The Delmarva Poultry Industry has put its giant frying pan into retirement, but the Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce is looking for a similar pan that would be used in an event designed to replace the annual poultry festival.

The popular chicken festival will be in Salisbury this year after all, joined with the annual farm and home show and sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce.

Combined, the two events will form the Wicomico County Fair Hosting the Delmarva Chicken Festival, said Ernie Colburn, president and CEO of the Chamber, which took over the chicken festival from the Delmarva Poultry Industry.

He said farm and home show organizers contacted the Chamber, asking that the chicken festival be added to their event and Chamber officials agreed. Originally, they weren’t going to present a chicken festival until 2016, Colburn said.

Held at Winterplace Park, the family event will be in mid-August, on a Thursday through Sunday, feature exhibits at the carriage house and be agriculturally based. There will be a nominal admission fee.

“Of course we want to promote chickens. We’re going to do a four-year contract with the farm and home show. We’ll do it at Winterplace Park the next four years. Regardless of what we do after that, it will remain in Salisbury. We will not be moving it around town to town like it was when it was under the leadership of DPI,” Colburn said.

He said the chicken festival portion of the fair will be similar to the old festivals, held for about 60 years, although the original giant frying pan will be absent.

“Were excited about it. It’s an opportunity to work with the farm and home show group. They have been around 70-some years doing this event for the area,” he said.

“We’re excited about the opportunity to put on a nice wholesome family event that is affordable.”