ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Sue Paciucci and Cathy Mason ran into some unfortunate circumstances Friday on their way to "Heaven."
Paciucci, of Bushkill Township, and Mason, of Philipsburg, New Jersey, are big country music fans who got to Allentown Fair's box office early to buy the best tickets to see top artist Kane Brown, best known for his hit "Heaven," on Aug. 29.
Paciucci and Mason didn't plan on freezing rain and sub-freezing temperatures when they arrived around 7:45 a.m. — 2 hours and 15 minutes before tickets went on sale.
"It wasn't too bad compared to other times we've camped out for tickets. We've been following country music many, many years."Ticket buyer Sue Paciucci
But the friends made the best of it. They set up chairs under the box office overhang to hold their spot at the front of the ticket line and went next door to The Ritz restaurant for breakfast.
They reclaimed their spot in line before the ticket windows opened at 10 a.m.
They were among 16 hardy souls who braved the elements to buy the first tickets for Brown and top comedian Gabriel "Fluffy" Iglesias, who will perform Sept. 1.
"It wasn't too bad compared to other times we've camped out" for tickets," Paciucci said of Friday's conditions. "We've been following country music many, many years."
She said that, as often is the case, they "made new friends" with ticket-buyers who waited behind them.
"As usual, it was good conversation."
Smaller lines, still reasons to wait
Many of those queued up at the box office Friday commented that waiting in line for tickets was a dying rite of passage, since tickets can be bought, perhaps more easily, online in the comfort of your home.
Kathy and Joe DiGirolamo of Upper Macungie Township, who arrived at the box office just after 8 a.m. to buy tickets for Kane Brown, said they also were buying tickets for friends who were working.
The DiGirolamos are retired.
All of those in line Friday were veteran concert-goers, several of whom said younger people no longer stand in line.
"We want good seats."Ticket buyer Louise Kroboth
The weather may have played a bigger part on the length of the line — just last year, when Allentown Fair opened its box office for ticket sales to its first four grandstand shows, about 150 people were in line.
But some of those waiting Friday recalled days in the not-too-distant past when ticket lines would wrap back and forth inside the grandstand, then back out to the box office.
Louise and Richard Kroboth of Nazareth, in line with friend John Meckes, who said they arrived about 8:30 a.m., said they were willing to take a chance on the fair box office opening early to get better seats.
"We want good seats," said Louise Kroboth, who said they were buying tickets for both the Kane Brown and Gabriel Iglesias shows.
She said she loves country music, and Brown "is a great performer."
Kroboth said she had extra incentive: By showing up at the box office, she said, she saved on fees charged for online sales — up to $23 per ticket for Kane Brown's most expensive seats.
They said they were buying for five people.
New booking agent; hope for big crowds
Paciucci and Mason said they were a bit taken aback to find out that for Brown's show, the entire track portion of the grandstand will be general admission standing, not assigned seats.
Fair Marketing and Entertainment Director Jessica Ciecwisz said the "seating" arrangement indicates how big a star Bown is — it increases grandstand capacity from 10,500 to 15,000.
It's not an unusual setup — Ciecwisz recalled it was used for country star Jason Aldean in 2012.
Ciecwisz said pre-sales for both Brown and Iglesias were strong and "we're hoping" for big crowds for both.
This year, the fair again is using Kentucky-based Triangle Talent, a more fair-centric booking agency — one of the largest in the country — to book its grandstand headline shows, Ciecwisz said.
The fair used concert giant Live Nation to book its headline grandstand shows for several years after longtime marketing director and talent buyer Bonnie Brosious retired in 2018.
Ciecwisz said there are offers out to talent for every day of the fair's Aug. 27-Sept. 1 run, but none is confirmed or ready to announce.
Waiting in line pays off
Paciucci said her 13-year-old granddaughter, for whom she was buying tickets to Brown, may be disappointed, but she opted for seated, covered grandstand seats rather than the standing track.
But she said, "It's gonna be a good show."
"We watch him on TV all the time and he's just funny."Rolando Reyes of Allentown, talking about comedian Gabriel Iglesias
The DiGirolamos also opted for the grandstand — the eighth row under the roof — and said, "that's great."
Couple Cheryl Sweeney and Rolando Reyes of Allentown — eighth in line to get tickets for Iglesias, scored seats on the track and said they were overjoyed.
"We watch him on TV all the time and he's just funny," said Reyes, who laughingly told of a routine the comic does about his driver and calling himself "King of Mexico."
Sweeney added this will be a particularly pointed time to see Iglesias.
"I want to see what he says about Mexico this year," she said.
Tickets for Brown and Iglesias remain available at the fair website.
Special box office hours will from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday, Feb. 3, and Thursday, Feb. 6. All show tickets include admission into the fair.
The fair also is offering discount ride tickets, half-price fair admission, and prepaid premium concert parking.
