Former President Trump rallies support in Harrisburg. Here's what we saw outside the arena

HARRISBURG ― Thousands of supporters of former President Donald Trump descended on the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex Wednesday for his evening campaign rally, filling its parking lots to capacity. Some attendees parked along nearby streets in auxiliary parking lots and walked to the complex.

The line to enter New Holland Arena stretched along the Capital Area Greenbelt loop trail parallel to Cameron Street, around the corner and back into the parking lot.

Live updates: Trump heads to Harrisburg for first Pennsylvania post-shooting rally

Walking from the parking lot to the line, vendors selling hats, shirts, buttons and even cigars approached potential buyers, many of whom already wore Trump memorabilia. Other sellers took their chances walking the length of the line back and forth. Others closer to the front of the line sold their wares from the comfort of tents.

David Stonesifer and John Akimov, both from Harrisburg, said they went to the rally partly because it was on both of their bucket lists. At around 3:45 p.m., and just over halfway through the line, they said they had been waiting for about two hours.

“If we don’t get in, then at least we tried, you know?” Akimov said.

Stonesifer said he voted for Trump in 2016 and 2020 and planned to do so again in November. He approved of Trump's policies at the southern border and didn’t like President Joe Biden’s exit from Afghanistan.

Tony Ondrusek, 62, also had a Trump rally on his bucket list. He drove about two hours from Parkville, Maryland.

“He espouses the ideals that I truly believe make America great. He really believes that America is a great nation, and we are a great nation. And that’s nothing to be ashamed of to say that.”

He believes some of policies implemented in the past four years are a detriment to the country, particularly foreign policy, and that there are some who make others feel they can’t be proud of their American heritage.

“That means for everybody who’s an American. Black, white, brown, yellow, gay, straight, trans; I don’t care. We’re all one people, we’re a great country.”

A 91-degree temperature greeted people waiting in line, and about 40 were treated by paramedics for heat-related issues, Harrisburg City Spokesperson Matt Maisel said. "No one thankfully had to be taken to the hospital. They are all in good to fair condition."

Some were able to cool off by standing in front of industrial-sized fans moved in by event workers. Others stood under the spraying water of a hose set upon a stepladder. Many congregated near the walls of the complex to take in as much shade as possible.

JoEllen Holler, 54, of Denver, Pennsylvania, wasn't surprised by the size of the line that had formed.

“What I am surprised at is if the crowd is this big, and was this big years ago, how did we lose the election? That’s what I’m surprised about," she said.

She said she was there to support Trump because she opposes abortion and supports the message behind making america great again. She believes the former president if elected would unite the country once more. "Not Republicans, not Democrats, America."

Holler wasn't surprised to see Trump return to Pennsylvania so soon after the attempt on his life in Butler County. While she appreciated much of the memorabilia being sold around the site, she did take issue with those selling T-shirts implying that the shooter had missed.

"They didn't miss, they hit, and they hit somebody that they shouldn't have," she said. "Not only my president, but they hit some innocent bystanders. So I'm not real crazy about that T-shirt, but the rest are pretty cool."

Joe Mandara, 58, of Wrightsville, also wasn't surprised that Trump was back in Pennsylvania.

“He didn’t finish that rally; in his mind, he didn’t finish that rally. So he wants to go back and finish it,” Mandara said. “Just like you would go to a concert and get rained out. Your ticket would be good for another concert."

Mandara said he had no concerns about attending the rally, calling those who were in attendance during the Butler rally "patriots."

"They stood there when those shots were fired. They didn't scream and run, like crybabies. That's a true patriot, right there."

Daniel Larlham Jr. is a reporter for the Lebanon Daily News. Reach him at DLarlham@LDNews.com or on X @djlarlham.

This article originally appeared on Lebanon Daily News: What was it like outside the New Holland Arena before Trump rally?