfast pizza made with sausage and gravy. Recent customer favorites have included a sweet bourbon barbecue chicken and bacon pizza, along with a chicken, bacon, and Alfredo sauce pizza.

The company operates a mix of trailers, wagons, and permanent buildings. “We have three Hitchhikers, several Carmates, and the rest we built ourselves,” Packer says. “My dad started building them before he passed away, and he also built trailers for others, including the local Kiwanis Club and several fire companies.”

While no new trailers or food items are planned for this year, Packers Concessions added a Hitchhiker ice cream trailer in 2020. Current menu offerings continue to perform well, with sandwiches, ice cream, and pizza among the top sellers.



“At carnivals, we typically offer cheese, pepperoni, meat deluxe, Buffalo chicken pizza, and one that does especially well at fairs, mushroom and pickle pizza,” Packer notes.

The ice cream menu features soft-serve chocolate, vanilla, and chocolate-vanilla twist, along with sundaes, shakes, and blended treats known as Shivers. The company also offers chocolate-covered frozen bananas and freshly baked chocolate chip cookies, which can be used to create made-to-order ice cream sandwiches.

On the savory side, Italian sausage sandwiches, hamburgers, hot dogs, and cheesesteaks remain consistent customer favorites.

Packers Concessions remains very much a family operation. “Besides me, there's my brother, my daughters, and my mom,” Packer says. “She's 76 and still works the ice cream, just like she did when the company first started.”

The operation stays busy year-round. “We do about 100 events a year, including the Speedway,” Packer explains. “We also have great local help, some of whom have been with us for more than 30 years. We participate in the H-2B visa program as well, and we are truly blessed with great employees.”

Outside of the Speedway, Packers Concessions operates from March through October, allowing winter months for equipment maintenance. The company also provides concessions at the Pennsylvania Farm Show each January at the PA Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg.

Looking ahead, Packers Concessions continues to grow. “We will be adding some new stops to our route next year,” Packer says.