BLOOMSBURG, Pa.—Officials in central Pennsylvania have relented and say gun owners will be allowed to bring concealed weapons to the Bloomsburg Fair.

The ban was intended to assure the safety of an expected crowd of 80,000 people attending the Sept. 22-28 event.

Bill Barratt, Bloomsburg's superintendent of police and parking, told The Press Enterprise ( that many people complaining don't understand the fair is a private entity and its fairgrounds are private property, meaning it can ban whatever it likes.

But the decision prompted hundreds of people to take to social media sites and threaten a boycott.

Barratt said because the fair hasn't had gun problems in the past, it seemed a reasonable compromise to allow concealed carry while banning openly carried weapons.

Officials say they'll search bags as people enter.


Information from: Press Enterprise,