O/T County Fair in danger of being last one after 60 plus

years.Anyone ran into this problem.Small town fair lost state funding.So you guys got any ideas on fund raisers.Looks like local money will have to be gathered to save fair.How do you get the community involved in saving it.I find it sad that all the things.That I had growing up are phased out do to lack of state funding.What kind of events or funding raising can be done?To help save this community small town fair.Thanks BlaineF(WA)

I don't have the answer, but Michigan ended its State Fair last year; it had been losing A LOT of money for many years. Not a lot of folks in Detroit are interested in 4-H, I guess. There's still a State Fair in the Upper Peninsula; might as well be in Minnesota.

hard to answer that without being political or starting a fight of some kind.
Let's say that you do a fundraiser..... Only people that are going to show up to support it are the folks that will be participating in shows etc. You just opened it up to prejudicial judging because little johnny with the ugly pig won out over betty's pretty pig cause his dad put up more money.
You see where I'm going.

Neat as they were, we don't have Model T's or Wells Fargo Stages anymore either.

I hope you can work something out.

Dave

Blaine here in Johnson Co.Iowa most of the money for the fair is raised by renting out the show buildings for storage in the off season.

Motor homes, camping trailers, boats and what ever will fit and can be moved out for the fair.

This might work for you?

Gary

The county fairs around here have been going on for well over a hundred years and each year they struggle more to remain viable. It would seem that the livestock shows/ 4-H shows are keeping these fairs propped up. Times change it is inevitable. Hopefully a few will survive. Good luck, we lost our "farmers fair" here in Farmington many years ago. People still reminisce of those fairs.
bill

Our local fair doesn't get any state funding. It is surviving, but barely. Between a long running embezzelement scheme, and the economy, it is on the ropes.

Great state and county fairs have been another casuality of the USDA and Industrial Ag driving the small farmers out of business.Cheap food is very expensive when everything is added up.

Fairs are a thing of the past.They used to be a big deal once a year for the whole family.Now with amusement parks,broken familys,and not many people connected to the farm there's no one to support them.Some fairs in ohio pay people to bring livestock or machinery.They will be gone just like drive in movies.

We also are in danger of losing our 4H portion of the Genessee county fair in Michigan. I have put forth the plan of signing up the various groups of 4H'ers for participating in the charity poker games set up by the state.So far no action. Some say "NO" gambling for 4H. But it is all adult run. No kids involved. I dont see a problem with this.The money has to come from some place.4H was good for me and I always ask those that want to drop the kids;"When was the last time you saw a 4H' in trouble with the law."

I am in Ohio and have never heard any of that about paying people to bring in stuff. And the fairs are all going strong here. Neighbor fair just had 150th year. Just wish they would set prices differently as they only want families with kids as they make everybody pay for the rides even though us old codgers want to avoid that area along with the midway of the fair. I do not go because of having to pay for thr rides and that is what the fairs pay to get when the companys should ask to come in and give the fair a cut of the take. Sore spot for me.

Our fair board also rents the buildings for boat storage . The dam of a big lake is on the other side of town and there are more boats than room . Thay put them in about the 1st of nov. and out the 1st of april . That leaves it open for all summer and fall activitys . The air streamers campers group comes through town once a yr. and rents a building and area to park there campers . They have a few wedding reseptions and other such functions also . Also rent the grounds to the local tractor club for there show . Just gota grab a dollar any place you can .

It seems county fairs have strayed quite a bit from their intended purpose here in NY. They have gotten very unenjoyable for me as a lot of the attendees are way overloaded on alcohol or drugs and a lot of them are spoiling for a fight (and they usually fight dirty). I would not take my wife or a very young family member unless it was fairly early in the morning before that element gets there.
A lot less exhibits relative to agriculture now than when I was young. Farm implement dealers stopped displaying equipment in the 1970's when I was grade school age.
I've always felt if they could clean up the alcohol and drug issue that may encourage more "every day folk" to attend thus raising overall revenue. Most county fairs are still active here in NY and maybe somebody on here is a director for one and can speak on this issue.

Where are you at? How much budget short fall is there? That's a big determination. We are lucky here in Elkhart County IN. We have one of the biggest County fairs (2nd biggest in country???) in the country. Ours has of state funding but is largely supported by the gate fees and local corporate donors. I must say our fair is well run. I've seen other fairs that cost as much or more to get into, charge for everything, charge vendors more and isn't half as nice. In that case its a matter of management (fair board) quality. That doesn't help you get $ but if its not run right all the money in the world won't help you keep it going in the long run. No offense if you're on the fair board, maybe that's not the problem... if it is the problem you may have to let if fold 1 year and start over.

