Lynn Richardson, president of the Perry Hall/White Marsh Business Association and longtime planner of the Perry Hall/White Marsh Town Fair, submitted the following blog post.

I am pleased to announce that the Town Fair has a new (and it's looking like a permanent) home. The 2012 Town Fair will be located at the new commercial development of Crossroads @43. This location is 3 driving miles east of 95 right on Rt 43. Yes, it is out of our Perry Hall/White Marsh zip codes. This is a rapidly developing area. There is plenty of room for the event and St. John's Properties has been welcoming & enthusiastic about the Town Fair being there.  

For those of you not familiar with the venue, there is a retail area, business park and a vast amount of undeveloped land (great for parking)!

After many years of struggling with major issues of space, parking, logistics, traffic, retailer objections, management prohibitions and school board restrictions, the PHWMBA board and leadership of the Town Fair committee unanimously agreed that this move is the only solution for the long term future of the Town Fair. It is not just a question of where the event will fit, but all of the considerations of handling 10,000+ guests, parking, safety, a practical layout, vendor entry & exit, and guest/vendor comfort. 

The goals and intent of the event remain the same. The Town Fair exists to provide an enjoyable, family-oriented day of activities, entertainment and information provided by businesses and organizations who serve nearby communities. Our vendors are mostly local businesses (over 65%) although they are not all located right in 21128 or 21236. Our Town Fair is a showcase for local businesses and will continue to be just that. I trust that our community will understand and support our efforts. 

I know it will be disappointing to some people that we were not able to keep this terrific event in our backyard. This change does afford the association and local businesses the opportunity to extend our reach to nearby communities, giving our everyone more recognition as proactive and inclusive. It is an excellent chance to showcase our businesses and efforts to many more people (and potential customers). In essence, we are spreading our wings to embrace more opportunity.

The PHWMBA is still the organizer and presenting sponsor of the event. Because we can continue hosting the Town Fair, the PHWMBA will continue to make donations to the local groups and organizations who have helped us, as well as offering our annual scholarship. 

I am also pleased to say that, even with this change of location, our support groups such as the PHHS Alumni Association and White Marsh Volunteer Fire Department have committed to continuing participation.  

I thank all of you who have been involved in helping us sort through the entangled battle of finding the Town Fair a place to be and look forward to your continued support and participation in an event that benefits all of us.  

More information on the fair's new location can be found in the article, Baltimore Crossroads to Host Perry Hall/White Marsh Town Fair.