To do fund raisers you'll need to figure out what you need and how you can keep going. Some ideas.
-grants (state and fed)
-help from extension office
-local corporate donors/sponsors (with some advertising to get them interested, like "Bob's tire day at the fair" ect)
-bite the bullet and get some big entertainment/attractions in to get the crowds in to get them to spend $$ at the fair. If you already have big attractions maybe relook at how they are organized to maximize $. Elkhart county has free grandstands no matter who is playing and we have some big shows. Gets the crowds in and they spend $.
-host art shows, tractor pulls, consignment auctions ect to get revenue.
-general community donors (bake sales won't get you very far)
-eliminate any/all paid fair staff (staff that only works during the fair) to cut budget.

Hope this helps. Good luck

Many county fairs have disappeared in Illinois, but, there is a circus going on in Springfield with lots of clowns all year long.

I always thought the UP was part of Canada,EH!

We need to pay for welfare and food stamp receipients. Freeloaders come first.

Thanks for posting that as I thought a state fair had ended last year but couldn't remember which one.

very insightful statement, and very true.

Sorry Dave but I just took a ride in a Model T last night and 2 weekends ago a collect of coaches and wagon aution off to net the owner $150,000.00. I don't think he had that much invested in them.

This accurate observation/pronuncement certainly deserves a smiley face!

Been to your fair a couple of times and if it was closer, would go every year. The best county fair I've attended in many years.

our local county fair is in trouble you have to pay to get on fair grounds if you want to attend all 4 sessions of tractor pull you pay 4 times. we would have spent $100 to attend the tractor pulls and get on fair grounds then you need something to eat and drink while you are there maybe another 50-60 dollars for that.
with blue lips economic poliecies we don't have that kind of extra money.
the fair was moved from end of aug to mid july which seems to have hurt it even more.
i know of another county fair close by that can't the good quality rides any more as the fair doesn't get people to it.

(quoted from post at 07:28:42 08/09/10) Sorry Dave but I just took a ride in a Model T last night and 2 weekends ago a collect of coaches and wagon aution off to net the owner $150,000.00. I don't think he had that much invested in them.

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meant that they don't make them anymore :roll:

High addmission and food prices are killing fairs and gun shows.There used to be chairs to sit down in the hallways of a gun show I usually attend.No more.I told one of the promoters of that show I wont be there in Sept.Going to an Oct show where they have reasonable food prices and a place to sit down.The Oct show is getting larger than the Sept show where the number of tables is way down.

I'm not involved except as a spectator. Years ago the Dearborn
County Fair (Indiana) ran 2 weeks, the first week 4-H and the
second week the general fair. Preachers objected to the girly
shows and beer tents and gambling, the fraternal organization
running the fair said they couldn't run the fair without the
income from "adult" entertainment and shut down the fair.

After a couple of years the fair was restarted as the 4-H and
Community Fair, it is 1 week long, there is 4-H, a small midway,
a free stage, and the grandstand shows. There is no charge for
admission or parking, and there are ride specials many days.
Different days have different sponsors. There is no problem with
rowdy visitors as the fair is dry. As far as I know there is no tax
money involved, although the Dearborn County Foundation may
give some support.

On a related issue, the Indiana State Fair expanded to 15 days to
better handle the crowds and to handle more livestock without
building more barns. Yesterday was Turkey Hill Ice Cream Day
with $2 admission, all the food booths had a $2 item for the day,
and all rides on the midway were also $2. I had a $2 elephant
ear, it was smaller than the regular $5 ear, but it was big enough
for me.

(quoted from post at 03:06:10 08/09/10) years.Anyone ran into this problem.Small town fair lost state funding.So you guys got any ideas on fund raisers.Looks like local money will have to be gathered to save fair.How do you get the community involved in saving it.I find it sad that all the things.That I had growing up are phased out do to lack of state funding.What kind of events or funding raising can be done?To help save this community small town fair.Thanks BlaineF(WA)

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We have the income from the midway rides, beer gardens, beef bbq and Saturday night dance/bar.
We bring people in the with parade,midway, car/truck/tractor show, tractor pull,craft displays, pie/cake auction, food, drink, hobby group displays, pretty girls in the ambassador contest etc.
If you are not interesting to the entire extended family. The fair will die due to lack of interest.